Aside from the undersung rhythm section here, this will also highlight the playing of Art Farmer, an understated and less well-known trumpet player compared to the likes of Miles Davis and Freddie Hubbard. In the 1960's he switched exclusively to flugelhorn (except for big-band section work on trumpet), giving his already uniquely introverted playing a finishing touch. Aside from co-leading the Jazztet with the great Benny Golson, Farmer led his own stellar quartet, highlighting his mellower sound and featuring Jim Hall on guitar. Steve Swallow was a member of this group, soon to be joined by Pete La Roca on drums; this incarnation of the group recorded To Sweden with Love, released in 1964. Soon, when Jim Hall left, they were joined by close friend Steve Kuhn on piano, laying the groundwork for this fantastic album.
The presence of Carla Bley was felt often in the 1960's, despite not appearing on a recording until Gary Burton recorded her work A Genuine Tong Funeral in 1967. Rather, her compositions appeared regularly on albums featuring her first husband, pianist Paul Bley, and her frequent lover, bassist Steve Swallow. Two of her compositions appear here: Ad Infinitum and a stellar debut recording of the title track, Sing Me Softly of the Blues. Both pieces are great choices to start the album with, as they both feel unresolved and keep the listener's attention, making them crave more.
The title track starts slow, featuring spare playing from Kuhn and a delicate rendering of the melody by Farmer. While revealing the quirkiness of Bley's writing, it is also a superb showcase for this group to play with emotion, fervor, and even humor. Not to mention, the performance also takes an arc, starting soft and eventually becoming more powerful. Farmer provides an ingenious solo that proves him capable of delivering quiet intensity and playing only what needs to be played. As the tempo and dynamic level picks up, the rug is suddenly pulled out, and Kuhn trickles up the keyboard to start his solo. His playing here combines delicate pianistic harmonies with a burning insistence, as well as a great sense of buildup matched by his rhythm partners Swallow and La Roca. His final chorus is one of the great climaxes in jazz, ending in a giant booming from the bottom keys that seamlessly transitions back to the quiet ballad feel from the beginning. Likewise, the ending of the piece transitions seamlessly to the next track.
While the title track is a highlight, I like Ad Infinitum even better. While being a great piece with a beguiling melody from Bley, I also believe the resulting performance is a gold standard of intensity and interaction in jazz, period. Nowhere is this more evident than Kuhn's outstanding solo, which is actually more of a group effort. Kuhn's playing combines prodding dissonances, sharp attacks, yearning pianisms, and some smearing clusters pulled seemingly from nowhere. What tops it all off, though, is that these gestures are not random. Together, they serve compositional purpose in two ways: first, they fit the driving tone of the piece, and second, their coherence makes the solo a solid composition in itself. To top it all off, Swallow's deep pocket and La Roca's driving, swirling waltz time and cymbal work mesh perfectly with Kuhn's eccentric playing. A prime example not just of this trio, but of what jazz trio playing should be. Call me hypocritical, but words cannot accurately describe this miracle.
Farmer's solo, while not as dissonant or harsh, is nonetheless driving and intense in its own way. Farmer is often compared to Miles Davis, as they both were masters at saying the most with as few notes as possible. The difference is that Farmer is much more liquid and flowing in his playing, and his lines have more unique shapes. His playing here even shows a hint of turbulence, and his final chorus displays some dynamic and powerful high notes that aren't annoyingly brassy. Farmer's bravado is complimented perfectly by Steve Kuhn's comping underneath. It's important to note that while Farmer and Kuhn sound completely different, often like they're at odds with each other, they are both sympathetic musicians; Kuhn especially complements Farmer well when playing behind him, rather than overpowering him. One might even say Kuhn is a perfect foil for Farmer, taking his trumpet concept and roughly translating it to the piano in a more aggressive manner. Either way, this rendition of Ad Infinitum is a true masterpiece of small-group jazz playing. Go listen to it.
