Dave Liebman - Lookout Farm (1974) [re-rip]

Lookout Farm is a sublime jazz-fusion album and is indicative of a typical ECM release. Side A kicks off with Pablo’s Story - a Latin influenced track that begins with classical guitar, then flute and electric guitar together with cowbells. It’s poised and beautiful and then it becomes an up-tempo workout with saxophones and congas taking it on a wild ride. Sam’s Float initially sounds mysterious, with a bass line leading into flute trills whilst a female voice wails - it’s like a brief adventure into the ether. Side B is one twenty-four minute track called M.D/Lookout Farm. It begins with acoustic piano followed by plaintive tenor saxophone and as the track develops it is atmospheric and sometimes quite abstract. There’s everything happening in this track – you can call it a jam, but it is coherent and tightly played. Towards the end there is a great percussive section with tablas and congas before a saxophone led freak-out warps time over never-ending elastic minutes. This music is a good example of what was happening in the early 1970s.

Dave Liebman played in Elvin Jones’ band after John Coltrane died in 1967 and then was hired by Mile Davis, playing with the master between 1970-74, the period in which this great record was recorded. Lookout Farm displays similar qualities to Miles Davis’ work during that period, being both adventurous and avant-garde, but also very listenable. The sessions took place in October 1973 and features Liebman on flute and soprano and tenor saxes. The other principle musicians are Richard Beirach, Frank Tusa and Jeff Williams. ~ Jeremy, Closed Groove

ECM Records, ECM 1039 ST, 1974

Recorded 10^th & 11^th October, 1973 at Generation Sound Studios, New York

Personnel:

Dave Liebman - Soprano, Tenor Saxes, Alto C-Flute

Richard Beirach - Electric, Acoustic Piano

Frank Tusa - Electric, Acoustic Bass

Jeff Williams - Drums

Thanks to:

John Abercrombie - Acoustic, Electric Guitar

Armen Halburian - Percussion

Don Alias - Congas, Bongos

Badal Roy - Tablas

Steve Sattan - Tambourine, Cowbell

Eleana Sternberg - Vocals

Track Listing:

A1. Pablo's Story {Liebman} (14:00)

A2. Sam's Float {Liebman} (8:38)

B. M. D. / Lookout Farm {Liebman} (23:46)

Credits:

Producer - Manfred Eicher

Recording Engineer - Tony May

Mixing Engineer - Martin Wieland

A great example of the sound of ECM in the early 70s, with Liebman playing in his post-Miles band angular modernist style with warm electric and acoustic accompaniment from Richard Beirach, Frank Tusa and Jeff Williams rounding out the quartet. The set is made up of three long, spiralling numbers, with the players intersecting and weaving together their lines, blurring the difference between solos, group improvisation and head melodies, and there's a large host of guest players, including John Abercrombie, Don Alias and Badal Roy. Titles include "Pablo's Story", "Sam's Float" and "MD/Lookout Farm". © Dusty Groove, Inc.