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.

David Liebman - Sweet Hands (1975) [vinyl>flac]

Fascinatingly eclectic, Sweet Hands finds Dave Liebman’s band Lookout Farm exploring different styles such as funk, free jazz, Indian music, song forms, and even a surprisingly successful reharmonization of George Harrison’s Within You Without You from The Beatles’ 1967 album, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.

Listening to Sweet Hands makes you nostalgic for a time when music executives had enough respect for the public that they supported the creation of music that didn’t have an instantly exploitable marketing hook.

Probably the standout is the opening track, Dr. Faustus. The inspiration for the tune, originally titled “Anxiety,” was an episode between Dave Liebman and his record label at the time. It opens with a free chromatic melody, tweaked for maximum dissonance, leading into a jazz rock vamp over which Liebman wails, egged on by Richie Beirach’s itchy clavinet. The pounding bass line that underlies the tune is meant to suggest, according to the liner notes, “New York City where so many high pressured situations are dealt with constantly.”

The next tune, Dark Lady, is by Richie Beirach. The tone of the piece is fittingly ruminative, being a portrait of one of Richie’s female acquaintances. An A section is played by Richie alone, followed by a B section of simpler harmonic material, which is used as material for Liebman’s improvisation. A C section follows, a canon based on material from the B section. Finally the A section is reprised, ending the track.

The next piece is an (unintentionally) humorous tune that combines an Indian rhythm supplied by Badal Roy with funk, courtesy of the bass and a rhythmic figure by Liebman’s overdubbed saxophones. It is not entirely successful, but it is hard not to applaud the group’s spirit of adventure, and at a brisk 4:11, it doesn’t overstay its welcome.

Within You Without You, retitled Ashirbad, is treated to Badal Roy’s percussion before Liebman starts in with the theme, which Beirach reharmonizes on electric piano, under which the bass plays an E pedal point, with occasional countermelodies. Given that Liebman is particularly fond of Harrison’s lyrics, which he finds profound, one is grateful that Liebman’s musical taste far exceeds his literary judgement.

Napanoch starts with a completely improvised duet between Liebman on tenor and Beirach on electric piano which segues into a section with a straight ahead jazz feel based on the F# Locrian mode, over which Liebman solos freely, accompanied by Beirach, who spontaneously reharmonizes to support Liebman’s melodic variations. While Liebman and Beirach continue to burn, swingtime is suspended and the rhythm becomes free, drawing the tune to a close.

To summarize, Sweet Hands is quite an adventurous and almost entirely successful date from David Liebman and his band Lookout Farm. Now, the bad news, Sweet Hands is only available on LP. ~ Jazzbo

Horizon Records, SP-702, 1975

Recorded 25th, 27th, 29th & 30th July, 1975 at Kendun Recorders, Burbank, California

Personnel:

David Liebman - Tenor Sax (#A1,A3,B3), Soprano Sax (#A1,A2,B2,B4), Alto Flute (#A2,A3,B1,B2), Wind Chimes (#B2)

Richard Beirach - Piano (#A2), Electric Piano (#A1,B2,B3), Clavinet (#A1,A3), Bell Tree (#A2), Wind Chimes (#B2)

John Abercrombie - Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar (#A1-A3,B4)

Charlie Haden - Acoustic Bass (#A3,B1,B2)

Frank Tusa - Electric Bass (#A1,A3), Acoustic Bass (#A2,B1,B2,B3)

Jeff Williams - Drums (#A1-A3,B3,B4)

Don Alias - Congas, Bells, Tambourine, Shaker, Cymbal [Finger] (#A1-B4)

Badal Roy - Tabla, Ektare, Vocals (#A3,B1,B2)

Arooj Lazewal - Sitar (#B1,B2)

Gita Roy - Tambura (#B1,B2)

Track Listing:

A1. Dr. Faustus {David Liebman} (10:49)

A2. Dark Lady {Richie Beirach} (7:52)

A3. Sweet Hand Roy {Badal Roy, David Liebman} (4:09)

