Guitarist Attila Zoller, alto saxophonist Lee Konitz and trombonist Albert Mangelsdorff had played with one another on earlier occasions for over a decade, but this 1968 recording was their first together though Zo-Ko-Ma is officially billed by producer Joachim Ernst-Berendt as the "Attila Zoller-Lee Konitz Quartet with guest Albert Mangelsdorff." Joined by bassist Barre Phillips and drummer Stu Martin on some tracks, a good deal of the music has an experimental feeling to it, especially Konitz's "Feeling-In and Filling-In Villingen," which feature overlapping improvisations by the three players. Zoller's easygoing waltz "At Twighlite" and Mangelsdorff's "Alat's Mood" (the latter a trombone/guitar duet) are straight-ahead arrangements, while Konitz's haunting "Danke for the Memory" is a spacy trio piece with bass and guitar. Issued on LP by MPS in Europe, this extraordinary session is long overdue to be re-released on CD. - Ken Dryden
Tracks
01. Zores Mores (Albert Mangelsdorff)
02. Feeling-In and Filling-In in Villingen (Lee Konitz)
03. Ach! Tavia (Lee Konitz)
04. Alicia's Lullaby (Attila Zoller)
05. At Twighlite (Attila Zoller)
06. Struwwelpeter (Attila Zoller)
07. Alat's Mood (Albert Mangelsdorff)
08. Freesien Fräulein (Lee Konitz)
09. Danke for the Memory (Lee Konitz)
10. Rumpelstizchen (Attila Zoller)
LEE KONITZ alto saxophone, multi-vider
ATTILA ZOLLER guitar
ALBERT MANGELSDORFF trombone
BARRE PHILLIPS bass
STU MARTIN drums
Recorded March 13-14, 1968 at MPS Tonstudio Villigen
MPS Records - YS-2207-MP