MARION BROWN Vinilo y CD

Review: Saxophonist Marion Brown closed his chapter with Impulse! Records in the 1970s with this serene and vivid offering, featuring an impressive lineup of jazz talent. Drummer Ed Blackwell and bassist Reggie Workman provide a tight, responsive rhythm section, while Stanley Cowell's work on both acoustic piano and Fender Rhodes adds rich texture to the arrangements. Brown's own composition, 'Vista,' is a stand-out, bringing a blissful vibe, while the album also highlights other great selections, including a warm rendition of Cowell's 'Maimoun' and an introspective, meditative take on Stevie Wonder's 'Visions.' The tracks flow effortlessly, from the evocative 'Maimoun' and 'Visions' to the expansive, peaceful 'Vista,' before moving into the more complex 'Moment of Truth.' With 'Bismillahi 'Rrahmani 'Rrahim' and the intricate 'Djinji' rounding out the album, Brown's final statement for Impulse! remains as emotive as it was upon its release.

Review: Marion Brown was an esteemed alto saxophonist immersed in New York's avant-garde jazz scene in the 60s, playing on seminal recordings such as John Coltrane's Ascension in 1965. He was hugely prolific as an academic as well as a collaborator and band leader, and his 1975 LP Vista is but one perfect documentation of his mellower side. Especially interesting is his cover of Stevie Wonder's eternally haunting 'Visions', as well as an interpretation of Harold Budd's 'Bismillahi 'Rrahmani' Rrahim'. It's a smoother listening experience than the earlier work Brown made his name on, so if you appreciate jazz with a mellifluous finish, this is the album for you.

Review: Record Store Day and Black Friday 2023 continue to serve up the treasure even now as we roll into 2024. This latest pice, Creative Improvisation Ensemble, is from Marion Brown and Leo Smith who explore an experimental and avant-garde world of challenging jazz. It is freeform, unbound by rules and expectations and very much keeps you on your toes as the saxophones burst to life, express tortured emotions and peel away to nothing. Some cuts are more heavily percussive with tribal drums like 'And Then They Danced' and others are persuasive numbers that make you move.