it“
grog/at moments

By Dan chter

The change oi the name oi this
column has roots in the regrettable
illness which has caused the career
of Rahsaan Roland Kirk to suds
denly come to an end. Known to
many of us here at Grinnell only
because of his concert last
semester in Roberts Theater, he
‘35 regarded with high esteem
both in this country and in Europe
for his competence in jazz, and
nrofimency as a musician in

oral. Playing three saxophones
s multaneously along with a
breathing technique no other
recording artist has ever

roduced. became known as the
rademarks of his sound, and yet
he utilized these abilities to convey
emotional and political messages
which I for one admired greatly.
He gave us all many Bright
Moments.

The records chosen this week are
my attempt to give reviews to a
wider area of music than in
previous weeks, in an attempt to
A'Lach more people With an at-
traction to music, with the hope of
sharing the new sounds which the
artists are supplying to all who
listen.

.he iirst lp is a 1971 release by
Elvin Jones, in a memorial to John
Coltrane, With whom the drummer
worked ior many years, With him

0 Frank Foster and Joe Farrell
, tenor saxes, Chich Corea on
acoustic piano, and Gene Perla on
bass. The sides each have one Cut.
allowing for lengthy development
oi the solos and percussive areas so
important to the music itself.

The artists themselves are from
varied backgrounds but come
together on this album in a very
comlortable set which will provide
some good Vibes if you are into
acoustic jam. Elvin is and has been
hbably the most highly regarded
. mer in jazz ior many years
ialthough I hesitate to write that
because there are so many other
excellent drummers now playing),
3d clearly is responsible ior
‘ating the driving force behind
the music on this album.

The album is available irom pm
records, and is entitled merely
Elvin Jones Live.

The next album I heard was a
release from Atlantic records of
some interesting new material
from Esther Phillips, The Cuts
range from very strong blues
ballads to “Bye Bye Blackbird" by
Henderson~Dixon, and brings us
b ck to the immortal Dinah

shington, who sang the tune
many years ago, The well
remembered first line “I got bad
,s baby, and you're the iirst to

GRINNELL

know” illustrated Ms Phillips
interest in the legendary days
when tins and other standards
were frequently sung.

Leonard Feather, author of The
History of the Blues and compiler
of an excellent Dictionary at Jan.
wrote and arranged a cut entitled
“Blow Top Blues," followed by a
tune by Earl Hines and Billy
Eckstine called “Jelly Jelly
Blues.” Both are excellent cuts, all
arranged for an almost big band
sound, and leave plenty of room ior
Esther to boast her brassy voice it
you should buy this record, don’t
expect to hear the Esther Phillips
you heard record “Disposable
Society,” Although some people do
enjoy her as a member oi the
contemporary R&B scene, this
album contains valuable additions
to her repertoire. and a welcome
change in her sound as a whole
offering us the ability to listen and
evaluate and enjoy her music irom
another angle Esther Pliillips'
(‘ullfessin' The Blues is a very
enjoyable recording.

The last album I heard was a
Strataizast recording oi Pharorh
Sanders. Iowe Strata-East records
a note oi appreciation tor sending
many (or mostl of their series to
Grinnell to bring more people to
the music oi Pharoah in tenor sax,

Jabali Billy Hart on drums iwho
accompanied McCoy Tyner on his
visit to Gi innell almost three years
ago), Howard Johnson on tuba
(who played live at Roberts about
a year ago), Sonny Sherrock on
guitar, Leon Thomas, vocal and
percussion, and Lonnie Liston
Smith on piano, Who now leads the
Cosmic Echoes. The album is
unmistakenly the work of Pharoah,
who wrote all the songs, and comes
together most on a song called
“Prince of Peace ” Should you
enjoy long sets in which the
musicians are literally set free in
their improvisations, this album
allows (or just that. Leon Thomas
is outstanding as the creater oi the
mood on “Prince of Peace” and the
soloists carry out the rest of the
song in a continual restatement oi
the original chords, within an
extremely active percussive
background. The album is part of
Strata-Easts' Dolphy Series, and is
entitled llipho lam or My Gifts.

Next month otters another
blindfold test with Mr, Harold
Stessel who will hopeiully give us
some insights into the history oi
jazz, as well as commentary on
selected cuts to be played in
coordination with his interests.
Until them, may you all hear and
tool some Bright Moments.

