clifford_thornton

It is with a heavy heart that I must announce that the pianist/composer, and my friend, Burton Greene died today in his home of Amsterdam at the age of 84. Burton's piano approach ranged from the influences of Horace Silver, Monk and Lennie Tristano to Indian music, Klezmer, and Bartók (he is of Romanian Jewish descent), creating a melodic, meditative, and rhythmically rich stew from which freedom could emerge. Burton recorded prolifically as a leader beginning in 1966 for ESP-Disk', followed by albums on BYG, Columbia (!), Horo, Hat Hut, Circle, Cat Jazz, Button Nose, CIMP/Cadence, NoBusiness, Drimala, Tzadik, and other imprints. Notable appearances include those with Marion Brown, Albert Ayler, Patty Waters, Perry Robinson, Sam Rivers, Byard Lancaster, Alan Silva, Roy Campbell Jr., and Gong, though his work as a soloist and interpreter is also vast. Despite less recognition than he and his fans might have hoped, he toured Europe and the US into 2019, a true soldier of the road. I got to know Burton in 2004 through interviewing him for the New York City Jazz Record (at that time called All About Jazz New York) and we became good friends -- I was lucky to experience his many stories and ideas through conversations over the phone, email, and in person (he inaugurated our apartment in Brooklyn as the "home for wayward jazz musicians" after staying with us in 2012) and we had hoped to do a festival including his US trio in 2020 until COVID put the kibosh on it. I'll forever cherish the friendship and memories as well as the many hours of great music. Rest in Power, Burton.

Tragic story -- coworker/friend's aunt lived in that building and the family cannot reach her. Very grim scene. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-57606232 Hopefully no board members or their loved ones are in there.

Kind of obscure, but I've had it a few times. The album even got reissued on CD back in the late 90s (on Billy Martin's Amulet label), which is where I first heard it at our college radio station.

yum.

ditto. I love White Light White Heat -- one of the best records ever made -- and also it's fairly unpretentious and doesn't deserve such overwrought pontification.

what is the most tasty IN title?

My only and main issue with Frequency Equilibrium Koan is the mastering for digital -- sounds completely underwater, or like it was recorded on a cell phone. The music is of course superb.

Moms!

I just bought a P3 with an Elys cart and love it. Hard to beat for the price.

she was stopping by Eddie Kramer's studio, from what I understand.

yeah, I am vaccinated but when I am down in NYC and anywhere indoors I keep mine on. When outdoors in the smaller burg I now call home, I don't worry about it at all because there's hardly anyone around.

barely.

Wow, kudos!

Whoa.

Yeah. Sorry this happened, John, but you seem like the type of person that can turn lemons into lemonade. Good luck. Seems like many here have been in similar shoes and will have good advice.

yeah, saw that but it was already gone (not that I could've afforded it). Beautiful stuff, would love to hear the whole thing! this is another library LP featuring Barbieri in Italy in the late '60s, certainly freer: https://soundcloud.com/armagideon-times/intermezzi-jazz-04-lp-sbrugnolini-gato-barbieri-mega-rare-italian-free-jazz-session (no, I don't have it -- been on my want list for ages)

yeah, haven't seen it on any of the share blogs. Hopefully someone has it.

not yet purging all my EP albums but the dude is not making it easy for himself...

I thought Craft was just doing the high end reissues, not mass market. See I was wrong.

was the full session ever released? Would love to hear this.

yeah, I have that Zitro LP, which is killer. I don't have the Zig Zag.

Absolutely on all fronts. I actually wonder sometimes whether writing about music is relevant at all -- especially since "criticism" comes mostly from the social media/fan side now -- and while I continue to ply away at it in one form or another, one sometimes has to find other ways to engage with the work. FJB is not for me.

I wish more nights were recorded. That band was on fire.

don't forget our own Won All Eel

bought sealed original Natural Food and Birigwa from Mait via Luke (Porter) way back (IMO they are excellent), and picked up Wellstood and Frishberg later. I think the stuff is, as you say, a cool little capsule and an interesting scene. Edey seemed like an interesting character and I wish I had had the opportunity to meet him. my copy of Jeanne is an Earthforms pressing that I also got sealed.