This Impulse LP is a soundtrack to an obscure movie from the late '60s, scored and performed by
Mal Waldron. The film marked the acting debut of comedian
Dick Gregory as a drug-addicted jazz musician at midlife on the decline, with
Robert Hooks and Don Murray also in the cast. While the plot sounds a bit hackneyed, the music by
Waldron is brilliant. Known for his lyrical yet often dark compositions,
Waldron's work on this session will surprise some of his biggest fans. "Loser's Lament," the movie's theme, catches the bleak mood of the film perfectly. A trio feature, "Della's Dream," seems to have been inspired by
Waldron's earlier composition "Fire Waltz." The brisk, hard bop-flavored "Hillary" and the swaggering "Espresso Time" showcase
George Coleman on alto sax. Trumpeter
Dave Burns, tenor saxophonist
Charles Davis, bassists
George Duvivier and
Richard Davis, as well as drummer
Alfred Dreares round out
Waldron's tightly knit ensemble.
Nat Hentoff's liner notes are excellent, though they focus more on the film than the music. Long out of print (though reissued on CD in Japan), this unusual record is well worth searching for. ~ Ken Dryden