TRAVEL

CENTER

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

S' nful. Laughing.

Explosive.

by Michael ('hcsslcr

The Mirecourt Trio. Four
Romantic Piano Ti'ios by Alknn,
'I'llalllci'i. Limit and Honsclt.
Genesis 65 1058759 Stereo,

Well. Grinnell is now in the
classic muSlc recording world. The
Mli‘ecourt Trio has released an
album, their ”Premiere Recorr
ding" oi tour romantic era piano
trios by four relatively unknown
composers,

The liner notes tell us that the
album was recorded in Herrick
Chapel, “the acoustical beauty” oi
which “lends itself well to the
sound desired by chamber music
players." Surprisingly enough, this
is true. Except tor a bit too much
treble and a little background hiss
toenesis is not a major label) the
quality at the recorded sound is
quite good The piano doesn't clink
too much. the violin doesn’t

The Scarlet and Black. January 30, Him—p. 7

Trio releases premier album

squeak. and the cello. an unusually
difficult instrument to record, has
a rich mellow tone.

But now the muSlc lisell There is
good reason why you probably
have not heard oi any of these
composers The notes to the
recording say that the Germans
call people like this
"Kleincmrister" (minor masters).
Al the risk oi being pretentious, i
think “negligible masters” might
be the better term Listening to
these pieces i get the impression
lsurely uncalled for) that I have
heard these pieces beiore, in a
more masterly guise. They are on
the whole. lyrical pieces with
melodies you can iiiini, “hyper
typical" of the romantic period,

but upon a s nd listening I was
struck by e lack of both sub.
stance real musical interest.

Mirecourz‘ sounds hit discs

By next fall, recording will be a
habit for the Mirecourt Trio The
trio recently released Brilliant.
Romantic Trios and has lhrec
more records scheduled.

Although the Romantic Trioshad
been recorded once in Los Angeles,
the performance was repeated in
Herrick Chapel to obtain better
quality, sound, and playing. said
Terry King, cellist.

Caliiornia composer, Paul
Chihara, Wrote a trio for the
Mirecourt last year, as well as a
work entitled “Elegy." which
concerns the death of the come
poser's tather. Both these selecA
tions will be taped with a duo for
King and Ken Goldsmith, violinist,
The Mendelssohn Ti'ios will also be
done by the trio in the tall, King

said.

in April, Schumann Trio in G
minor and Smetana 'l‘rio in G
minor will be completed before the
trio departs for an eight concert
European tour. While abroad, they
will research literature for the trio
in Vienna, Paris, and Rome, added
the cellist

.iohn Jensen. pianist, has cut
three records already, King also
has recorded two records
previously. When the trio iormed.
they iniormed the production
company oi their interest in
playing rarities of the nineteenth
century. The company assisted the
trio in searching for the best oi the
virtuosos, King explained.

The erecourt will perrorm
Sunday at noon in South Lounge.

POYNTER’S

4th Avenue Fashions

Where Else For A Warm

Bismark AI 2 A.M.?

.‘81’8. Fourth Avenue

The Thalberg piece is the kind of
Romantic dribble that would make
a good iilm score or a late night
tear-jerker The other three pieces
are a little more interesting. but I
would have to say that ll I wanted
to listen to a piano trio. i would
probably opt ior Beethoven.
Schubert or Menilclsohn,

Now don't get the wrong im~
pressmn. Iliked the music It’s just
that I couldn’t get really excited
about any of the pieces. True, it is
perhaps a moot point to compare
anyone with Beethoven, but he is
still the mode] by which a good deal
of music is judged. and none oi
these pieces even come close, Let
it sutiice to say that the music on
this album is pretty. Take that as
you wish.

Ishould like, though, to end on a
postive note The performances on
this recording are excellent. For
the most part everyone plays in
tune. and there is a_ minimum of
extraneous scratching, The Trio
plays well together and obviously
has a good feel for the music The
Allegro movements are sprightly
and more well There is no
dragging and the modulations are
well traversed. The slow
movements are beautiful. though a
bit too sentimcntal for my taste
One cannot easily quarrel with the
ieclinical mastery of any of the
instrumentalists.

I on] wish that the Trio had put
their abilities to use playing better
scores. The Romantic period needs
little resuscitating lilight we
expect lorihooming recordings oi
the more neglected and surely
more interesting modern works
that the Trio has been playing on
campus recently?

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