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India Navigation

”Flowers for Albert” by David Murray on India Navigation IN 1026

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”Flowers for Albert” by David Murray on India Navigation IN 1026

Another great India Navigation title.

A live avant-garde album by tenor man David Murray, recorded at The Ladies’ Fort in New York 1976. The dynamics of the music is appealing, with lots of calmer moments throughout. It never gets too intense, and I really enjoy that. It doesn’t have to be all guns blazing all the time when it comes to avant-garde/free jazz. One thing’s for sure, this bunch of musicians really thrive when the music is calmer. 

Got a notice from a follower about another album I posted featuring Olu Dara, and he pointed out that it was rapper NAS’ father, which is cool. Lovely trumpeter. We also have Fred Hopkins on double bass and Phillip Wilson on drums.

India Navigation was a great label, and I’ve managed to find a handful of their albums and all of them are top notch. Will explore further, and I will also dive deeper into Murrays catalogue and see what other gems I can find.

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"Flying Out" by Cecil McBee on India Navigation IN 1053

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"Flying Out" by Cecil McBee on India Navigation IN 1053

Lovely string instrumentation on this one.

The use of both bass, cello and violin makes this session by McBee, recorded in 1982, really stand out. The flavors and textures these instruments offer in a jazz setting is really dynamic and gives the music something different for sure. Feels very spiritual and beautiful and moods of classical music comes to mind. The tune ”Truth - A Path To Peace” is a great example.

The second side begins with an all string arrangement which is delightful and warms the soul without being sentimental and weepy.

But it’s the blend of the strings and the avant-garde and also blues rhythms that really elevates this album to being truly exciting for me. To have a violinist take a solo in a jazz setting, like on the bluesy ”Blues On The Bottom”, instead of something more familiar is a welcome break from the norm.

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"Spirit Sensitive" by Chico Freeman on India Navigation IN 1045

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"Spirit Sensitive" by Chico Freeman on India Navigation IN 1045

Chico showing his sensitive side.

This title on India Navigation was in that package with several albums I mentioned in a previous post being lost for several months. The package remains lost. This copy is another one from that local store I’ve mentioned, and when I saw it I just had to grab it, cause who knows if that package will turn up. I would guess it won’t so now I have at least secured this one which I’m very happy about.

Been after this one for a while. It’s a lovely serene album, recorded between 1978 and 1979, with Freeman really nailing his most lyrical approach to a tee. The set consists of mostly standards. It’s beautiful music. And the band backing him adds their magic to the proceedings. We find the outstanding Cecil McBee on double bass, John Hicks on piano, Billy Hart and Famoudou Don Moye on drums.

Chico Freeman was a superb tenor player and there are plenty of titles of his I’m aiming to acquire. There are several others also on India Navigation for example. He was definitely more adventurous during his career than on ”Spirit Sensitive”, but I think it’s a great album and it shows that he could masterfully connect with the older guard of musicians and celebrate the lyrical side of jazz.

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”Endangered Species” by Hamiet Bluiett on India Navigation IN 1025

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”Endangered Species” by Hamiet Bluiett on India Navigation IN 1025

An avant-garde treat.

Blind buy here on India Navigation. Very seldom do I take a chance on an artist or album I haven’t listen to before when visiting a record store. I’m happy I did cause this album is lovely. It’s the debut by baritonist Hamiet Bluiett. He was a multi-instrumentalist and besides his primary instrument he also played the bass saxophone, E-flat alto clarinet, E-flat contra-alto clarinet, and wooden flute.

The music here has both spiritual and avant-garde elements. It’s a live recording from 1976 at The Ladies’ Fort in New York. The cats playing with Bluiett are Jumma Santos on balafon, Junie Booth on double bass, Olu Dara on trumpet and Phillip Wilson on drums. All are new to me. Dara on trumpet is superb. So cool to discover these wonderful artists that are definitely not household names in jazz. At least not for me.

My explorations into the 70’s and 80’s continues and I must say I haven’t had this much fun collecting as I do now, and the journey hasn’t been quite this rewarding, on so many levels, than it is at this moment.

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