Joseph Jarman, during the period when he was no longer a member of the
Art Ensemble of Chicago, occasionally teamed up with pianist
Marilyn Crispell. On this set of duets,
Jarman (mostly heard on alto) often plays more melodically than expected, particularly on "For Joseph," and the first part of "Dear Lord." There is the expected intense interplay between the two masterful players on "Structure 1" and "Connectivity," with
Crispell taking "MCPS" as a rather outside piano solo and
Jarman's soprano being showcased solo on "Upper Reaches." Not everything works. "Meditation on a Vow of Compassion" is overlong and largely uneventful, but overall this is a stimulating set and it is nice to hear
Jarman featured in this setting. ~ Scott Yanow