MIROSLAV VITOUS - Journey's End (1982) APE (image+.cue), lossless

Bassist Miroslav Vitous recorded this quartet session in 1982 with John Surman on soprano and baritone saxophones and bass clarinet, John Taylor on piano, and Jon Christensen on drums. Unavailable in the U.S., the disc includes two remarkable pieces by Surman, the lilting 3/4 "Tess" and the churning, wildly unpredictable "Paragraph Jay." Taylor weighs in with the closing track, "Windfall," another shimmering entry in 3/4 time. Vitous' nine-minute opener, "U Dunaje U Prespurka," inspired by a Czech folk song, is a marvel of gradual development and abstract grooving. "Only One," a rubato meditation that Vitous dedicates to his late father, finds the leader switching from upright to electric fretless bass. Surman's rhythmic clicking of keys on bari sax serves as the foundation for "Carry On, No. 1," a wholly improvised piece; Vitous intuitively sends it into high gear about halfway through with superbly chosen low notes. Journey's End is highly recommended to those willing to search for it. by David R. Adler
Tracklist:

1 U Dunaje U Prespurka 9:18

Miroslav Vitous
2 Tess 5:56

John Surman

3 Carry On, No. 1 5:08
John Surman
4 Paragraph Jay 6:16
John Surman
5 Only One 7:14
Miroslav Vitous
6 Windfall 6:17
John Taylor
Credits:
Baritone Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Bass Clarinet – John Surman
Bass – Miroslav Vitous
Composed By – Surman (tracks: 2, 4), Vitous (tracks: 1, 5)
Drums – Jon Christensen
Piano – John Taylor
Producer – Manfred Eicher

JOHN ABERCROMBIE - November (1993) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This 1993 recording of John Abercrombie's trio with a guest appearance by British saxophone giant and composer John Surman is, without question, a trademark ECM session. There's the spacious, pristine, icy production by label boss Manfred Eicher from his studio in Oslo. Next, all the players are ECM staples with the exception of Erskine, who plays everything from pop jazz to classical music. But there are many things that distinguish it as well. For one, Surman is playing here with a fire not heard since the early '70s. Whether he is blowing a baritone or soprano saxophone or his bass clarinet, he's cutting loose. There are long, looping lines that quote everyone from John Carter to Jim Pepper to Eric Dolphy and Ben Webster. His willingness to seek out the heart of dissonance inspires his bandmates, particularly on "The Cat's Back." From a nuanced, eerie wail to a Native American folk melody to smoky phraseology taken from "Chelsea Bridge," Surman pulls out all the stops and then puts them back in to make the tune whisper. Abercrombie doesn't exactly take a back seat on this date, but he does showcase his expansive knowledge of Tal Farlow's harmonic palette by playing extended chords either inside the melody or as a dissonant counterpoint to Surman. Other standouts include the title track with its strange, even alien, crosstalk between Johnson's bowed bass and Abercormbie's short, knotted leads. On Surman's ballad "Ogeda," too, Abercrombie investigates the manner in which the jazz tradition celebrates dissonant harmonies while using a kind of lyrical improvisation to keep the tune gently swinging. It's a solid session from beginning to end, but one still wishes Eicher would take his hands off the sound controls a bit, allowing some of the rawness that each of these players shows in live settings to enter the studio.

Tracklist:

1. The Cat's Back - 6:24

2. J.S. - 6:14

3. Right Brain Patrol (Johnson) - 9:00

4. Prelude - 3:27

5. November (Abercrombie, Erskine, Johnson) - 8:26

6. Rise and Fall (Erskine) - 5:22

7. John's Waltz - 5:40

8. Ogeda (Surman) - 4:40

9. Tuesday Afternoon (Erskine, Johnson) - 2:55

10. To Be - 5:24

11. Come Rain or Come Shine - 6:04

(Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer)

12. Big Music - 5:41

All compositions by John Abercrombie except as indicated.

Credits :

John Abercrombie — guitar

John Surman — baritone saxophone, soprano saxophone, bass clarinet

Marc Johnson — bass

Peter Erskine — drums.

 

ANOUAR BRAHEM / JOHN SURMAN / DAVE HOLLAND - Thimar (1998) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Thimar is a most impressive collaboration between Brahem, soprano saxophonist/bass clarinetist John Surman and double bassist Dave Holland which superbly fuses the traditions of jazz with those of Arab classical music, pushing the parameters of both while succumbing to the clichés of neither. by Raymond McKinney
Tracklist:
1  Badhra  8:29
2  Kashf  5:21
3  Houdouth  5:35
4  Talwin  4:15
5  Waqt  2:31
6  Uns  4:48
7  Al Hizam Al Dhahbi  5:40
8  Qurb  5:14
9  Mazad 5:03
    Composed By – Dave Holland
10  Kernow 5:09
    Composed By – John Surman
11  Hulmu Rabia  2:14
Credits:
Composed By – Anouar Brahem (tracks: 1 to 8, 11)
Double Bass – Dave Holland
Oud – Anouar Brahem
Producer – Manfred Eicher
Soprano Saxophone, Bass Clarinet – John Surman

JOHN MCLAUGHLIN - Extrapolation (1969-1991) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

John McLaughlin's first recording as a leader features the future innovator playing guitar in an English quartet. Although McLaughlin contributed all ten pieces, baritonist John Surman actually dominates this music, often swinging quite hard. The historically significant set, although a lesser-known item in McLaughlin's discography, is quite musical and enjoyable in its own right. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
1 Extrapolation 2:57
2 It's Funny 4:25
3 Arjen's Bag 4:25
4 Pete The Poet 5:00
5 This Is For Us To Share 3:30
6 Spectrum 2:45
7 Binky's Beam 7:05
8 Really You Know 4:25
9 Two For Two 3:35
10 Peace Piece 1:50
Credits:
Baritone Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – John Surman
Bass – Brian Odges
Drums – Tony Oxley
Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Composed By – John McLaughlin

JOHN MCLAUGHLIN - Where Fortune Smiles (1971-1993) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Where Fortune Smiles is really a John Surman recording, but subsequent re-releases have passed the credit on to John McLaughlin (for obvious reasons). The music is similar to but more dense than Extrapolation. McLaughlin's raw sound was starting to take shape by this time and his impeccable chops are on full display. So too are those of the underrated vibraphonist Karl Berger and, of course, soprano saxophonist Surman. The foundation is held loosely in place by bassist Dave Holland and drummer Stu Martin. It's a challenging but interesting listen, especially given McLaughlin's later success and popularity. Although his creativity would peak with the Mahavishnu Orchestra and Shakti, he never sounded more free and exploratory than he does here. Highly recommended for its historical significance as well as some excellent playing. by Robert Taylor
Tracklist:
1 Glancing Backwards 8:54
2 Earth Bound Hearts 4:15
3 Where Fortune Smiles 4:01
4 New Place,Old Place 10:24
5 Hope 7:19
Credits:
Bass – Dave Holland
Drums – Stu Martin
Guitar – John McLaughlin
Saxophone – John Surman
Vibraphone – Karl Berger