The historic
Eric Dolphy/
Booker Little quintet that helped to change the face of mainstream modern jazz has a second volume of their legendary live performances at the Five Spot Cafe issued, including two previously unreleased bonus tracks from the original LP. This release is further proof why this ensemble was an important stylistic bridge between the
Ornette Coleman and
John Coltrane quartets. The incredibly visceral, extroverted sound
Dolphy extracts from his alto sax, flute, and especially bass clarinet is something to behold, while the rest of the group follows suit in supporting the wayward notions of their leader while not standing in perhaps the shock and awe of him, as were the patrons in attendance must have been that night. "Aggression" is definitive post-bop, perfectly titled, as grey area tonalities are explored to the hilt by the supreme frontmen and especially pianist
Mal Waldron, while bassist
Richard Davis and drummer
Ed Blackwell go to town. Over 20 minutes, the standard "Like Someone in Love" is led by trumpeter
Little in ballad to half-tempo swing, a diffuse reading via the bowed bass of
Davis and the reedy, thorny flute of
Dolphy. The additional tracks include the obscure
Dolphy composition "Number Eight (Potsa Lotsa)" which is more a signature hard bop theme with wildly inventive harmonic content between alto sax and trumpet, slight tango/calypso inserts expertly rendered by
Blackwell, and
Waldron's deft piano comping. This is not the only version available of "Booker's Waltz," but likely the most puzzling, as
Dolphy's bass clarinet tags along with the author's brass at his lyrical best. It seems as if
Dolphy's is out of context, eventually dropping out and switching back and forth to his alto sax, a bit strange to hear any bandmember out of sync or even disinterested. A strong set despite any real or imagined misgivings, this and volume one comprise one of the most influential moments in jazz that truly changed people's thinking about what modern music might become. ~ Michael G. Nastos