| Blue Chopsticks Reviews
CMJ NEW MUSIC REPORT / MUSIC MARATHON / NEW MUSIC MONTHLY RHYTHM REVENGE Bassists and especially drummers- usually consigned to the back of thestage, their names at the bottorn of the marquee, often dismissed as mere timekeepers - can be excused somewhat if, on their own albums, they tend to overplay and overrely on their own solos. The great ones, of course, never play too much; the great ones make others sound better than they actually are, elevating themselves in the process, Like the best bassists, BUELL NEIDLINGER is capable of keeping flawless time. But this master is a seer, never a subordinate - a virtuoso whose inventive solos are the match of any horn player's (as witnessed by his playing over the years with the likes of Archie Shepp, Cecil Taylor and Frank Zappa). The bearded bassist not only keeps time, he keeps his word, and with Blue Chopsticks: A Portroit Of Herbie Nichols (K2B2, 1748 Roosevelt Ave., Los Angeles, CA '90006-5219 323,732.1602), he makes good on a promise he made some 30 years ago. The titular Nichols, the late pianist/composer whom Neidlinger calls "the greatest jazz melodist after Ellington," recorded a few trio albums as a leader, bur was largly overlooked during his lifeeime, and even after his death, until Mosaic released a boxed set of his recordings. Nichok and Neidlinger gigged together in the early '50s, and frequently woodshedded, perfonning the former's craggy, rhythmically ingenious tunes and wondering what they would sound like with strings and horns. During their last conversation, before Nichols' death in 1963. the bassist promised that someday he would record the pianist's music as discussed. He makes good on Blue Chopsticks, which features 11 Nichols compositions as performed by a quintet with Neidlinger (cello), Richard Greene (violin), Jimbo Ross (viola), Marty Krystall(reeds) and Hugh Schick (brass). It is a testimonial to Nichols' compositional genius, to say nothing of Neidlinger's interpretive savy, that the tunes Nichols recorded with piano, bass, and drums are redone - beautifully, swingfully, sincerely - with none of the original instrumentation. Outstanding. Five stars. For a cool double play, cue up one of these numbers (try "2300 Skidoo") followed by a Nichols track from Blue Note's The Art Of Herbie Nichols compilation. Gene Kalbacher is editor and publisher of Hot House, the monthly jazz night-life guide for the New York metropolitan area. |
