JOHN SURMAN — Morning Glory (review)

JOHN SURMAN — Morning Glory album cover Live album · 1973 · Fusion Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
Sean Trane
Surman’s third or fourth “solo” album (depending on how you view “When Fortunes Smiles”) named Morning Glory (actually it was the name of the short-lived group), is certainly worth a smirk, but trad-jazzjoes will probably quickly change it to some kind of disapproving stern grin and frown heavily. Indeed, MG is not exactly Surman’s easiest album, but it has its own load of charms and sonically-gorgeous curves. An all-star line-up featuring Terje Rypdal, Marshall’s drum skin, Taylor’s tickled keys, Laurence’s bass blows and Griffith’s trump-bones, so now Surman is not the only nutcase to crack itself free with his baritone and clarinet, but some synth-toying-around as well. Just four tracks (two aside) on this album (released on the Island label), but what solid breakfast chunks they are to digest.

If the MG album starts off rather dissonantly sunless-like, it clearly clears the atmosphere to let a cool slowly crescendoing groove that is reminiscent somewhat of BB or Mwandishi’s sonic pastures with a McL vibe added, courtesy of Terje’s guitar. You can also hear that Surman has heard of Maupin’s bass clarinet in BB and Mwandishi albums, and he’s applying these bass drones to great effect on Cloudless Sky, where Terje is letting it Rypdown dramatically his guitar wails. Unfortunately, the following Iron Man seems to have a more-exciting heavy metal sensibility with Black Sabbath than having a free-form-with Morning Glory, even if the track ends better than it started. Actually, the FMR CD reissue links both tracks together in one sidelong 21-mins+ track, but originally on the vinyl these were two distinct tracks.

On the flipside, Norwegian Steel features Rypdal’s searing and soaring distorted guitar wails over some dissonant backdrop, mainly drums and percussions at first, before Griffiths’ trombone and Surman’s clarinet are circling around each other with Terje in an infernal cadenza. The closing For Us All is much in the same vein, but starting off ultra-slow and testing your sanity via screeching sax, wailing guitars, piano clunking, trombone growls and bass drones. Halfway through the track, Rypdal’s guitar takes the debate a step louder and more intense, but the track slides into more accessible territory in great Nucleus-like groove, with Taylor’s Rhodes giving max dramatic effects seconding the wild axe growls.

Well, among Surman’s early discography, MG is certainly a peak for Avant or Fusion fans alike, but especially for the later, because the free-improvs are still rather accessible and they’re not numerous or overlong. A fairly challenging album, but the open-minded jazzheads shouldn’t have much problem facing it successfully, thus offering a very rewarding experience.

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