Most of the time, music critics like to pretend they know everything, are hip to every artist, on top of every trend -- what bull. I knew jack about Hal Russell until I heard Kevin Whitehead rave about this recording (and Russell in general) on NPR. Sufficiently impressed, I bought the disc the same day. It turned out to be one of the smartest things I've ever done and began what has been a love for the music of Hal Russell and a sadness that he's no longer around to make more. Whitehead was spot-on: This is an extraordinary record, full of fire, reckless abandon, and thrilling playing from Russell, obviously, but also from his great band, especially reed player (and one-time Psychedelic Fur) Mars Williams. Amazingly, this was Russell's first European tour (a total of six gigs), a fact made even more amazing upon realizing that Russell at the time of this recording was 64. Better late than never, I guess. All in all, a must-purchase, if only for "Linda's Rock Vamp" (which sounds like mid-'70s Miles Davis), the ebullient "Hal the Weenie," and the blistering "Monica's Having a Baby." This is jazz-rock with a healthy dollop of brain-frying free blowing that will knock you on your ass leaving you saying, "Thank you Hal, may I have another." - John Dougan
Tracks
01. Monica's Having A Baby (Russell)
02. Aila / 35 Basic (Russell)
03. Temporarily (Hunt)
04. Raining Violets (Sandstrom)
05. For MC (Russell)
06. Dance Of The Spider People (Williams)
07. Ten Letters Of Love (Russell)
08. Hal The Weenie (Russell)
09. Linda's Rock Vamp (Russell)
10. Mars Theme (Russell/Williams)
KENT KESSLER bass, bass guitar, didgeridoo
BRIAN SANDSTROM bass, trumpet, guitar
STEVE HUNT drums, vibraphone, didgeridoo
MARS WILLIAMS tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, didgeridoo
HAL RUSSELL tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, trumpet, vibraphone, drums
Recorded November 1990 at the Tampere Jazz Happening and the Internationales Jazz Festival Zürich
ECM Records – ECM 1455