New Releases

Alan Barnes/Harry Allen – Barnestorming (Woodville), Dave Barry - Precious Time
(Trio),  Count Basie Orchestra - Basie is Back (Concord), Raoul Bjorkenheim - The Sky is Ruby  (TUM), Terence Blanchard - A Take of God’s Will (A Requiem for Katrina) (Blue Note), Paul Bley - Solo In Mondsee  (ECM) Till Bronner - Oceaner (Verve),  Boisdale Blue Rhythm Band - You Can’t Do That (Boisdale), The George Burt/Raymond MacDonald Quartet - One Bloke  (Textile), Taylor Ho Bynum - The Middle Picture (Firehouse 12 Records), Liane Carroll - Slow Down (Splash Point Records), Avishai Cohen - As Is… Live at the Blue Note (Raz Daz/Half Note), Marc Copland - Some Love Songs (Pirouet), Sylvie Courvoisier – Lonelyville (Intakt), Coxhill, Edwards & Noble - The Early Years (Ping Pong), Steve Davis Quartet With Larry Willis - Alone Together (Mapleshade), Death Qunt  - Now 69/Shit In Your Bed (Big Filthy Records), Phil DeGreg Trio - Down The Middle  (Prevenient), DSQ (Dave Stapleton Quintet) - The House Always Wins (Redeye Music), Eldar - Re-imagination  (Sony BMG), 12.09.07

Prestige/RVG Masters 088072300446    ****
Rollins (ts), Red Garland (p), Paul Chambers (b), Philly Joe Jones (d) and John Coltrane (ts). Rec. 1956

This latest resurfacing of Tenor Madness benefits from the Van Gelder clean-up on the sound front, of course, but otherwise is unchanged from the format of its original vinyl release. Coltrane appears on one track only, the 12-minute title track, and in a way it’s a shame the meeting of the two great didn’t happen a year later, for Coltrane would then have been as mature in his playing as Rollins and the contrasts would have been even more fascinating. Still, this is what we’ve got and no amount of willing it will change that fact.
19.02.07