JOE HARRIOTT DOUBLE QUINTET - Indo-Jazz Suite
COLUMBIA Lansdowne Series SX 6025 Recorded & released 1966
Joe Harriott (alt), Eddie Blair (tpt, fh), Pat Smythe (pno), Rick Laird (bs) Alan Ganley (drs)
John Meyer ( Vln, Harpsicord), Diwan Motihar (Sitar), Chandrahas Paigankar (Tambura), Keshav Sathe (Tabla) Chris Taylor (flt)
Side A, Overture (8m 07s), Contrasts (9m 24s)
Side B, Raga Megha (8m 39s), Raga Gaud-Saranga (9m 08s)
Jazz has been fused with many other musical genre's over time and although critics along with "The Jazz Police" were divided over this release in 66 and the subsequent releases in 67 and 68, most would now agree that these superb recordings have certainly stood the test of time. All the music here was put together by a master of Indian culture and music John Meyer. He was someone who embraced western musical sensibilities as well as his own, so much so that he held down a violin chair, for nearly two decades, in both the London and Royal Philharmonic orchestras. Who had the original idea for this fusion is not at all clear, but the combination of this classic Eastern instrumentation and a wonderful jazz quintet led by the Jamaican master saxophonist Joe Harriott is to many minds part of an ethereal musical heaven. Joe himself emigrated to the United Kingdom in 1951 and such was his prowess on alto saxophone, in a style somewhere between Charlie Parker and Ornette Coleman, that the British jazz public took him as one of their own.
The four pieces here on the groups debut album are all based on the Indian raga, which is a melodic format used in much of that countries classical music and is known to be an ideal platform for improvisation. It certainly proves the point here. The general soundscape on all tracks of the album allows John Meyer's quartet to provide an ever shifting rhythmic backdrop with the jazz quintet playing and soloing above. The flute of Chris Taylor, who was not part of the Joe Harriott group, seems to tie the whole thing together into one hypnotic, colourful and exciting musical journey. Everything on the recording could be described as exotic, none more so than "Overture" where immediately Rick Laird's strong bass lines underpin Joe Harriott's "Bird" like alto against a busy and percussive Eastern backdrop. "Contrasts" which completes side one lives up to its name is a far more searching and adventurous piece with a fine contribution from pianist Pat Smythe, John Meyer's harpsicord and Eddie Blair's muted trumpet alongside the leader's alto plus a telling flute contribution adding to the highly exotic atmosphere. The opening cut of side two is more contemplative in nature with the tabla and tambura well to the fore providing a perfect backdrop to the snake charming sounds of flute, trumpet and alto. Its a mesmerising mix with even more colour introduced from the harpsicord, making this perhaps the outstanding track of the session. The album closes out with the nine minute "Raga Gaud-Saranga" a deep and multi layered section of the suite, where the early bars are entirely taken up the Eastern rhythmic instrumentation before some straight ahead blowing from the horns brings things back to normal and Alan Ganley gets his only chance to shine behind the drum kit.
This is an almost unique album as far as the overall sound is concerned. It draws the listener in from the start and does not let go. The superb liner notes, from the inimitable Charles Fox, tell you all you will ever need to know about the construction of the Indian Raga and very much more.
Reviewed by Jim Burlong
COLUMBIA Lansdowne Series SX 6025 Recorded & released 1966
Joe Harriott (alt), Eddie Blair (tpt, fh), Pat Smythe (pno), Rick Laird (bs) Alan Ganley (drs)
John Meyer ( Vln, Harpsicord), Diwan Motihar (Sitar), Chandrahas Paigankar (Tambura), Keshav Sathe (Tabla) Chris Taylor (flt)
Side A, Overture (8m 07s), Contrasts (9m 24s)
Side B, Raga Megha (8m 39s), Raga Gaud-Saranga (9m 08s)
Jazz has been fused with many other musical genre's over time and although critics along with "The Jazz Police" were divided over this release in 66 and the subsequent releases in 67 and 68, most would now agree that these superb recordings have certainly stood the test of time. All the music here was put together by a master of Indian culture and music John Meyer. He was someone who embraced western musical sensibilities as well as his own, so much so that he held down a violin chair, for nearly two decades, in both the London and Royal Philharmonic orchestras. Who had the original idea for this fusion is not at all clear, but the combination of this classic Eastern instrumentation and a wonderful jazz quintet led by the Jamaican master saxophonist Joe Harriott is to many minds part of an ethereal musical heaven. Joe himself emigrated to the United Kingdom in 1951 and such was his prowess on alto saxophone, in a style somewhere between Charlie Parker and Ornette Coleman, that the British jazz public took him as one of their own.
The four pieces here on the groups debut album are all based on the Indian raga, which is a melodic format used in much of that countries classical music and is known to be an ideal platform for improvisation. It certainly proves the point here. The general soundscape on all tracks of the album allows John Meyer's quartet to provide an ever shifting rhythmic backdrop with the jazz quintet playing and soloing above. The flute of Chris Taylor, who was not part of the Joe Harriott group, seems to tie the whole thing together into one hypnotic, colourful and exciting musical journey. Everything on the recording could be described as exotic, none more so than "Overture" where immediately Rick Laird's strong bass lines underpin Joe Harriott's "Bird" like alto against a busy and percussive Eastern backdrop. "Contrasts" which completes side one lives up to its name is a far more searching and adventurous piece with a fine contribution from pianist Pat Smythe, John Meyer's harpsicord and Eddie Blair's muted trumpet alongside the leader's alto plus a telling flute contribution adding to the highly exotic atmosphere. The opening cut of side two is more contemplative in nature with the tabla and tambura well to the fore providing a perfect backdrop to the snake charming sounds of flute, trumpet and alto. Its a mesmerising mix with even more colour introduced from the harpsicord, making this perhaps the outstanding track of the session. The album closes out with the nine minute "Raga Gaud-Saranga" a deep and multi layered section of the suite, where the early bars are entirely taken up the Eastern rhythmic instrumentation before some straight ahead blowing from the horns brings things back to normal and Alan Ganley gets his only chance to shine behind the drum kit.
This is an almost unique album as far as the overall sound is concerned. It draws the listener in from the start and does not let go. The superb liner notes, from the inimitable Charles Fox, tell you all you will ever need to know about the construction of the Indian Raga and very much more.
Reviewed by Jim Burlong
