He is undoubtedly a legend. Marion Brown, born in Atlanta/Georgia, was already counted among the prominent musicians of the ‘New Wave of Jazz’ movement in the sixties and recorded important albums under his own name for Impulse, ESP and ECM. As a sideman, he participated in epoch-making releases such as Ascension by John Coltrane and Fire Music by Archie Shepp. These activities helped him to become an important saxophonist with an unmistakable voice. Projects and tours followed with Sun Ra, Paul Bley, Pharoah Sanders, Leo Smith, Gunter Hampel and Mal Waldron, among others. In 1990, Brown met the German-based ensemble Jazz Cussion for the first time. It was a fruitful encounter, which spawned the album Native Land in 1992 and a tour through Germany. After a break of several years without a release, the American alto saxophonist set off on an - for him - unusual path with the ensemble Jazz Cussion. Echoes Of Blue is Brown’s first (although it is hard to believe) purely standard album ranging between ballads and Latin classics. It's a professionally produced work, which lets his lyrical vein develop to its fullest. Reminisces of his mentors Duke Ellington (Prelude to a Kiss) und John Coltrane (Naima) are of course unavoidable. The musicians sketch light, airy outlines with virtuoso playing on guitar, double-bass, drums and percussion, which make the artistic encounter between Jazz Cussion and Marion Brown into a thoroughly delightful experience. Especially the exciting dialog between Brown’s saxophone and Michael Möhring’s guitar gives the pieces a deeper, poetic dimension. This creates the decisive element shaping this album, which makes it clear that they have something to tell each other. Aside from Stella By Starlight - a rousing showcase for Jazz Cussion in a guitar-trio format - the American is the focal point of the music in all pieces: a revelation, not only for fans of Marion Brown! ~ ClicMusique.com.
Double Moon Records, CHRDM
71015, 2000
Recorded January, 1992 at
O-Tone Recording Studios, Göttingen, Germany
Musicians:
Marion Brown - Alto Saxophone
(#1-5,7-9)
Michael Möhring - Guitar,
Berimbau, Balafon, Percussion
Peter Krug - Bass
Bernd Nawothnig - Drums
Wolfgang Kropp - Congas,
Percussion
Tracks:
1. Mirante Do Vale {Hermeto
Pascoal} (8:28)
2. Naima {John Coltrane}
(6:20)
3. Little Sunflower {Freddie
Hubbard} (5:59)
4. You Don't Know What Love
Is {Gene De Paul, Don Raye} (9:04)
5. Prelude To A Kiss [Solo]
{Duke Ellington, Irving Gordon, Irving Mills} (3:24)
6. Stella By Starlight [Trio]
{Ned Washington, Victor Young} (4:15)
7. Polka Dots And Moonbeams
{Johnny Burke, Jimmy van Heusen} (8:35)
8. Echoes Of Blue [Trio]
{Michael Möhring, Peter Krug, Marion Brown} (8:38)
9. Once I Loved {Antônio
Carlos Jobim, Vinícius De Moraes} (6:33)
