This CD brings back a formerly rare set by
Warne Marsh, plus seven classic performances that serve as the high point of
Lennie Tristano's career. Oddly enough, the
Tristano date is programmed second. First is a full-length album which matches
Warne Marsh with the cooler but complementary tone of fellow tenor
Ted Brown (plus pianist Ronnie Ball, bassist
George Tucker, and drummer
Jeff Morton). The original eight selections are joined by four alternate takes recorded in mono.
Marsh and
Brown blend together well,
Ball has several creative solos, and most of the "originals" are based closely on familiar standards. However, the main reason to acquire this CD is for the seven remarkable
Tristano tracks which feature his finest group (consisting of the pianist/leader, altoist
Lee Konitz,
Marsh on tenor, guitarist
Billy Bauer, bassist Arnold Fishkin, and either
Harold Granowsky or
Denzil Best on drums).
Tristano's music was unique and even more advanced than most bop of the late '40s. While he confined the rhythm section to very quiet timekeeping, the vibrato-less horns and
Tristano himself played very long melodic lines, constantly improvising. The stunning unisons performed by
Konitz and
Marsh (particularly on "Wow") still sound remarkable today, as does the interplay of the two horns on "Sax of a Kind." "Intuition" and "Digression" were the first recorded free improvisations in jazz, but are quite coherent due to the musicians' familiarity with each other. Due to the
Lennie Tristano performances, this CD reissue (which has over 75 minutes of music) is essential for all jazz collections. ~ Scott Yanow