JOHN TCHICAI — John Tchicai - Archie Shepp : Rufus (review)

JOHN TCHICAI — John Tchicai - Archie Shepp : Rufus album cover Album · 1966 · Avant-Garde Jazz Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
snobb
There are two great but almost forgotten albums, recorded at early days of free jazz by two great collectives. To be correct,both them were recorded at the same day and in the same studio, even more - them both were released only three years after they were recorded, by same label,just one right after another.

The New York Contemporary Five have been founded by trumpeter Don Cherry after he left Ornette Coleman and sax player Archie Shepp after his departure from Cecil Taylor band. Third reedist Denmark-born John Tchicai was less known but already played with some progressive New York artists. With support of groovy boppish rhythm section (Don Moore and J. C. Moses) the quintet was a all-star collective of sort.

In August 1963 quintet came to studio to record music, heavily influenced by "the New Thing". Besides of original band's session, some additional material has been recorded in studio same day - by the same band but without Don Cherry. Somehow all music recorded stayed unreleased till 1966,when it was released by Dutch Fontana as two separate albums. Full band recordings came as New York Contemporary Five's "Consequences” and music,recorded without Don Cherry came as John Tchicai - Archie Shepp's "Rufus".

If on "Consequences” trumpeter Don Cherry (still all in free jazz and not on his new upcoming interest - world fusion)is obvious leader, Cherry-less quartet represents balance of two quite different sax players - linear European classic influenced Tchicai on alto and African-American jazz tradition rooted Shepp on tenor. Well-framed by rhythm section,them both surprisingly found the way of collaboration successfully enough. Five compositions are all full of energy, tunes and rhythms and are closer to Dolphy's free-bop than to some free-form improvs which will dominate on free scenes some years after.

Not on the level of best advanced jazz releases of the time,this album contains really interesting early free jazz boppish and well structured form which almost disappears with no traces just few years later.Re-released many times (including CD versions)in Europe and Japan,it looks this album has been never issued in States. It's a shame - it not only contains quite original early free jazz but evidences beginning of successful career of two great jazz sax players - John Tchicai and Archie Shepp.
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