John Surman - Way Back When (1969)

In October 1969, John Surman left his native England to join bassist Barre Phillips and drummer Stu Martin in a new group in Belgium. Right before he left, he appeared at a recorded jam session in England. The tapes were then lost until 2003 and made their first appearance on record on this 2005 CD. The music is particularly interesting for two reasons. Surman, who is best known for his baritone playing, is mostly heard on soprano. And the performances are reminiscent of a slightly more accessible and gentler version of Miles Davis' Bitches Brew, although the Davis set was just in the process of being released. These renditions show that some jazz musicians in the United Kingdom were going through a parallel evolution as their American counterparts. Surman is showcased with the rhythm section during the four-part "Way Back When," and the ensemble is joined by altoist Mike Osborne on the final two selections. This is an important set in the history of fusion, showing that not only the biggest names were exploring the new music in 1969. ~ Scott Yanow, AMG. 

Cuneiform Records, Rune 200, 2005
Recorded 7th October, 1969, Tangerine Studios, London, UK 

Musicians:
John Surman - Baritone & Soprano Saxophones
Mike Osborne - Alto Saxophone (#5,6)
John Taylor - Electric Piano
Brian Odgers - Electric Bass
John Marshall - Drums 

Tracks:
1. Way Back When, Part 1 {John Surman} (7:30)
2. Way Back When, Part 2 {John Surman} (5:39)
3. Way Back When, Part 3 {John Surman} (4:49)
4. Way Back When, Part 4 {John Surman} (3:43)
5. Owlshead {John Warren} (13:56)
6. Out And About {John Surman} (8:21) 

Total Time: 44:01 

Credits:
Executive-Producer - Peter Eden
Engineer - Robin Sylvester
Remastering - Michael King
Coordinator [Release] - Steven Feigenbaum
Cover Painting - Judy LaMar
Liner Notes - John Surman 

Another intriguing document from way back in the form of a previously unreleased John Surman recording from 1969, featuring John Taylor on electric piano and the searing sound of Mike Osborne on two tracks. Surman's work of a couple of years later reflects the soundscape of Coltrane, and though his own sax-playing here does that too, the ambience is more reminiscent of the Miles Davis band that made In a Silent Way. The opening of the four-part suite Way Back When features the 25-year-old Surman's fizzing soprano swooping over a bass ostinato, and various incarnations of the era's jazz-funk fixation underpin the subsequent developments. But it's John Warren's eloquently languid Owlshead, for Surman's baritone and Osborne's alto, that grips the attention most, with the latter unfurling a solo of typical fluency over John Marshall's crackling drums. As for the emphatic two-sax melody of Out And About, it hints at Surman's distinctive 1970s sets for Decca/Deram, most evident on the likes of How Many Clouds Can You See? ~ John Fordham, TheGuardian.com.