While the first two tracks are masterful exercises in building and maintaining intensity, the next track, Farmer's arrangement (I believe) of the traditional Petite Belle, is more somber and relaxed. Farmer's solo flugelhorn intro brings in the constant bossa nova rhythm that lasts for the entire song. Credit must be given to Pete La Roca, who, while able to deliver bombastic and spontaneous drum performances, could also maintain a nonstop rhythm and keep an unwavering sense of time. Farmer provides a solo full of subtlety, nuance, and ultimately beauty, while Kuhn provides a quirky piano solo that is equally as subtle. While featuring such genius playing, this track also lets me truly appreciate the recording quality. While not as high as other albums of the time, it has its own charm; the piano especially has a warm, nostalgic sound that for me, evokes the music of Vince Guaraldi.
The next track marks the return of the energy heard at the beginning: a completely different version of Pete La Roca's Tears Come From Heaven, listed here simply as Tears. While the version on Basra is more easygoing and is more of a mood piece, here it is taken at a breakneck tempo in a completely different key. While the faster tempo loses the spiritual mystery of the other version, it gains an equally mysterious intensity, boosted by Farmer's powerful reading of the melody. Farmer shows to be capable at blistering fast tempos while still maintaining his cool, and Kuhn creates another masterpiece of rhythm, intensity and interaction. Trying to describe it is basically pointless, so again, just go listen to it. You won't be sorry. Pete La Roca then takes off with his main feature on the album, an open drum solo featuring no piano or bass, unlike the version on Basra. La Roca takes advantage of the openness and bends time to his will, giving a magnificent pounding to the drum kit.
The band then tackles a more traditional jazz ballad, Dizzy Gillespie's I Waited For You, with another interpretation that goes beyond traditional performance. For one, both Farmer and Kuhn revel in the beautiful piece, Farmer with his gorgeous reading of the melody (ballads were a strong spot for him) and Kuhn with his lush, impressionistic, nearly Bill Evans-like accompaniment. As the first soloist, though, Kuhn goes a step beyond simply imitating Evans, with another brilliant performance straddling prancing runs and powerful blocked chords. Farmer, in his brief solo, expertly balances rich subtlety with powerfully bubbling volcanic eruption.
The album ends on an easygoing note with La Roca's blues One for Majid; this one features the whole band. Despite his brilliant playing throughout, Farmer shows that perhaps he is most in his element when playing a good old-fashioned blues progression. His lush tone on flugelhorn dominates his uniquely understated lines, resulting in a fiery, yet cool and bluesy sound. The whole solo is just so wonderfully crisp, and immensely pleasurable to listen to. Kuhn makes with an impression of a blues-drenched Herbie Hancock before adding his own subtle twists and turns. Here, Swallow gets his only solo on the album, which is probably for the best since the bass isn't that high in the mix. Despite that, Swallow does not disappoint, offering above all else a keen sense of rhythm and swing. La Roca offers a final remark with a brief but power-packed solo, highlighting a unique sound on the snare.
Probably what makes this album so special for me is that despite its varied and accessible material, it cannot be categorized alongside anything else happening at the time it was made. It is a vibe in itself, and I haven't heard many albums that have quite the same atmosphere as it does. Another thing about the album is that it's a masterpiece in pacing. Track 1 is mysterious and hints at the barrage to come; Track 2 is said barrage; Track 3 is gentler, giving the listener a breather. Track 4 returns to all-out intensity; Track 5 is more like Track 1, tranquil yet energetic and driving. And finally, the closer is another relaxed number that leaves the listener feeling good about themselves.
Overall, this album is a combination of many contrasting qualities: elegance, abandon, raw intensity, intimacy, and some fine playing all around. The album mostly revolves around the pairing of frontmen Farmer and Kuhn; while it seems like a potentially dangerous combination, Kuhn proves himself to be an adept foil to Farmer's straight man role, but knows when to cut back and give more space to the leader. Farmer's playing throughout is inspired and full of warmth while also displaying a burning quality. Despite his little solo space on the album, Pete La Roca especially dazzles with his bombastic drumming style that, while soloistic in itself, is above all sympathetic alongside Kuhn and Swallow. The second track, Ad Infinitum, is a bona-fide masterpiece in jazz quartet playing. The band has fantastic chemistry throughout, and this album is just as good, if not better, than Basra. Strongly recommended. 10/10.
Track listing:
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