On this record, the little-known Charles Brackeen brings his saxophone to a party with most of Ornette Coleman's band. As might be expected, while Brackeen certainly holds his own, it's Ornette's boys who bring the thunder, playing around Brackeen's muscular alto as if they were a gang jumping on a new member. Haden's bass playing provides the frantic pulse, here and there ceding the stage to Blackwell's flexible drumming and dropping out to provide rolling sheets of sound by bowing his instrument. Brackeen and Cherry wrestle across this solid bedrock, with results that are often surprising and never short of beautiful. - Rob Ferrier
Tracks
1. Rhythm X
2. Hour Glass
3. Charles Concept
4. C.B. Blues
CHARLIE HADEN bass
EDWARD BLACKWELL drums
DON CHERRY trumpet
CHARLES BRACKEEN tenor saxophone
Recorded January 26, 1968 at Upsurge Studio
STRATA-EAST SECD 9026