Chick Corea - The Sun (1971)

A 1970 session featuring sixty-seven percent of the Miles Davis sextet, which finally saw the light of day in 1978. These are the midnight perambulations of the extant Miles sextet (minus Moreira and Miles himself), congregated in some eternal kitchen of the soul where scraps of meat and melody are served to the insatiable jazzeaters who would have a bronze cast of Miles’ every footfall. Originally recorded in September 1970 (and purists will point out that Steve Grossman was technically out by then), the music on The Sun didn’t see the light of day for years, and only then appropriately in the land of the rising sun. It is, like much of the Miles Davis marginalia, worthy of time and note. You could see this as a semi-Circle: a quartet of bass, drums, piano and sax with Chick Corea, Dave Holland and the brilliant Jack DeJohnette at the core. The songs fit squarely into Corea’s avant-garde phase: dissonant with a very tactile and percussive quality that includes scratching, groaning and quick staccato clusters of keys jumbled together. Solos devolve (evolve?) into an orgy of frenetic notes, structure and chaos play an endless game of tug of war, and throughout you’ll find the occasional moments of calm that pierce through the stormclouds of fierce invention and remind you of the potency of melody. Now, nothing on The Sun could be called timeless music. Corea fans have likely had their fill of this stuff already; Grossman’s fans may be more inclined to make the effort, since he shines on this recording. It appears from the liner notes that a few guests (including Dave Liebman on some bagpipe-like instrument called the musette) joined the fun on the last three tracks, although their contributions are barely audible. ~ Kronomyth, progrography.com. 

Express Records [Far East], ETJ-60004, 1971
Recorded 14th September, 1970 at Up Surge Studio, New York City 

Musicians:
Chick Corea - Piano
Steve Grossman - Tenor Saxophone
Dave Holland - Bass
Jack DeJohnette - Drums
Steve Jackson - Percussion (#B1-B3)
Dave Liebman - Musette [Chinese] (#B1-B3)
Teruo Nakamura - Bells (#B1-B3) 

Tracks:
A1. Moon Dance {Steve Grossman} (6:46)
A2. Slumber {David Liebman} (11:23)
B1. The Sun, Part 1 {Chick Corea} (9:07)
B2. The Sun, Part 2 {Chick Corea} (2:37)
B3. The Moon {Chick Corea} (6:08) 

Total Time: 36:03 

Moon Dance

Dave Liebman Group - Songs For My Daughter (1994)

"...That the music is not all sweetness and light is indicative of unconditional love's travails.... SONGS FOR MY DAUGHTER is as varied and moving a recital as this virtuoso reedman has ever recorded." ~ Cam Jazz.

Essentially, an overlooked album from his vast discography, this album released on the Italian label soul note is a foray into a more the acoustical and programmatic collective. This endeavour is enhanced by the addition of two great players pianist Phil Markowitz and guitarist Vic Juris, not to disparage the rest of his well-versed and stalwart group.

Soul Note, 121 295-2, 1995

Recorded May, 1994 At Red Rock, Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania, USA

Musicians:

Dave Liebman - Soprano Saxophone, Wooden Flute

Phil Markowitz - Acoustic Piano

Vic Juris - Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar

Tony Marino - Bass, Electric Bass

Jamey Haddad - Drums, Percussion

Scott Cutshall - Percussion (#7)

Lydia Liebman - Vocals (#9)

Tracks:

1. Little Peanut {Dave Liebman} (7:25)

2. Arrival {Dave Liebman} (6:20)

3. For Lydia {Caris Visentin} (6:30)

4. Innocence {Dave Liebman} (8:43)

5. Tomato Face {Dave Liebman} (5:06)

6. Papoose {Dave Liebman} (8:04)

7. Sins Of The Fathers {Dave Liebman} (8:56)

8. Mommie's Eyes {Dave Liebman} (6:01)

9. You Are My Sunshine {Traditional} (1:17)

Credits:

Producer - David Liebman

Executive Producer - Flavio Bonandrini

Engineer - Kent Heckman

Mastering Engineer - Gennaro Carone at Phonocomp, Tribiano, Milano

Photography - Caris Visentin Liebman

Art Cover - Maria Bonandrini

Liner Notes - Dave Liebman, Bethann Hatfield

Dave says he doesn't welcome new musicians in the tribe until they have been at it for about 10 years. Talent is not all that counts in this genre, although it's paramount. You have to make it work financially, and get used to traveling for 20 hours to experience two on stage. The audiences are not as large as with other styles and the money doesn't always match the level of sacrifice and expertise required. But if you can withstand the pressure you earn your ranks among fellow musicians, Dave explains. This doesn't mean that he is not paying attention to new talent. He acknowledges that the best indications of someone's personality is often found in their early records. ~ Milton D. Carrero, The Morning Call.

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.

Liebman, Beirach, Mraz & Foster - Quest (24/48 vinyl rip)

Came across a sealed copy of this one!

