Talib Kibwe Odyssey - Egyptian Oasis (1986) [vinyl]

Subtle mix of free jazz and spiritual afro jazz groove. The line-up is remarkable: Talib Kibwe on sax, flute and kalimba, Louis Petrucciani on bass, Bobby Few on piano, Sangoma G. Everett on drums and African percussions. Superb flute work (with that incredible buzz sound), very inventive piano parts, nice breaks. Recorded in France during the 80’s, only 2000 copies were pressed! Very fresh and totally obscure! ~ victorkiswell.com. 

A breath of fresh air released in 1987 by a wind instrument player Talib Kibwe, born in New York with Caribbean heritage, whose father is Jamaican and mother is Trinidad and Tobago. With a piano trio in the background, alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute, etc., and a piano trio including veteran pianist Bobby Few and talented bassist Lous Petrucciani in the background, this is a work that attracts attention with its passionate blow. ~ From the new album guide. 

Cryonic Inc., MAD 3033, 1987
Recorded 4th, 5th, 6th April, 1986 at Studio Gimmick, Yerres, France 

Musicians:
Talib Kibwe - Alto & Soprano Saxes, Flutes, Kalimba, Percussions
Bobby Few - Acoustic Piano
Louis Petrucciani - Acoustic Bass
Sangoma Everett - Drums, Percussion [African] 

Tracks:
A1. Pinnacle Of Joy {Talib Kibwe} (3:47)
A2. I Love Music {Hale Smith, Emil Boyd} (4:14)
A3. Waltz For Weston {Talib Kibwe} (6:30)
A4. Egyptian Oasis {Talib Kibwe} (4:57)
B1. 2000 Seasons Part 1 {Talib Kibwe} (12:12)
B2. 2000 Seasons Part 2 {Talib Kibwe} (2:45)
B3. Extented Family {Talib Kibwe} (2:49)
B4. Blues From Jaly {Talib Kibwe} (5:16) 

Total Time: 42:30

Credits:
Producer - Edouard Detmer
Recording Engineer - Herve Le Ouil
Photography - Michel Bocande
Sleeve Notes - Talib Kibwe 

I Love Music

Archie Shepp - Coral Rock (1970)

Coral Rock features an absolutely monster free jazz lineup. Fans of other releases on America or the BYG Actuel series should be familiar with a number of these sidemen: Bobby Few, Clifford Thornton, Muhammad Ali, Joseph Jarman. Particularly of interest, though, might be the under-recorded Alan Shorter, who contributed the title track. This piece is especially reminiscent of "Mephistopheles," a tune that appeared (in different capacities) on his brother Wayne's similarly great Blue Note LP The All Seeing Eye and certain reissue pressings of the self-titled Marion Brown record on ESP. Like "Mephistopheles," "Coral Rock" features a lumbering, march-like bassline and incredibly dissonant head. "Coral Rock," however, is much looser and, for this reason, it would be difficult to imagine it on a Blue Note release of any kind. This is free jazz straight out of the late-'60s/early-'70s Paris scene. Very serious stuff. That having been said, the inclusion of the standard "I Should Care" may come as a surprise, but one should keep in mind that no matter how far out Archie Shepp got, his roots have always been firmly planted in the past. It is seemingly presented here more as a vehicle for pianist Bobby Few than anything else and, within Shepp's catalog, might be compared to the free blues of "Damn If I Know (The Stroller)" from his 1968 Impulse LP, The Way Ahead. This session was reissued in the States by Prestige. ~ by Brandon Burke, AMG.

America Records, 30 AM 6103, 1970

Prestige Records, PRST 10066, 1973

Recorded 23^rd July, 1970 At Studio Decca, Paris, France

Musicians:

Archie Shepp - Tenor Saxophone, Piano

Lester Bowie - Trumpet

Al Shorter - Flugelhorn

Clifford Thornton - Valve Trombone

Bobby Few - Piano

Bob Reid - Bass

Mohamed Ali - Drums

Ostaine Blue Warner - Percussion

Djibrill - Conga Drums

Tracks:

A. Coral Rock {Alan Shorter} (22:09)

B. I Should Care {Axel Stordahl, Paul Weston, Sammy Cahn} (14:05)

Total Time: 36:14

Credits:

Producer - Pierre Berjot

Photography - Gilbert Moreau

Sleeve Notes - Valerie Wilmer