snobb In mid 80s one of free jazz cult figures American tenor Archie Shepp returns to his early r'n'b roots again and again. Usually combined with vocals and bluesy hard-bop numbers, Shepp's albums from that period are often a mixed bag, but for followers contain lot of interesting moments.

One of better known albums of such kind is his "Down Home New York", recorded in States and released on renown Italian Soul Note label in 1984. "You're My Thrill"(reissued later on CD as "Passion" with two bonus tracks) was recorded in France and released on tiny domestic Vent Du Sud label. Both vinyl and CD (reissued in 1990)versions are real obscurities.

From very first album sounds it becomes obvious that Shepp (or label) obviously tries to re-vitalize "Down Home NY.."'s successful formula. At the very same way, "You're My Thrill" opens with 10+ minute long catchy r'n'b number of the same way (actually, it is same song as "Dow Home.."'s opener, just titled here as "Passion" and completed with slightly different lyrics)

Then (strictly according to previous album formula again) we have series of hard hard bop ballads with a few freer reeds solos and some of vocals.In contrast to Soul Note release where Shepp plays with team of renown Americans (incl. Kenny Werner on piano and Saheb Sarbib on bass among others), on "You're My Thrill" we hear mostly domestic European band. Weirdest collaborator is German keyboardist Siegfred Kessler using solely analog synths with extremely non-jazzy plasticky effervescent sound.

Supporting band's leader trumpeter/tuba player Michel Marre demonstrates few solos, not on the level of Shepp's better collaborators' though.CD version's two bonuses are more lively compositions, contain more inspired (and a bit freer) playing but can hardly save all album.

Obscure and hardly attractive for casual listener, this album still contains its two or three attractive moments for Shepp's fan or collector.

js Although “Three for a Quarter One for a Dime” was not released until 1969, it was actually recorded in 1966 at the same show that made up the album “Live in San Francisco”. Recent CD re-issues of “Live in San Francisco” include “Three for a Quarter” as a 33 minute bonus track, prior to that, it was probably only available in the original vinyl format. On the original LP, the 33 minute piece is divided into 17 ½ minutes on side one, and 15 ½ on side two. Even though it is available on CD now, you may sill want to get “Three for a Quarter” in the original vinyl version because the massive gatefold packaging generously supplied by the Impulse! label is a work of art in itself.

Almost any musical genre seems to enjoy its best years when that style is being invented. The excitement of discovery seems to push a musician’s physical limits beyond their usual capabilities. You can hear this in late 20s jazz and early 40s be-bop, and you can also hear it in the ‘free jazz’ of the 60s. Despite all the attention given to Coltrane and Ornette during this freedom era, quite possibly Archie Shepp, along with Albert Alyer and John Gilmore, were the ones who took the emotional frenzy of this music to its highest level, and “Three for a Quarter” provides an excellent example of Shepp doing just that.

This album opens with Shepp and tromobonist Roswell Rudd leap-frogging an odd melody that’s part bop, part circus music and completely ‘out to lunch’, there is no doubt that we are in for a wild ride. As the band digs in, Rudd and Shepp do some quick exchanges before Rudd backs off and gives Shepp the floor. Archie responds with one of the most intense sax solos you will ever hear anywhere, no shrieks or screams, just an endless assault of notes played with a very gnarly expressive guttural sound. Towards the end of side one, Rudd re-enters and the two soloists raise a wonderful chaos that sounds much bigger than just two. On side two, Rudd takes a solo ride while Shepp backs him on the piano before picking up his horn for one more double solo to close things out. Throughout the precedings, Beaver Harris keeps up a steady roar on the trap set while the two bassists rumble around in the background, although not always particularly distinctively.

Archie Shepp is a restless spirit who has played many styles of music in his career, “Three for a Quarter One for a Dime” is an excellent example of how much furious energy he brought to the ‘new thing’ of the sixties before he moved on to other things.

snobb Percussionist Kahil El'Zabar born in Chicago and studied music in University of Ghana.He was chairman of the AACM up to 1975 leading his early band Ethnic Heritage Ensemble.

From eighties Kahil runs his another project - Ritual(or Ritual Trio). More concept than stable line-up team, in different time in contained many known Chicagoan musicians,including Lester Bowie,Malachi Favors,Billy Bang and Pharoah Sanders among others.Ritual Trio released all series of albums starting from mid 80's, as rule on almost every album they have new guest musician presented.

Here on "Conversations" Ritual Trio are El'Zabar plus Art Ensemble Of Chicago's bassist Malachi Favors and sax player/pianist Ari Brown. The guest is tenor Archie Shepp (who occasionally plays piano here as well). Being one in a series of many for the Trio, this album is really significant recording for Shepp. Being a free jazz icon from mid 60s to early 70s,he never left the scene, but from late seventies for two decades his music was a sporadic collection of hard bop tunes released on tiny labels. It let Shepp to survive as active musician but not much left from his younger angry avantgardist image.

