The '60s were a very productive time for
Roswell Rudd -- not only because of the trombonist's work as a sideman in tenor saxophonist
Archie Shepp's group and his collaboration with soprano saxophonist
Steve Lacy in the School Days quartet (a group devoted to playing
Thelonious Monk's music exclusively), but also because of his contributions to
the New York Art Quartet. Although short-lived, this avant-garde unit recorded three albums before breaking up -- and this self-titled debut recording of 1964, which ESP-Disk reissued on CD in early 2008, has a reputation for being the most essential of the three. That reputation is well deserved; the chemistry that
Rudd enjoys with alto saxophonist
John Tchicai, bassist
Lewis Worrell, and drummer/percussionist
Milford Graves is strong throughout the session, and the sparks fly on
Rudd's compositions as well as
Tchicai's "No. 6." Poet
Amiri Baraka, aka LeRoi Jones, is featured on the spoken word offering "Black Dada Nihilismus," but everything else on this free jazz date is instrumental. ESP-Disk's reissue of
the New York Art Quartet's debut is not ideal; the liner notes, which are only about a paragraph long, should have been much more comprehensive. But the reissue has many more pluses than minuses. The performances are exciting, the art work and packaging are attractive, and Douglas McGregor's digital remastering is a definite plus. If one is exploring
the New York Art Quartet for the first time, this 43-minute CD would be the obvious starting point. ~ Alex Henderson