Charles Gayle is best known as a tenor saxophonist with a ferocious and unremittingly free style. On piano he is much more versatile and at times rather lyrical, while still being quite original. On his solo piano set
Time Zones,
Gayle performs seven of his intriguing originals, blending together hints of his youth (including stride piano, chord voicings worthy of
Duke Ellington, and runs reminiscent of
Art Tatum) with lessons learned from playing free à la
Cecil Taylor. Melodic fragments are often utilized as the basis for the pieces quite effectively, and
Gayle's "Blues In Mississippi" is a colorful spaced-out blues, filled with raging tone clusters yet played at a relaxed tempo. Most of the improvising is actually taken out of tempo, allowing one to hear
Charles Gayle thinking aloud through his unique combination of piano styles. Recommended. ~ Scott Yanow