Chick Corea (with Dave Holland and Barry Altschul- SONG OF SINGING (1970)

Chick Corea-SONG OF SINGING (1970)

From the album cover (enclosed):

all which isn't singing is mere talking
and all talking's talking to oneself
(whether that oneself be sought or seeking
master or disciple sheep or wolf)

gush to it as deity or devil
toss in sobs and reasons threats and smiles
name it cruel fair or blessed evil-
it is you (ne i) nobody else

drive dumb mankind dizzy with haranguing
you are deafened every mother's son-
all is merely talk which isn't singing
and all talking's to oneself alone

but the very song of (as mountains
feel and lovers) singing is silence

from 73 Poems by e.e.cummings (1959)



While it seems that most of the work Corea did with these fine musicians (including the early recordings of the group Circle) were initially released under Corea's name alone, they were, in the finest sense of the words, group efforts.
The compositions were written,not just by Corea, and the group interplay pushes the rhythm section forward, rather than having them play a purely supportive role, or even inverts the traditional heirarchy- (Hear Corea's support of Altschul's solo in Rhymes, where Corea plays the inside of the piano with a string of bells, for an obvious example).The group interplay is Very close (and would get significantly closer) and the level of inventiveness is high. The heads are short and to the point-springboards for what is mostly very free playing, with selective restraint shown by all. Not"energy-music",exactly, but very energetic nonetheless.
This session pre-dates the Circle recordinfs by only a few weeks or months, and these years (1970-71) were to be the last before Corea "went fusion", and are, for me personally, the most interesting of his records of which I am aware.
-DrE



















THE SONG OF SINGING:
Chick Corea- Piano
Dave Holland- Bass
Barry Altschul- Drums


Side One:

1-Toy Room (D.Holland) 5:56
2-Ballad 1 (B.Altschul,C.Corea,D.Holland) 4:21
3-Rhymes (C.Corea) 6:58

Side Two:

4-Flesh (C.Corea) 6:12
5-Ballad 3 (B.Altschul,C.Corea,D.Holland) 5:36
6-Nefertiti (Wayne Shorter) 7:11
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Sam Rivers-PARAGON (1977)

Sam Rivers-PARAGON (1977)

Some data from external sources:

Sam Rivers, a widely respected jazz saxophonist and composer died Monday in Orlando, Fla. The cause of death was pneumonia; he was 88.

Born in Oklahoma, Rivers studied at the Boston Conservatory before beginning his career during the bebop era. Rivers, who played tenor and soprano saxophone, flute and bass clarinet, went on to record several free-jazz albums under his own name for Blue Note.

During the 1970s Rivers and his wife, Beatrice, opened their New York loft, Studio Rivbea, to free-jazz performances, creating one of the most vibrant spaces on the "loft jazz" scene.
(David Corio/Getty)

A review of Paragon (from 2002)

As the checks got smaller for jazz musicians, the bands did also. The fewer people to pay, the more profitable the venture. In some ways, this was a tragedy. For other musicians, men like Sam Rivers, it was an opportunity to make the music in his head. Rivers is a giant thinker. While his Blue Note recordings are certainly more accessible to the average listener, it is his remarkable trio output that is the core of his musical thought. Rivers is a player whose playing brooks no argument. There aren't many who can hang, even in a supporting role. There certainly isn't room for other soloists. This is sweeping, grand, muscular music, as regular and jagged as a seismograph, or the jittering of a lie detector. Here, he's supported by two men perfectly suited for their roles, Dave Holland and Barry Altschul. Fine musicians, here they are extensions of the music that pours from Rivers.- Rob Ferrier

I hope I will Be forgiven for not putting into my own words what this man (who was so gracious as to sign my l.p's) and his music mean to me, but I feel I am late in posting this and wish to wait no longer. Suffice to say, we have lost a master musician here. Check especially his flute playing in track 5 and hear for yourself.
Thank you, and Goodbye, Mr.Rivers.




















Sam Rivers-PARAGON (1977)
with:
Dave Holland - Bass, Cello
Barry Altschul- Drums, Percussion

Side One:
1- Ecstasy (Tenor Saxophone) 5:41
2- Bliss (Flute) 6:29
3- Rapture (Soprano Saxophone) 5:11

Side Two:
4- Tingle (Piano) 7:25
5- Paragon (All above instruments) 12:13

re-up:
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