Poem for Malcolm : Archie Shepp

"Archie Shepp is not only a musician. For a long time, he hesitated between being a playwriter or being a jazzman. As a revolutionnary author, he wrote many plays and poems where he expressed his ideas. To-day, it's a new homage to the black murdered leader he give you, this on a simple rhythmic background. About his music. Archie said: "the music called "New Thing:' is not really a new thing. The new jazz it's the old jazz. There is nothing really new happennig except a message that couldn't be delivered before. This is the only way we can say there is anything new. And this message, it is the truth. It says the pain of a big lot of people. It speaks of emancipation, of destruction of ghettos, of fascism. I am a black jazzman, a black father, a black American, an antifascist; I am indignant by the war, by Vietnam, by the exploitation of my brothers, and my music is all about that. This is the New Thing... The Europeans made war twice... It was a part of the thruth. Any question about moral, political or social engagements in an important thing for these men. This is why to-day a whiste European artist has a point of view. For a long time, a point of view that was not theirs was .imposed to the black Americans... As a strange matter of fact. I am one of the few Black who can live decently. I was lucky, but behind me, in my back, there is a crowd of people who suffer: some are fighting in the streets of Harlem, some are the future saxophonists of the New Thing."
Philippe Carles (Jazz Magazine)

This one is a superb and not so easy to find album of free jazz that is worth to listen to. It has been lent to me by a good friend of mine (thanks Claude), and I wanted to share it. This double allbum contains all that I call great jazz, (an free jazz for this occasion) : good melodic and wild saxophone parts, excellent female vocals, long prayers, an engaged political sermon, and a complete side of excentric saxophone to end (The Rollins comp).
For info, this lp is available today on some sites but scinded in two cds, so, with the cool notes and the nice original picture of this french edition, you win the total.

Enjoy !

ARCHIE SHEPP
BLASE
Side 1 : My angel (Archie Shepp) 10'00 Blase (Archie Shepp) 10'1 5 Side 2: There is a balm in gilead (Archie Shepp) 6'00 Sophisticated lady (Ellington - Mills) 9'15 Touareg (Archie Shepp) 9'15

Personnel: My angel et Blase: Archie Shepp (tenor sax), Jeanne Lee (vocal), Chicago Beau and Julio Finn (mouth organ), Dave Burrell (piano), Malachi Favors (bass), Philly Joe Jones (drums). There is a balm in gilead: Archie Shepp (tenor sax), Jeanne Lee (vocal), Lester Bowie (trumpet, fluegelhorn), Dave Burrell (piano), Malachi Favors (bass). Sophisticated lady: Archie Shepp (tenor sax), Jeanne Lee (vocal), Dave Burrell (piano), Malachi Favors (bass), Philly Joe Jones (drums). Touareg : Archie Shepp (tenor sax), Malachi Favors (bass), Philly Joe Jones (drums). Recorded in Paris, France; August 16, 1969. Produced by Jean Georgakarakos and Jean-Luc Young. Executive Producer: Jacques Bisceglia. All tunes arranged by Archie Shepp. All tunes (except" Sophisticated Lady")

POEM FOR MALCOLM

Side 1 : Mamarose/Poem for' Malcolm (Archie Shepp) 13'30 Side 2: Rain Forest/Oleo (Archie SheppSonny Rollins) 19'50

Personnel: Side 1 : Archie Shepp (soprano sax, vocal), Burton Greene (piano), Alan Silva (bass), Micheline Pelzer and Claude Delcloo (drums), Philly Joe Jones (tympani). Side 2 : Grachan Moncur III (trombone), Archie Shepp (piano, tenor sax), Hank Mobley (tenor sax). Vince Benedetti (piano), Malachi Favors (bass), Philly Joe Jones (drums). Recorded in Paris, France; August 14, 1969. Produced by Jean Georgakarakos and Jean-Luc Young. Executive Producer: Jacques Bisceglia. All tunes arranged by Archie Shepp. All tunes published by: BYG Music (Sacem)/Dawn of F-reePom Pub,'Ltd. Photos: Nadja Pictures/Jacques Bisceglia.

files :
Blasé : http://rapidshare.de/files/29105999/0010ac106.rar.html
Poem for Malcolm : http://rapidshare.de/files/29112451/0011ac06.rar.html