B1-B2. Ashirbad {Badal Roy}/Within You Without You {George Harrison} (12:13)

B3. Napanoch {David Liebman} (5:27)

B4. Leane {David Liebman} (4:12)

Credits:

Producer - Ed Michel

Recorded By, Mixed By - Baker Bigsby

Engineer [Assistant] - Larry Quinn, Peter Chaiken

Mixed By - David Liebman, Ed Michel, Richard Beirach

Creative Director - John Snyder

Art Direction - Roland Young

Design - Phil Shima

Cover [Front Cover] - Kenneth McGowan

Liner Notes - Badal Roy, David Liebman

David Liebman - Light'n Up, Please! (1976) [vinyl>flac]

Allied with Pee Wee King of James Brown fame, Dave Liebman plunges headlong into funk in the wake of Herbie Hancock's Headhunters, but his heart doesn't seem to be in it. At times, he sounds bored playing R&B riffs that he seemed to have outgrown at the time, lapsing into free-jazz flurries in an effort to stay interested, and the rhythm section is leaden. The whole thing is recorded with a dry, airless ambience, possibly emulating Headhunters and its sought-after riches -- but no, it didn't translate into anything close to a gold record. Leon Thomas makes some fairly ridiculous vocal appearances on the energetic but mindless funk of "Children of the Ghetto" and the pale imitation of a JB groove, "Got to Work." Yet there are a few moments, particularly on "Tranquility of the Protective Aura," where Liebman's lovely soprano is permitted to soar unimpeded. The title of the album refers either to photography or cigarettes, depending upon which side of the cover you're looking at. ~ Richard S. Ginell, All Music Guide.

Horizon Records, SP-721, 1977

Recorded May 1976 at the Record Plant, Sausalito, California;
and September 1976 at Electric Lady Studio, New York City

Personnel:

David Liebman - Tenor & Soprano Saxes, Alto & C Flutes, Electric Piano,
Talking Drum, Vocals, Handclaps

Pee Wee Ellis - Tenor & Soprano Saxes, Electric Piano, Vocals, Handclaps

Harold "Ivory" Williams - Synthesizer [Mini Moog], Electric Piano, Vocals

Link Chamberland - Electric Guitars

Chris Hayes - Electric Guitar

Jeff Berlin - Bass

Tony Saunders - Bass

Al Foster - Drums

Jimmy Strassburg - Percussion

Jumma Santos - Congas, Handclaps

Sonny Brown - Percussion

Richard Beirach - Piano [Acoustic]

Leon Thomas – Vocals

[See included Info.txt file for specific details]

Track Listing:

A1. Light'n Up, Please! {David Liebman} (6:39)

A2. Children Of The Ghetto {Liebman, Thomas, Steinberg, Ellis} (3:44)

A3. Tranquility Of The Protective Aura {Harold Williams} (5:54)

A4. The Fonz's Strut {David Liebman, Pee Wee Ellis} (5:55)

B1. Got To Work {Liebman, Ellis, Leon Thomas} (3:17)

B2. Chicken Soup {David Liebman, Pee Wee Ellis} (3:52)

B3. Exquisite Torture {David Liebman} (5:05)

B4. Win Your Love {David Liebman} (1:31)

B5. Slow Dance On The Killing Ground {David Liebman} (4:24)

Like many appraisals they can be quite subjective to a reviewer’s preferences and prejudices. Although not the usual side you would expect from David Liebman, it is however a major attempt to fashion a pleasurable jazz funk album. He is helped by a myriad of sophisticated players and performers. If the listener overlooks some of the dated riffs and concentrates on some of the artists solos they will soon realise a high standard of music. It is also an opportunity to hear the elusive Link Chamberland in action. Overall Liebman demonstrates some wonderful virtuosity across a broad range of instruments, in particular when he swaps to soprano. Pee-Wee Ellis’ contribution as musician, writer and producer is also impressive. Apart from a couple of rambling moments, this LP sets up some very funky grooves. Ripped from a well loved vinyl the resulting music makes for an enjoyable listen.