Clifford Jordan- Glass Bead Games Glass Bead Games is the second albumJordan released on Strata-East in 1974, following In the World in 1972. Like In the World, it relies on two different groups of musicians, including Stanley Cowell, one of the co-founders of the label and Bill Lee, whose family participated on The Descendants of Mike and Phoebe reviewed here.  Unlike In the World, Glass Bead Games is a two record set. The album seems to garner universal praise, with prices to match. It has been reissued on vinyl several times. I thought it might be helpful for readers, both those... Read More

Live Soul Jazz: Roy Brooks -The Free Slave Roy Brooks The Free Slave may be one of his best though it is not well known outside of collectors of soul jazz. Brooks is credited playing with a lot of famous names, but he leads on The Free Slave, accompanied Cecil McBee, Hugh Lawson, Woody Shaw and George Coleman, in a live session recorded in 1970. We were at the cusp of jazz falling off the mainstream playlists as it became even more inventive (cause and effect? If not on a major label attempting to appeal to a broad audience, the artists had more freedom to experiment). This record,... Read More

Clifford Jordan In the World Clifford Jordan In the World was released on Strata-East in 1972 (though the album was recorded in 1969). Jordan was already a well-seasoned player, having worked with Max Roach, Horace Silver and Eric Dolphy. (The album credits state that it is the first in a Dolphy series produced by Jordan). Like Jordan’s Glass Bead Games which followed on Strata-East, In the World depends on two different groups of musicians- and there are some killers players here–Julian Priester, Don Cherry, Richard Davis and even Roy Haynes (who alternates with Albert... Read More

Mary Black-No Frontiers Mary Black’s No Frontiers was an audiophile favorite back in the day. I hadn’t thought about this record, or played it, in decades. A mention of it somewhere brought it to mind and I thought, man, that was a pretty good album. After several fruitless searches through the “miscellaneous” wall of records here, I gave up and bought an early pressing via a UK seller. Now I remember why this record was beloved. (And it’s usually after I buy another copy that I find the one I had). Anyway, back to Mary Black.   There are some great songs on here—not... Read More