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Average: 4.5 (49 ratings)
- Date Released: April 24, 2007
- Genre: Jazz
- Style: Contemporary
- Label: Thrill Jockey
Two Chicago jazz vets continue their Thrill Jockey win streak.
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We Say...
The altogether remarkable Indian summer of veteran Chicago saxophonist Fred Anderson shows no sign of fading away. In 2004, he celebrated three decades of friendship and collaboration with drummer Hamid Drake on Back Together Again, a joyful duo disc with earthy roots and ethereal spirit. From the River to the Ocean, the pair’s second session for Thrill Jockey, finds them joined by three more Chicagoans: guitarist Jeff Parker and bassists Harrison Bankhead and Josh Abrams. The relationship between Anderson and Drake remains paramount, the drummer’s bracing physicality providing the perfect impetus to power Anderson’s gruff melodic flights. But the others provide more than window dressing. Parker’s distinctive soloing style is relaxed and amiably off-center in the opening “Planet E,” while Bankhead and Abrams provide nimble counterpoint. (John McIntire’s clear recording keeps every strand in focus.) Bankhead plays cello on the relaxed “Strut Time,” ably partnering the saxophonist’s steamiest blowing. “For Brother Thompson” dedicated to the late Chicago trumpeter Malachi Thompson, is a stately elegy in Coltrane mode. The title track is colored by Parker’s snake-charming lines, Abrams’s ruddy guimbri and Drake’s animated frame drum. Anderson and Abrams have the final word on “Sakti/Shiva,” a gently loping tenor/guimbri duo that closes the set on a note of quiet reverie.
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They Say...
Fred Anderson is amazing. Approaching 80 years old, he's been releasing about an album a year for more than a decade, all of consistently high quality. That's in addition to running his club, the Velvet Lounge in Chicago, which had to relocate in 2006. Fortunately for listeners, he's showing no signs of slowing down. From the River to the Ocean continues his musical partnership with Hamid Drake, this time with help from bass players Harrison Bankhead (part of Anderson's regular trio with Drake) and Josh Abrams and guitarist Jeff Parker, all of whom had recorded with Anderson before. With Abrams doubling on guimbri on a couple tracks and Bankhead playing cello or piano on two other tracks, the album displays more variety than the lineup might indicate initially. "Planet E" kicks things off with a nice Parker solo once the band finds the groove after the intro. The rhythm section sounds amazing, with the basses panned wide and Drake's light but propulsive drumming. Anderson enters after Parker's solo with his big tone and searching, melodic lines while Drake kicks things up a bit to spur him on. The fantastic "Strut Time" has Bankhead switching to cello and starts with a killer solo from Fred. This one's also got nice dual soloing between Bankhead's cello and Anderson's sax, then cello with Parker's guitar. "For Brother Thompson" is an elegy to the late trumpeter Malachi Thompson that inhabits a place akin to Coltrane's A Love Supreme after Drake's chanted intro. "From the River to the Ocean" has Bankhead back on bass with Abrams moving to guimbri, a fantastic sonic pairing. Parker contributes another great solo before making way for an excellent arco bass solo from Bankhead and another fine statement from Anderson. Parker really adds a lot to the sound on this album without being overly conspicuous while doing it. Of course, Fred and Hamid really make this album work. Drake is certainly one of the finest drummer/percussionists on the planet and, despite his relative lack of renown outside Chicago, Anderson is one of the absolute greatest inside/outside tenor players there is, always moving forward but never losing sight of melody. They just never seem to run out of ideas, constantly pushing the music and finding new avenues to take. They might be known as avant-garde players, but this album is totally approachable and extremely soulful. From the River to the Ocean is not only among Anderson's finest albums to date, it has to be among the top jazz albums of 2007.
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You Say...
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| 01. |  |
Planet E |
14:42 |  |
| 02. | |
Strut Time |
21:15 | |
| 03. | |
For Brother Thompson |
7:44 | |
| 04. | |
From the River to the Ocean |
13:35 | |
| 05. | |
Sakti/Shiva |
6:24 | |
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Credits
- Harrison Bankhead - Bass // Harrison Bankhead - Piano // Harrison Bankhead - Cello // Hamid Drake - Drums // Hamid Drake - Frame Drum // Hamid Drake - Help // Jeff Parker - Guitar // Jeff Parker - Guitar // Jeff Parker - Guitar // John McEntire - Engineer // Jim Newberry - Photography // Josh Abrams - Bass // Josh Abrams - Guimbri // Azita Youssefi - Design
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