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New one from Joe Albany


Nate Dorward

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This one dropped out of the mail today. I'd not actually heard Albany's music before, though I know something of his personal history of course.... Anyway, this one's a real pleasure: private solo recordings from Albany's home in 1976 (on the feast of Epiphany, hence the title), apparently the first of two planned volumes. A couple Parker blues lines, an original called "Old, Old Friends" & an original "Slow Blues in F", and a clutch of standards. The session (assuming it's in the same order as the tape) seems to get looser & more rhapsodic/rubato & more intense in its dialogue between hyperromantic harmonies & deep blues feeling as it goes on: indeed it's very passionate music, and the ear is little short of amazing. "Sweet and Lovely", at the end of the session, is virtually remade whole. At the end you hear Albany's message: "This I did on the day--what's the date? January 6, in Hollywood, '76. I think I'm getting into it, little bit. So when you hear these tapes, I'll be sharing my enthusiasm. Enough for me anyway, I'm encouraged."

Anyway, it's on Blue Jack Jazz Records, & a very enjoyable release. Thought I'd draw it to the attention of the Albany fans on the board.

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This one dropped out of the mail today. I'd not actually heard Albany's music before, though I know something of his personal history of course.... Anyway, this one's a real pleasure: private solo recordings from Albany's home in 1976 (on the feast of Epiphany, hence the title), apparently the first of two planned volumes. A couple Parker blues lines, an original called "Old, Old Friends" & an original "Slow Blues in F", and a clutch of standards. The session (assuming it's in the same order as the tape) seems to get looser & more rhapsodic/rubato & more intense in its dialogue between hyperromantic harmonies & deep blues feeling as it goes on: indeed it's very passionate music, and the ear is little short of amazing. "Sweet and Lovely", at the end of the session, is virtually remade whole. At the end you hear Albany's message: "This I did on the day--what's the date? January 6, in Hollywood, '76. I think I'm getting into it, little bit. So when you hear these tapes, I'll be sharing my enthusiasm. Enough for me anyway, I'm encouraged."

Anyway, it's on Blue Jack Jazz Records, & a very enjoyable release. Thought I'd draw it to the attention of the Albany fans on the board.

Interesting, Albany's later stuff never seems to measure up to his status as a lost bopper. As you say quite rhapsodic when I'm wanting to hear his roots.

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I've developed quite an interest in Albany over the years & would like to hear this. His daughter's memoir, discussed elsewhere on this board, is quite a read. Allen Lowe knew him & I'm sure will have something to add to this thread when/if he's heard this music. (Allen, was it Albany you quoted as saying, "I'd never go into a basement with Charlie Parker?" ^_^ )

Edited by ghost of miles
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yes, it was Haig who made the basement comments (also said: "working with Charlie was a pleasure - no problems, no hassles...no money") Joe, on the other hand, enjoyed shooting up with Bird, as he told me -

I got to know Joe about 1978 or so - it is interesting, and I will tell you that Joe was always best heard solo in those days - with groups he frequently got lost (which was not new for him- he also gets lost from time to time in the recording he made with Warne Marsh at Donte's in 1957) - clearly this was from years and years of substance abuse; no surprise, as he once told me that his drug of choice for some time was a tranquilizer normally used on horses.

Solo he did not have to worry about a rhythm section; I have a cassette somewhere of some solo things from around 1979 that are quite amazing - harmonic density, brilliant lines, freely but amazingly associated -so I would be interested in hearing these.

one quick story - one night Joe was playing with a trio at the West End Cafe in NYC; they were playing Ornithology. I was in the front row, the bass player was Jeff Fuller, a good friend of mine. The were doing the closing riff - which is basically a turnaround starting on B minor and descending chromatically until you hit the G chord, which is the tonic - Bird played it this way sometimes, and repeated the riff a few times - on this night Joe just kept playing it, maybe 8-10 times. It was like a stuck CD player. I knew something was off, and I was gripping the edge of my chair tightly, hoping Joe would come back. Finally he did and it ended; Jeff looked at me and said, "I know, I know" - the whole room let out a sigh of relief and Joe just left the bandstand like nothing unusual happened.

Edited by AllenLowe
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