Dave Burrell – Windward Passages

“There is only one other pianist in Dave Burrell’s class, and that is Misha Mengelberg. Burrell is so thoroughly a pianist, composer, and improviser that the three are inseparable in him, whether he is playing one of his own tunes; a stride blues boogie by Fats Waller, Albert Ammons, or Meade “Lux” Lewis; or spontaneously composing (as Mengelberg has termed it); or all three rolled into one. This set, recorded live in Switzerland (in 1979) is the proof. Burrell runs motif upon motif of improvisation against blues, stride against (post)modern classical music, and free improvisation against hard, fast lyrical lines by Art Tatum. From the overture, which opens their set, Burrell begins his dance with the piano, never quite stopping, yet always turning this way and that, in and out, thinking then executing, and instinctually swinging like hell throughout. Nowhere is this more apparent than the wonderful “Punaluu Peter,” where free jazz meets ragtime meets Oscar Peterson. His lyrical invention and harmonic sense of balance are truly amazing when one considers they are being performed in font of an audience. This is a piece Burrell has played and recorded many times, each one different: a duet of with David Murray on the Victo label is particularly satisfying. But this is only the beginning. He moves into late 19th century theater music before coming back to modern jazz, or were they in then same measure? It’s impossible to tell. And so on through each of the concert’s 11 selections, until he ends it all with “A.M. Rag,” a showstopper leaving both audience and listener breathless and wondering if what they just heard was possible, let alone true.” – allmusic.com

Label: Hat Hut Records – hat Hut FIVE

Format: 2xVinyl, LP, Album

Country: US

Released:1980

VG+/VG+. Light marks/wear