"Quest was the name of the quartet that Dave Liebman (who is heard here on soprano and alto flute) had with pianist Richie Beirach, bassist George Mraz and drummer Al Foster.

"Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," Foster's tribute to Miles Davis, sounds nothing like the trumpeter's music but builds up expertly in passion and intensity with Liebman's soprano taking honors. Mraz's "Wisteria" is a memorable ballad, Lieb's soprano is explosive on "Softly s in a Morning Sunrise" and Beirach's tender ballad "Elm" (a tribute to the late violinist Zbigniew Seifert) gets fairly adventurous during its latter half. Liebman's hyper "Napanoch" and an atmospheric and floating version of Ornette Coleman's "Lonely Woman" complete this superior postbop release." Yanow

Linc Chamberland - A Place Within (1976) [re-rip]

An attempt to get Linc to talk about his music drew a dismissive wave. "It speaks for itself," he said and indeed it does. I can only call attention to some highlights: Liebman's possessed soprano on Lyn Christie's "Place Within." Christie's tense, brooding Arco bass on Chamberland's "1957" and Leonard's sensitive accompaniment on the trio feature "What's New." Chamberland's guitar holds it all together with rhythm playing that offers firm footing and solos that just don't stop. The music offers no compromise and holds back nothing.

Dave Liebman tracked down in Wethersfield, Connecticut: "He's a great musician and a fine human being." further elaboration is unnecessary. Listen to the record.

Excerpt from Liner Notes: Jim Motavalli, "Jazz Challenge", WPKN-FM

A guitarist’s guitarist, a musician’s musician, Linc Chamberland was a well kept secret, cherished by those who knew the secret (like Felix Cavaliere, who recruited him for the jazzy era Rascals). This LP was the first of his two solo jazz dates, both for Muse, and was one of my first professional recordings. ~ Fred Seibert.

Linc Chamberland was a talented jazz guitar player. Before he died of leukemia he released only two albums, both on vinyl.

Muse Records, MR 5064, 1977

Recorded 16th & 17th June, 1976 at Dimensional Sound, New York City

Personnel:

Linc Chamberland - Electric Guitar

Dave Liebman - Tenor (#A1-A3), Soprano (#B1,B2)

Lyn Christie - Bass, Arco Bass (#B2)

Bob Leonard - Drums

Track Listing:

A1. Indeed {Linc Chamberland} (3:57)

A2. Stella By Starlight {Victor Young, Ned Washington} (9:02)

A3. Mahjong {Wayne Shorter} (8:10)

A4. What's New {Bob Haggart, Johnny Burke} (2:13)

B1. A Place Within {Lyn Christie} (8:10)

B2. 1957 {Linc Chamberland} (7:51)

B3. Three Thing {Eric Bolvin} (3:49)

Credits:

Producer - Fred Seibert

Engineer - Skip Juried

Art Direction, Design, Photography - Hal Wilson

Tribute Page:

http://www.rickblechta.com/Pages/Linc.html

Notes:

Dave Liebman Courtesy of A&M/Horizon Records

"He's a great musician and a fine human being." further elaboration is unnecessary. Listen to the record. ~ Dave Liebman

Steve Swallow - Home

Steve Swallow – Home · Music By Steve Swallow To Poems By Robert Creeley
Label:ECM Records – ECM 1160 (vinyl to flac)

A1 Some Echoes 5:35    
A2 "She Was Young..." (From "The Finger") 3:32    
A3 "Nowhere One..." 4:57    
A4 Colors     4:22    
A5 Home     3:20    
B1 In The Fall 4:00    
B2 "You Didn't Think..." 2:53    
B3 Ice Cream 4:16    
B4 Echo     5:22    
B5 Midnight 3:42



    Bass, Composed By – Steve Swallow
    Design – Barbara Wojirsch
    Drums – Bob Moses
    Engineer [Recording] – David Baker
    Lyrics By [Poems] – Robert Creeley
    Mixed By – Martin Wieland
    Photography By [Cover] – Joel Meyerowitz
    Piano – Steve Kuhn
    Producer – Manfred Eicher
    Saxophone – David Liebman
    Synthesizer – Lyle Mays
    Voice – Sheila Jordan

Recorded September 1979 at Columbia Recording Studios, New York

"This is a fine (& rare) example of a composer really hearing & bringing out a poet's voice inside the poems. Bob Creeley's concentrated poetry packs an emotional wallop behind an occasionally cool facade. So it is an interesting test to place these words/lyrics with a female singer. Perhaps the most important test is that the poems do function as lyrics, generating an unexpected musical-ness. The band is wonderful. Everyone plays with creative commitment to the material & to Steve Swallow's vision. The proceedings feel a bit dry here & there, the Manfred Eicher Effect. But this is a very good album; one of the few I recommend to poets for both pleasure & the possibilities it suggests."

Bob Rixon