In the few months prior to Malachi Favors untimely passing, the bassist started a weekly engagement at the Velvet Lounge, the legendary Chicago club, with drummer Vincent Davis and saxophonist Hanah Jon Taylor. Live at Last captures this ephemeral combo at a gig in Wisconsin, but also includes one track from their Velvet Lounge residence with a lesser sound quality but a fine mix. Fans of the bassist will enjoy his rich sound and intricate rhythms. Davis shows the requisite restraint and proves to be thoughtful even when soloing. For many, it will be the opportunity to discover Taylor, an underrated musician with a nasal tone and a fine rhythmic and melodic sense. In addition, he performs on keyboards, but his interventions are a bit of an acquired taste. All three musicians are rooted in the tradition as witnessed by their cover of Charlie Parker's "Au Privave" where they clearly establish a link between bebop and free jazz. The remnant of the program consists of originals and collective improvisations that sometimes induce foot-tapping but also close without coming to a full resolution. Despite its shortcomings, the set hints at what the trio could have achieved should it have had the chance to grow and remains a valuable document for anyone with an interest in jazz made in Chicago. - Alain Drouot
Notwithstanding a fruitful career, the great, late bass player Malachi Favors was quite a discreet musician even though no one has forgotten his role as the central mainstay of the Art Ensemble of Chicago until his death in January 2004. Apart from this, he only made one splendid solo album but no group recording as a leader was heard until this Maghostut Trio. Consequently, the present beautiful, original, intense and cohesive record is also a rare musical moment to enjoy. A few months before his death, Malachi Favors gave birth to this trio featuring the powerful lyricism of Hanah Jon Taylor and the precise ear of Vincent Davis; both of them complementary of Malachi Favors’ unique and too rarely heard playing. Listening to this record, we realize how any musician willing to be original has to perfectly know the pastime masters. And that’s why, through freedom, freshness and power of speech, we are confronted here with centuries of History. Live at Last Single CD Malachi Favors Maghostut: double bass Hanah Jon Taylor: soprano & tenor saxophones, flute and keyboards Vincent Davis: drums Recorded live in October 2003 at Madison University (Wi, USA) and the Velvet Lounge in Chicago (Il, USA) - jazzloft
Live At Last features stalwart AEC bassist Maghostut in a format he is rarely associated with, but which suits him extremely well—the "power trio" of saxophone, bass and drums. One has only to look back to the close of the 1960s, when Favors was in Paris recording for the BYG label, to see prime examples—tenorman Dewey Redman's Tarik, with Favors and Ed Blackwell, is a cornerstone of the subgenre. Favors also cut trio tracks with Archie Shepp and Philly Joe Jones ("Touareg," on Blasé) and with Sunny Murray and tenorman Ken Terroade (the mind-melting "Real," on Sunshine) during his stay in Paris. - allaboutjazz
Tracks
1. Talkin' to You (Malachi Favors/Hanah Jon Taylor)
2. Au Privave (Charlie Parker)
3. Maghostut (Malachi Favors/Hanah Jon Taylor)
4. Electric Elephant Dance (Hanah Jon Taylor)
5. Beware of the Wolf (Malachi Favors)
6. My Babe (Traditional)
MALACHI FAVORS MAGHOSTUT bass
HANAH JON TAYLOR soprano and tenor saxophones, flute, keyboards
VINCENT DAVIS drums
(1)-(5) recorded live on October 10th 2003 at Union Terrace, University of Wisconsin (Madison, Wi, USA) ; (6) recorded live at Velvet Lounge (Chicago, Il, USA)
Rogueart - ROG-005 France