Muhal Richard Abrams

[B. Goren.]

So far I'm familiar with one of his recordings (only one, it's a shame, I know…): Duets and Solos, which he recorded together with Roscoe Mitchell. Any other recommendations? What about the rest of his Soul Note recordings?

[jlhoots]

I like Blu Blu Blu.

Also his set on the 4 CD Interpretations Of Monk is wonderful (Cherry, Lacy, Rudd, Rouse, Richard Davis, Ben Riley).

His playing as a "sideman" On Braxton's Live Basel set (Hatology) is also a peak.

Edited July 5, 2005 by jlhoots

[relyles]

I like Blu Blu Blu.

I like that one as well. In addition I enjoyed his writing and the overall playing on Think All, Focus One, One Line, Two Views, and Song For All. All of these recordings are from the nineties. I also have the 1969 Delmark release, Young At Heart/Wise In Time, which I do not have as specific memories about, but I vaguely recall enjoying it.

[Steve Reynolds]

I love Hearinga Suite with a large ensemble - gorgeous music which defies category within the jazz idiom

would be a nice blindfold test for those who don't know....

[Rosco]

Listened to Levels and Degrees of Light (Delmark) the other night and was struck (again) by how beautiful it is.

[clifford_thornton]

That is a heavy one.

[Guy Berger]

Listened to Levels and Degrees of Light (Delmark) the other night and was struck (again) by how beautiful it is.

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Yeah, this is the only one I have and it's pretty cool. Though that poem on "The Bird Song" hasn't dated that well.

Guy

[Alexander Hawkins]

I really enjoy the two piano album with Amina Claudine Myers.

There's also a cool one with Leroy Jenkins ('Lifelong Ambitions', I think), and one with Braxton.

I'm not so keen on the one with Cecil McBee ('Roots of Blue'); but then, in its instrumentation, it begs comparison with 'Sightsong' (with Malachi Favors), which is fantastic.

I love those Delmarks - Levels and Degrees of Light, Young at Heart/Wise in Time, and Things to Come From Those Now Gone. All three I wouldn't be without.

In a similar vein, I love his playing on Joseph Jarman's 'As If It Were the Seasons' (although he's only on one track).

Also, he's on Braxton's '3 Compositions of New Jazz' to great effect.

And those AEC recordings - I love his playing on 'Fanfare for the Warriors'.

Hmmm...sometimes I'm wary of 'recommendations' posts which look a little bit like a list, but all of these I genuinely like and listen to often. If I were t prioritise, I'd probably take the Delmarks, the AEC and 'Sightsong' over the others, but still, not narrowing it down that much!

[John B]

And those AEC recordings - I love his playing on 'Fanfare for the Warriors'.

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Great album, but he's not on it.

[Alexander Hawkins]

Isn't he???

Can't think which one I'm thinking of...

Are you sure? Doesn't he play that intro to 'Barnyard Scuffle Shuffle', or whatever it's called?

[Michael Fitzgerald]

Abrams is indeed on Fanfare.

Mike

[John B]

Apologies for relying on my faulty memory!

[Alexander Hawkins]

Apologies for relying on my faulty memory!

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We certainly agree it's a great album though!!!

[John B]

Apologies for relying on my faulty memory!

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We certainly agree it's a great album though!!!

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Oh, yeah! Just about everything the AEC released in that era is fantastic, imo.

[B. Goren.]

Thank you all for your recommendations.

[Joe]

Nearly every single one of Muhal's Black Saint dates has something to recommend it, though I admit soft spots for the marvelous SIGHTSONG, 1-OQA+19 (with Braxton and Threadgill), REJOICING WITH THE LIGHT ("Blessed Be The HEavens At 12"), and the at-times odd but always compelling SONG FOR ALL.

