FRED TOMPKINS - Stretching Time
Self Release
Fred Tompkins, flutes; Greg Mills, piano; Eric P Mandat, clarinets; Tracy Andreotti, cello; et al
Recorded variously at St Louis University and in New York City, in 2019
One might imagine that the album title refers to the nature of the included music, but no, it’s simply a reference to the fact that the last three tracks are recordings from an earlier period. I wondered why they are included now, some 40 and 50 years on? Tompkins refers to them as belonging to an earlier style of his, dubbed ‘Third-Stream Music’, a term dating from 1957 and referring to an earlier style of his, an amalgamation of jazz and classical.
Whilst I can hear a distinct difference between these and the current (8) numbers, the distinction lies in the free improvisation now obvious. Despite this, I find that the structures of each of the ‘modern pieces’ echo those of conventional jazz-classical amalgamations, but with the influence of the free improv they are much better defined.
I recall a year ago describing Tompkins’ music on The Fourth Arch – to Freedom as ‘a bit light’ and hasten to say that this is not the case for his modern pieces today. These are beautifully and intelligently constructed by the whole of the quartet and a delight to listen to.
Reviewed by Ken Cheetham
Self Release
Fred Tompkins, flutes; Greg Mills, piano; Eric P Mandat, clarinets; Tracy Andreotti, cello; et al
Recorded variously at St Louis University and in New York City, in 2019
One might imagine that the album title refers to the nature of the included music, but no, it’s simply a reference to the fact that the last three tracks are recordings from an earlier period. I wondered why they are included now, some 40 and 50 years on? Tompkins refers to them as belonging to an earlier style of his, dubbed ‘Third-Stream Music’, a term dating from 1957 and referring to an earlier style of his, an amalgamation of jazz and classical.
Whilst I can hear a distinct difference between these and the current (8) numbers, the distinction lies in the free improvisation now obvious. Despite this, I find that the structures of each of the ‘modern pieces’ echo those of conventional jazz-classical amalgamations, but with the influence of the free improv they are much better defined.
I recall a year ago describing Tompkins’ music on The Fourth Arch – to Freedom as ‘a bit light’ and hasten to say that this is not the case for his modern pieces today. These are beautifully and intelligently constructed by the whole of the quartet and a delight to listen to.
Reviewed by Ken Cheetham
