31 December 2007

James Newton and David Murray Solomon’s Sons, flac and lame



Circle Records RK 16177/5
Circle Records, Aachener Str 60/62, 5000 Koln, Germany

Dedicated to Martin Luther King

I’m honoured to be invited to join the contributors to one of the most interesting blogs around. I’ve just managed to get hold of a copy of James Newton and David Murray’s Solomon’s Sons , so I thought I’d start off with this one. It’s one of the final records I needed to complete my David Murray collection. (I’m still missing Live at Peace Church and Sur-Real Saxophone, if anyone has copies they want to sell at a reasonable price). If you’ve read any of my blog entries on Murray, you’ll know I like the detail. Hope there’s not too much here.

James Newton Flute
David Murray Alto and Tenor Saxophone

Monk’s Notice (James Newton) duo 13:29
The Dean (James Newton) flute solo 6:47
Theme For The Kidd (David Murray) duo 9:05
3D Family (David Murray) sax solo 7:09
Solomon’s Sons (James Newton) duo 9:05

Recorded in live at the Smudge Pot, Claremont, California on January 16th 1977

Recorded by Bruce Bidlack
Produced by Rudolf Kreis

Recordings of three duo performances and a solo each for two reunited musicians back where they started playing: Claremont, California. By this point Murray had become the darling of the loft jazz scene in New York, as well as a regular feature on the European festival circuit. Murray tended to work in a quartet setting in the late 1970s, and so along with a couple of solo recordings, it’s interesting to hear Murray work in such a challenging context.

The album is credited to Newton and Murray, and the inverse alphabetical order suggests Newton had the key role here. Nevertheless Murray plays an equal role in the playing and composition stakes. Murray worked with Newton on three further recordings that I am aware of: a 1995 release of recordings made under Jon Jang’s leadership (Two Flowers on Stem); a jointly led quintet CD released in 1996; and a1998 work with Guadeloupian musicians (Creole)

Two note-worthy asides of interest to Murray fans. First, the album credits suggest he plays both alto and tenor on this recording. Although I think I’ll need a couple more listens to spot where he uses the smaller horn, the back cover photo shows both in evidence. Second, although not noted on the cover, Newton’s 'The Dean' is dedicated in the live announcement to Stanley Crouch. It’s certainly possible to draw the conclusion that ‘The Dean’ was a the affectionate name for Crouch who, as a staff member at Pomona College (where Murray studied), became a mentor for many black musicians involved in the local black arts movement.

The associations of this recording with Murray’s past and future resonate particularly strongly in one track. This was also the first time '3D Family' was recorded; although he returned to the theme on three further occasions in 1978, ‘81 and ‘90. The importance of the composition to Murray is apparent in the 1978 release where he makes it the title track and dedicates it to (I think) his father Walter P Murray. When Murray Jnr moved to Paris he took the title as the name for his production company. Murray also recorded Newton’s 'Monk’s Notice' almost exactly a year later on Last of the Hipman.

19 comments:

Wallofsound said...

I'm new to uploading using rapidshare, so I'll try a MP3 at 320 kbps first. Flac to follow.

http://rapidshare.com/files/80373914/Solomon_s_Sons_MP3_pt1.zip.html
http://rapidshare.com/files/80347516/Solomon_s_Sons_MP3_pt2.zip.html

SOTISE said...

thanks very much for this superb and rare jewel of a record..
a great first post!!!
i also once upon a time had a circle record which was split between newton and murray one side each.
wallof ill wait for the flac's on this .. if you have problems (i know you are on a mac you could try ape)
again many thanks

ps i have a rip of last of the hipman from glmlr that im planning to post

dalemcbdnl said...

Hi Wallofsound, this is a terrific post. And you are right, this is a wonderful blog for those of us who love free jazz (or whatever you want to call it). It turns out that this is one of the few NEWTONS and/or MURRAYS I was missing - so THANKS!! On the other hand, I do have both the Danola and the Horo (Live at Peace Church and Sur-Real Saxophone) that you mentioned. But I'm definitely an obsessive collector so I don't want to part with either of them. I will get the vinyl digitized soon (as WAV files) with beautiful professional covers. After which, I'll make an effort to to try an upload (it will be my first also) so other folks can enjoy these treasures. I'm also having the Marge (Let The Music Take You) digitized because I have such a fondness for Butch Morris and Johnny Dyani. I don't listen to LPs all that often anymore so I love the stuff I find to download on this and other blogs. I apologize to all for being a lurker to this point but it's ONLY because I am sorta intimidated by computers. AND I am REALLY NEW to what the blogs have to offer. Until a year ago I had NO IDEA!!

Inquire at "NO boundaries Music" which is a group I lead at "Last.fm."

charlie said...

Yes, super post. I also appreciate dalemcbdnls' efforts but could I make a plea for mp3/FLAC, not WMA? Thanks.

SOTISE said...

dalemcbdnl
would you like an invitation to make your own posts on this blog.

if so leave me an email address preferably the one you signed up to google blogger with...
if you need any help ripping uploading whatever.. letme know
dipmong@hotmail.com.au

Boromir said...

Welcome wallofsound. I'm no expert on David Murray, but I do like the stuff of his I've heard, so I'll certainly listening to this one. Many thanks.

Wallofsound said...

Thank you all for your encouragement. If I’ve got it right the flac version should be accessible below. I haven’t worked out how to do one of those ‘triggered’ multiple files yet.

I’ve got some more really great Murray lined up for you all.

Sotise: Last of the Hipman will be my next post. It’s digitized and ready to go. I’ve never heard of the side-a-piece Newton/Murray you mentioned. Do you have any further information?

