Art Deco

As the 1980's wore on it seemed strange just how many of those musicians associated with the Free Jazz / Avant Garde movement of the late 50's and 1960's seemed to become increasingly more mainstream whether it was Lester Bowie, Archie Shepp or Don Pullen. Don Cherry's "Art Deco" seemed to very much follow this trend. The other reviews play on the fact that this record sees 3/4 of the Ornette Coleman re-united and that this offers a rare chance to hear why the under-recorded James Clay was so reverred by his contemporaries. I would have to echo the general enthusiasm for a record which sees Cherry playing some of the best pocket trumpet of his carreer. However, there are moments when you could almost be listening to Harry "Sweets" Edison and this is a record which is accessible for even the most mainstream of jazz fans to appreciate. There is so much great music on this record that it is difficult to know where to start. The title track is a fabulous composition and it is not at all difficult to appreciate why so many other trumpeters from Enrico Rava to Avisahi Cohen have recorded this number. I also love the Ornette tunes - "Compute" being the most outside of all the tracks and demonstrates just what a great team Ed Blackwell and Charlie Haden where. "The blessing" and "When will the blues leave" are some of Coleman's most whistleable melodies and I love the interplay with the drums in the theme on the former. Elsewhere, Cherry and his cohorts seem totally at home in the gleeful version of Thelonious Monk's "Bemsha Swing." I have to concur 100% with my friend Jazzrook's perception of this record. Aside from the above factors this record is pretty much essential for the amazing drumming of Ed Blackwell. There are a few solo tracks (unaccompanied Cherry and Haden) yet Blackwell's feature "Passing" shows just how compelling a drum solo can be, especially when featuring a heavy dose of New Orleans-style groove. As a member of the ensemble, Blackwell is the icing on the cake in this quartet. The other big selling factor is the tenor playing of James Clay which is something of a revelation. Although one of his first solos on the disc opens with a break that recalls Coltrane, Clay's playing owes a lot of other big-toned players sich as Sonny Rollins or Odean Pope and he shares these two musician's almost gladitorial-like stature. In some respects, Clay is of the generation of players who came before Don Cherry's bit they provide a brilliant foil for each other.It seems bizarre that the Amazon description of this CD should suggest that this record is not widely recognised. My understanding is that this is widely acknowledged to be one of the very best jazz albums of the 1980's and unlike a lot of the jazz produced in a period broadly defined by young-Neos or modish Downtowners, this ia an absolute classic for all time. Don Cherry's "Art Deco" should be in every collection.

Recorded during August, 1988, this fascinating album features three-quarters of the early Ornette Coleman Quartet plus the rarely heard Texas tenorman, James Clay who played with Cherry in Los Angeles in the '50s. Highlights include Thelonious Monk's 'Bemsha Swing', Ornette Coleman's 'The Blessing' and a wonderful version of 'Body and Soul' which is a feature for James Clay.The leader, Don Cherry, plays beautiful trumpet throughout with impressive contributions from Clay, Charlie Haden(bass) & Billy Higgins(drums).'Art Deco' is an enjoyable and accessible modern jazz album that deserves to be more widely known.

Cet album réunissant les anciens musiciens de Ornette Coleman est sans aucun doute une Masterpiece. Le solo de batterie de Billy Higgins est exceptionnel.

何か 思い切り 肩透かし喰らいました。メンバーが凄い、すっかり騙されました(笑) ドラムがオーネット・コールマンとやってた時のヒギンス、ベースがコルトレーンと「アバンギャルド」で共演した時のヘイデン、で、編成がピアノレス・カルテットと来たら、こりゃーもう〜 前衛しかないでしょ!フリーやると思うでしょ? サックスが、ジェームス・クレイってとこで気付くべきでした、思いきり普通の しかも最高のジャズですね。「ボディ・アンド・ソウル」格好良すぎる… ピアノレスカルテットって、フリー以外まあー買わないんだけど、この盤はピーウィー・ラッセルのインパルス盤「アスク・ミー・ナウ」と同じくらい好きです。お店でも普通に流せる… いいの? ワタシとしては「ホェア・イズ・ブルックリン」の続編みたいなの期待してたのに(笑)ジャケ写真の格好良さに、すっかり騙されました… (とほほの助)

まず音の話を書いて恐縮だが・・・この盤の音の良さは尋常ではない。ＣＤでの再生音で、これ程の音はちょっと聴いたことが無いと思う。陳腐な表現だが「目の前で演奏しているよう」に聴こえるという言い方の極限まで来ているように思う。1988年、Ｖａｎ　Ｇｅｌｄｅｒ　Ｓｔｕｄｉｏでの録音である。いくら音が良くても内容がつまらなかったらどうしようもないが、（88レコードのＳＡＣＤを買わないのは、そういう訳です）これは内容も素晴らしいのだ。ここでのチャーリーへイデンとビリーヒギンズの演奏はジャズのベースとドラム演奏の一つの到達点と言える名演です。そしてドン・チェーリーとジェームス・クレイも素晴らしい演奏。チェリー抜きのＢｏｄｙ　Ａｎｄ　Ｓｏｕｌは、この曲の幾多の演奏を88年という時点で総括するような名演だ。次のＢＥＭＳＨＡ　ＳＷＩＮＧも作曲したセロニアス・モンクが生きていたなら、泣いて喜ぶんじゃないかと思わせるような演奏。とにかく、Ｊａｚｚという音楽を故あって聴くようになった方々、これを聴かないでは、貴方のＪＡＺＺ人生に画龍点睛を欠くというやつです。

Mal wieder durch Zufall auf ein Juwel gestoßen. Keine Frage fünf Sterne sind hier ein Muß genau wie diese CD. Ab in den Einkaufswagen damit!

daß ein Album einen guten Klang hat, die Musik sollte auch was taugen. Bei dieser Platte ist das nicht der Fall.Dieser schlapp heruntergespielte Mainstream-Bop eignet sich höchstens als Hintergrundmusik bei der Hausarbeit,dafür 2 Sterne.