That said, I find the aforementioned YOUNG AT HEART WISE IN TIME (one long quintet track with Threadgill, Leo Smith, Lester Lashley and Thurman Barker; one long solo piano improvisation) and the much later ONE LINE TWO VIEWS (on New World) to be among his Abrams' finest achievements. The latter in particular is an unjustly overlooked recording, IMO.

Edited July 6, 2005 by Joe

[clifford_thornton]

Anybody heard his early work with Frank Strozier and the MJT? I'm a little curious.

[Chuck Nessa]

Anybody heard his early work with Frank Strozier and the MJT? I'm a little curious.

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Strozier was not a member of the band at the time Abrams was in the band. The personel included Paul Serrano and Nicky Hill.

[clifford_thornton]

Ah, thanks. Couldn't remember the reed player... I guess 2.5 years living in Chicago was partially wasted never following up on Nicky, or early Abrams for that matter.

[Kalo]

I like Blu Blu Blu.

Also his set on the 4 CD Interpretations Of Monk is wonderful (Cherry, Lacy, Rudd, Rouse, Richard Davis, Ben Riley).

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I love Hearinga Suite with a large ensemble - gorgeous music which defies category within the jazz idiom

would be a nice blindfold test for those who don't know....

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Not much to add to these recommendations, except to urge you to get them. The Monk CDs are fine, with everyone in excellent form, except Cherry, who seemed to be having a bad day.

Edited July 11, 2005 by Kalo

[paul secor]

Additional for Sightsong (w. Malachi Favors) and Interpretations of Monk.

A couple of other recommendations: Afrisong (Why Not) - a solo recording - and Lifea Blinec w. Joseph Jarman, Douglas Ewart, Amina Claudine Myers, and Thurman Barker (Arista/Novus) - probably never reissued on CD, but well worth looking for if you listen to LPs.

[Alexander Hawkins]

Seeing this thread in close proximity on the page to the one about Meade Lux Lewis made me think - there's quite a kinship between their sounds, at times.

Listened again to 'Young at Heart' last night. It just gets better and better. Abrams really is one of those players who conveys a sense of the whole history of the instrument/idiom, without overt copying of styles - quite a difficult thing to do, I think.

[Chuck Nessa]

Seeing this thread in close proximity on the page to the one about Meade Lux Lewis made me think - there's quite a kinship between their sounds, at times.

Listened again to 'Young at Heart' last night. It just gets better and better. Abrams really is one of those players who conveys a sense of the whole history of the instrument/idiom, without overt copying of styles - quite a difficult thing to do, I think.

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FWIW. while working on the cd reissue of Young at Heart I played a 30 minute first take of the solo piece. Many more references to earlier styles - boogie, stride, etc. Sadly, no room on the cd for it. Maybe in the next format.

[Chalupa]

Oh crap.

I just found out that Muhal Richard Abrams is going to be playing w/ the Roscoe Mitchell Quartet the same night Wayne Shorter is playing here in Philly. I've seen Wayne w/ this band and I've never seen Muhal Richard Abrams before.

Guess I have to sell my Shorter tix.

[Alexander Hawkins]

Seeing this thread in close proximity on the page to the one about Meade Lux Lewis made me think - there's quite a kinship between their sounds, at times.

Listened again to 'Young at Heart' last night. It just gets better and better. Abrams really is one of those players who conveys a sense of the whole history of the instrument/idiom, without overt copying of styles - quite a difficult thing to do, I think.

←

FWIW. while working on the cd reissue of Young at Heart I played a 30 minute first take of the solo piece. Many more references to earlier styles - boogie, stride, etc. Sadly, no room on the cd for it. Maybe in the next format.

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Wow. Can I have your job please?

Is listening to these unreleased takes as exciting as it sounds, or if you're used to being involved in the recording process, does the novelty wear thin?

Mind you, at the risk of answering my own question, the novelty doesn't wear thin with the chosen takes we all live with...

I wish Muhal would travel to this country...I've only seen him once, and as a 17-year old who liked the idea of 'new jazz' more than the music itself, I don't think I really appreciated what I was seeing