Dalemcbdnl: a share of Peace Church and Sur-Real would be marvellous. Like you I’ll continue to go after the vinyl, to I’d love to hear the music. Marge is still active as a label in France and you can buy a CD copy of Let the Music Take You (http://futuramarge.free.fr). They’ve got some dispute about the original artwork, so It looks different, but it sounds great. Morris and Dyani are on top form.

If you want to read about Murray from an obsessive go to: http://wallofsound.wordpress.com/david-murray/

http://rapidshare.com/files/80473238/01_Monk_s_Notice.flac.zip.html
http://rapidshare.com/files/80473212/Archive_2.zip.html
http://rapidshare.com/files/80473482/Archive.zip.html

Anonymous said...

I also have a copy of Sur-Real Saxophone on Vinyl. I don't have a turntable at the moment, but looking at the disc it seems pristine. What's a reasonable price?

Anonymous said...

The most interesting thing, to my mind, about this album is that it contains what I believe is the only known David Murray on record playing solo alto. (Track B2). If I'm mistaken in thinking this, I'll happily be corrected!

Wallofsound said...

As far as I'm aware glmlr's right. I don't have another album on which Murray plays alto. I still can't decide if it's 3D family with the alto because he plays in the same 'beyond the instrument' style he uses on tenor. I should note that he was experimenting with different horns at this time. He plays soprano on Bechet's Bounce on Live at the Lower Manhattan Ocean Club Vol 1, and introduced bass clarinet into his performances on Jack DeJohnette's 1979 recording of Special Edition. None of the press coverage I've tracked down at this time talks about his use of alto or soprano, so I don't know if they got used in unrecorded live performances. Was anyone at any of his gigs during these years?

Quibbler: do contact me directly through email on my profile. Thanks.

SOTISE said...

wallo... i think this is indeed the album i owned ,that i refered to but the cover was different... ill see if i can locate one.

the flacs sound absolutely great..
thanks again.
its a wonderful record.

SOTISE said...

actually wallo.. i think im mistaken it was a sam rivers /james newton split lp on circle named 2 flutes or flutes.. im pretty sure it was solo one side a piece.. thats long gone .
does anyone one know the record im talking about?

Anonymous said...

Wallofsound: Agree. On "3D Family" Murray is credited with the tenor only. However his use of the bass-clarinet chronologically precedes the JDeJ "Special Edition" (3/79) by a few months on the WSQ "Steppin With ..." album from 12/78.

Anyway, it remains rather special to listen his only solo alto performance on this LP.

Wallofsound said...

You may be right about it being Sam Rivers / James Newton, sotise. The back of Solomon's Sons cover has a section promoting the future release of:

"RK 7677/7 Jazz Flutes of the Seventies with Sam Rivers Tuba Trio: Essence - Part XI and with james Newton: diverse flute solos: Woman; The Dean (alt take); Choir."

The usually very reliable Sam Rivers sessionography at http://www.bb10k.com/RIVERS.disc.html has the following information:

"76.09.02 • [that's 2nd September 1976]

Sam Rivers: The Tuba Trio, Vol.I {1}
Essence - The Heat and Warmth of Free Jazz
Circle Records RK 2976/1 (LP) 1976 Germany
Sam Rivers: The Tuba Trio, Vol.II {2}
Essence - The Heat and Warmth of Free Jazz
Circle Records RK 2976/2 (LP) 1976 Germany
Sam Rivers: The Tuba Trio, Vol.III {3}
Essence - The Heat and Warmth of Free Jazz
Circle Records RK 2976/3 (LP) 1976 Germany
Sam Rivers / Earl Cross: Jazz of the Seventies {4}
Circle Records RK 7376/6 (LP) 1976 Germany
Sam Rivers/James Newton: Flutes! {5}
Circle Records RK 7677/7 (LP) 1977 Germany

September 2, 1976 / Live in the Bim Huis, Amsterdam, Netherlands

1. Essence - Part I [3:20] {1}
2. Essence - Part II [3:15] {1}
3. Essence - Part III [4:20] {1}
4. Essence - Part IV [11:10] {1}
5. Essence - Part V [16:25] {1}
6. Essence - Part VI [20:20] {2}
7. Essence - Part VII [19:30] {2}
8. Essence - Part VIII [18:05] {3}
9. Essence - Part IX [14:10] {3}
10. Essence - Part X [8:05] {4}
11. Essence - Part XI [13:07] {5}"

This all suggests that the LP you remember is made up of some other tracks from the date with Murray plus the 13 minute piece with Sam Rivers' Tuba Trio. I've never heard this myself, but I am always partial to a bit of Avant-Tuba playing!

Anonymous said...

Wallofsound: I posted a vinyl rip of the three volumes of Sam Rivers Tuba Trio "Essence - The Heat and Warmth of Free Jazz" on C#9 last winter. But not the extra pieces, which I don't have. If you could post them, I'd be delighted!

oui said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
oui said...

hey wallofsound
i'm afraid these flac links don't work correctly with direct download ticked, but it works ok with the classic method ;)
thanks!

oui said...

however, creating multiparts rar works way better, as it keeps the same name to the files, just adding part1, part2, etc at the end of it. it avoids the confusion of having different rar files names for the same album. the only inconvenient is that you need to download all the parts before uncompressing.

Anonymous said...

Hello glmlr ~

Would it be possible to re-post the Tuba Trio links? I would be very grateful indeed. I also missed "The Quest," but don't want to be too greedy. Your shares from C#9 are missed.

Respectfully,
Solomon