"Conversations" with Ritual Trio is Shepp's first album on major American label for more than two decades and ,what is more important,is first try to return back playing more adventurous music.Formally this recording is a tribute to bassist Fred Hopklns and AACM member who died in January of 1999.Recorded in Chicago's Riverside studio, this album contains all AACM was and is well known by: African ritual meditative rhythms,tuneful free improvisations,colorful arrangements and most important - that unique free jazz spirit. Being a tribute to passed away friend, music here is melancholic,even sad in moments,lyrical,but never sentimental or dark. In a tradition of Art Ensemble of Chicago quartet plays hymn to life first of all, with respect and commemoration to those who passed away. Percussionist-led band surprisingly didn't record very percussive or rhythmic music though - here is place for everyone,from lot of piano soloing(even if no musician on this album plays piano as first instrument)to liquid sax with some dissonance (as in Shepp's early years). There are even gospel-like vocals on "Brother Malcolm"(title,returning listener back to Shepp's late 60s again).

Music on "Conversations" doesn't open any new horizons - it just recalls and refreshes sound and atmosphere of free jazz great years and it's great to confirm it doesn't sound any retro-like or nostalgic.Released on the edge of the centuries,this album came a little too early to become noticed since wider wave of interest to free jazz (old and new)will come some years later. But for Shepp it became quite symbolic release anyway - starting from here he step by step will return to more adventurous jazz leaving decades of straight playing for being able to pay his bills in the past.

snobb Late seventies were the time when world is turned over for all generation of yesterday adventurous jazz stars who became famous in late 60s and continued to enjoy success in early 70s. Musical fashion has been changed dramatically and one morning many of them woke up jobless,sometime even homeless and as rule - useless.Not so many of them survived these and upcoming years successfully, fortunately Archie Shepp did. To pay his bills he just started to record music on request,playing what labels wanted him to be played. During second half of decade Shepp released lot of albums of varied quality and even more varied stylistic, but what helped him to survive that difficult time was good old hard bop (not so obvious choice for Shepp who didn't come to late 60s avant-garde jazz from hard-bop scene, as many others,though).In some European scenes and more important - in Japan hard bop just displaced rapidly disappearing avant-garde jazz for some years, Archie Shepp found his new listener here.

From impressive amount of Shepp releases coming from mentioned era there are some still very adventurous albums,lot of hard bop based music with still his freer touch here and there and few very straight works, "Tray Of Silver" is one of them.

Four quite long compositions, three of which are Horace Silver originals, acoustic boppish quartet with Yusef Lateef and Horace Silver himself drummer Roy Brooks,one-time Art Blakey Jazz Messangers pianist Mickey Tucker,Gil Evans tuba/baritone player Howard Johnson and Japanese bassist Gon Mizuhashi(who released album with Herbie Hancock on same Denon label two years ago). Recorded in Tokyo's studio, album has characteristic warm,deep and clear "Japanese" sound. All musicians are high-class so the music is well played but biggest surprise, at least for old Shepp's fans is how safe he plays here. If on many his other hard bop - based albums from the same time he doesn't avoid risky improvisations and even some dissonant,explosive soloing, on "Tray Of Silver" he plays extremely straight,note by note. Fortunately,album is not a collection of late night smokey bar - type nostalgic ballads, there are some mid-tempo quite energetic numbers, and included ballads themselves don't sound too sticky.But being extremely safe,all music becomes quite faceless, just another tunes played by skilled but not very original band.

Hardly an interesting addition for those loving adventurous Shepp, it's still better-than-average hard bop album,not all that inspired, but well played and recorded.

snobb After a series of mainstream recordings, Archie Shepp changed things up during the late 70s-early 80s with "Down Home New York", a great stand alone album returning more freedom to Shepp's sound.

Released on the Italian Soul Note label, 'Down Home' opens with a ten minutes long modern r'n'b influenced title song, full of energy and pulsating rhythms, openly recalling street-wise hip-hop atmosphere of the time. This Shepp original includes all the band's member's vocals, most probably this song became a reason for negative critical reaction on this album. Some critics obviously were still waiting for Shepp's return to his non-conformist free-jazz of the late 60s, or at least another hard bop album. Shepp did the unexpected step instead - releasing an album that mixes spiritual jazz, r'n'b and free-bop (which is not really all that far from what he's playing most recently). Anyway, his open eared fans received this album with big respect, and it is now known as Shepp's best work coming from the 80s.

After the title song, Shepp plays thye soulful standard, "Round About Midnight", spiced with freer soloing. After bassist Saheb Sarbib's original "May 16th", and the free-bopish and bluesy "The 4th World", Shepp closes the album with a straight take on Coltrane's "Straight Street". All the musicians are great here, particularly the very physical bassist Saheb Sarbib, and piano player Kenny Werner. Shepp himself is in great form and this release in whole represents one of these rare excellent inspired albums coming from the 80s. Its just a pity it's so short!