Reggie Workman Quartet - Live Cambridge Ma 1986

Details:

Reggie Workman Quartet
Cambridge – Mass. (USA)
Charlie´s Tap
1986.04.18 – April 18, 1986

Reggie Workman b, leader
Joseph Jarman as
Marilyn Crispell p
Andrew Cyrille dr

1) 10:28 Conversation
2) 10:25 Synapsis II
3) 09:50 5432
4) 12:25 Oshoon´s Ardor
5) 06:51 Visitation
6) 08:53 One South
7) 25:27 Dear Lord/After the Rain/Wise One/ Coltrane Time
8) 03:48 Chant n.c.


This seemed a bit of a curiosity when I picked it up off dime some time ago. Workman, Crispell and Cyrille had played and recorded together on a number of previous occasions, but the quartet that Reggis led at the time comprised these three plus Oliver Lake. The inclusion of Joseph Jarman, to me anyway, seemed a little odd (though I believe he had made a recording with Crispell). Jarman's style of play, least what I've heard of him, seemed a little alien to this type of quartet. Maybe he was just standing in for Oliver Lake, I can only guess.

Much of this concert is Coltraneish. Track 6 sounds like a tune that either Eric Dolphy or Jackie Maclean recorded. I can't make my mind whether or not Jarman is entirely comfortable playing this sort of stuff. On track 4, the bells, whistles, gongs and flutes come out, which is more like the familiar AEC material on which he surpasses.

This is an audience recording. Listenable but not brilliant sound quality, with a bit of microphone rustle here and there. Also the excellent Ms Crispell soldiers on gamely with an out-of-tune piano, that bane of a pianist's life. All in all, the quality will not be enhanced by a flac version so I'll just post mp3.