Marion Brown - Sweet Earth Flying (1974)

The second installment of his "Georgia" trilogy, Sweet Earth Flying is arguably Marion Brown's finest work and certainly one of the underappreciated treasures of '70s jazz. Again, the words and ideas of poet Jean Toomer underlie Brown's conception (hence the album's title), though this time (unlike the appearance of Karintha on Geechee Recollections) none of Toomer's actually poetry is utilized. Instead, he calls into service the remarkable keyboard paring of Muhal Richard Abrams and Paul Bley, an inspiration that pays off in spades. The two pianists alternate acoustic and electric keyboards, bringing a slight tinge of the propulsiveness of Miles Davis' late-'60s bands, but with a grace, soul, and sense of freedom rarely achieved by Corea and Jarrett. In fact, Abrams' feature on Part Five of the title suite is one of the single most beautiful and cogent statements he ever created. Brown's sound on both soprano and alto has a unique quality; he tends to sound tentative and innocently hesitant when first entering, only to gather strength as he goes, reaching utter conviction along the way. Special mention must be made of vocalist Bill Hasson. He's featured on only one piece, but his deep-voiced recitation in a language of his own construction (drawing from West Africa, Brazil, the Caribbean, and North American down-home English) is a very special treat indeed. Very highly recommended to open-eared jazz fans of all tastes.

by Brian Olewnick in All Music Guide

Styles:
Free-Jazz
Avant-Garde
Post-Bop

Tracks:
01 - Sweet Earth Flying, part 1 (03:41)
02 - Sweet Earth Flying, part 3 (05:58)
03 - Sweet Earth Flying, part 4 (05:57)
04 - Sweet Earth Flying, part 5 (04:48)
05 - Eleven Light City, part 1 (07:17)
06 - Eleven Light City, part 2 (02:11)
07 - Eleven Light City, part 3 (05:52)
08 - Eleven Light City, part 4 (03:05)

Line-up:
Marion Brown - Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxofone
Paul Bley - Electric Piano
Muhal Richard Abrams - Piano, Organ
Bill Hasson - Narration, Percussion
James Jefferson - Bass, Electric Bass
Steve Mccall - Drums

Paul Bley - Turning Point (1964)

When this album was released in 1975 by Paul Bley's Improvising Artists label, the seven selections had been previously unheard. The five pieces from Mar. 9, 1964 (which feature pianist Bley, tenor-saxophonist John Gilmore, bassist Gary Peacock and drummer Paul Motian) were later released in a more complete form on the Savoy LP Turns. This was a unique onetime encounter between the innovative Bley (whose lyrical approach to free form improvising was quite different than that used by the high-energy players of the time) and Sun Ra's longtime tenor John Gilmore; "Ida Lupino" is the most memorable of these tracks. In addition there are a couple of trio performances ("Mr. Joy" and "Kid Dynamite") from a May 10, 1964 concert with bassist Peacock and drummer Billy Elgart that have not been released elsewhere. Very interesting if not quite essential music.

by Scott Yanow in All Music Guide

Styles:
Avant-Garde
Free-Jazz

Tracks:
01 - Calls (06:10)
02 - Turning (06:30)
03 - King Korn (06:00)
04 - Ictus (04:05)
05 - Mr Joy (03:50)
06 - Kid Dynamite (03:40)
07 - Ida Lupino (06:33)

Line-up:
Paul Bley - Piano
Gary Peacock - Bass
John Gilmore - Saxophone [Tenor]
Paul Motian (tracks: 1 to 4, 7) - Drums
Billy Elgart (tracks: 5, 6) - Drums