snobb Reeds player Jimmy Giuffre started his musical career as a respectable West Coast cool jazz artist, but in the late 50s switched to his own chamber avant-garde jazz. Not explosive, harsh or noisy, as the dominating free jazz of the time, Giuffre built solid ground for a more intelligent and well-balanced stream, which influenced hundreds of jazz musicians for the upcoming decades and partially re-vitalized the more adventurous wing of the so-called ECM sound of 70s and 80s.

After a series of genre-defining albums, Giuffre stopped recording as a leader in early 60s, occasionally playing in rare collaborations. His "Music For People, Birds, Butterflies & Mosquitoes", originally released in 1973 after a decade of silence, wasn't noticed at the time of release, and stayed underrated for decades. This is not particularly unusual, mid-70s was a very different time for jazz.

Remastered reissue released by Candid 50 years after the original release gives the rare opportunity to perceive it now, from the distance of time. Minimalist acoustic trio with both lesser known Japanese bassist Kiyoshi Tokunaga (who played with Giuffre on few more upcoming albums) and American percussionist Randy Kaye plays bare-naked groovy compositions, heavily rooted in bluesy hard bop. Giuffre himself plays tenor sax, flute and clarinet, twelve short compositions all contain snippets of tunes, but are quite free at the same time. More than once the album's music brings an association with Eric Dolphy's "Out To Lunch", just Giuffre's drum-less trio sounds more abstract and chamber comparing with Dolphy's free-bop.

Reissued album's sound is excellent, with rich acoustic bass, well-separated percussion and spacey, but deep reeds. At best, Giuffre builds a bit melancholic but cool atmosphere with his ascetic but tuneful pieces. Still, from some point the album's music can sound a bit repetitive and directionless too.

All in all, "Music For People, Birds, Butterflies & Mosquitoes" is one among the better Giuffre post 60s albums, and an interesting addition for an underrated jazz giant legacy.

snobb Jazzarcheology during last years had become quite a popular and hot fans of one or another legendary artist really enjoy of this growing fashion.But to be honest big amount of attic issues hardly attracts more casual listener - as rule all the best recordings are already released and well known, and what comes now usually has more historical not musical value. Fortunately, there are some exemptions, "New York Concerts" are one of them

Reedist Jimmy Giuffre was criminally under-appreciated jazz musician who started like cool jazz sax player but from very early 60s switched towards his own unorthodox jazz avant-garde, free but chamber music influenced music very different from what came from Ornette Coleman,Albert Ayler or late-60s John Coltrane. Jimmy released three experimental albums in 1961, of which third "Free Fall" just initialized his broke-up with major label,Columbia. And after that Giuffre didn't release a single record tlll early 70s. Two mid 70s albums were still quite free but inconsistent, and he returned back in early 80s with strong band, playing fusion.His most interesting period of 70s stayed undocumented till now, fortunately this new double release fills this vacuum in full.

Double CD-set contains two Giuffre concerts,recorded same year but with different line-up. And the year is 1965, the year of "New Thing"!Both concerts are recorded in same place - Columbia University, but first set's CD contains later one,recorded in September. Giuffre plays as trio leader here,with drummer Joe Chambers and bassist Richard Davis.From very first seconds,everyone familiar with Jimmy's music will be surprised how free and how muscular the trio sounds here!Five originals and Ornette Coleman’s “Crossroads” all played very loose but still have that specific Giuffrean chamber feel.Sound is surprisingly clear and well balanced for such archival material.

Second CD contains quartet recordings coming from May concert. Here Barre Phillips changed Chambers on bass and pianist Don Friedman is added. More quirky and intense quartet sound is less chamber and sounds closer to what sounded around at that year, with Giuffre playing faster and in moments sharper solos.It works well on more energetic moments,but fails in some silent pauses, lasting for too long.

In all, this release is a holy grail for Jiuffre fans opening for listeners the curtain from almost decade of silence. For casual listener there are some great places, but some historically important concert evidences could sound as filler as well. Released as double CD, this set contains eighty-and-a few minutes of music,and such kind of package looks more as commercial trick.Well edited version,combining best moments from both concerts (most probably up to one hour long) would be a great gift for everyone interested in best early American avant-garde jazz.

snobb Reeds player Jimmy Giuffre is well known for his unique (drumless) cool jazz trio of the late 50s (with guitarist Jim Hall and bassist Ralph Pena)and also for his even more unusual relaxed and meditative avant-garde jazz trio of the early 60s (with pianist Paul Bley and bassist Steve Swallow). After a decade of silence, Jimmy returned in the mid 70s with a few albums, and then disappeared again.

His second return in the early 80s is less known (he recorded three albums for Italian Soul Note label) and would surprise almost every fan of his earlier recordings. On all three albums ("Dragonfly", "Quasar" and "Liquid Dancers") Giuffre's new quartet plays ... fusion! Featuring keyboardist Pete Levin (Rhoads, Moog, Oberheim, etc), bassist Bob Nieske and drummer Randy Kaye, besides Giuffre himself (on clarinet, tenor and soprano saxes, flute and bass flute), this quartet plays quite electric music and even energetic in moments. At the same time, as it was with Giuffre's cool jazz and avant-garde music, his fusion is different from what was typical: his hard-bop/cool jazz roots and aesthetics are still in effect, and his compositions vary from airy minimalist electric cool ballads, to almost new age meditative electronic aerial songs. All three albums weren't popular at the time of their release and are now almost forgotten rarities. So the CAM label did a great job here reissuing them all as one set. Even if Giuffre's fusion is far from sensational, I believe these three albums are pleasant and an interesting surprise for his fans.

There is a fourth album in this set - and even if it contains more predictable music, it is obviously the best part of the compilation. Reunited in the early 90s, Guiffre's avant-garde trio recorded "Conversations With A Goose" after a few years of regular concerts, so their communication here is telepathic. Different from the early 60s, Swallow plays electric bass here and Bley's piano is softer and more liquid than usual. But, even with some citations from their past, this music is free-cool jazz, Guiffre's style (no distortion, no overload), more mature than 35 years ago, but still fresh and not nostalgic at all! The only reason this fourth album is a part of the same set is that it was released on Italian Soul Note as well, but nearly a decade later.

All in all, this set is not Giuffre's best music, and not the most interesting of his releases, but if you already know and like his cool jazz and avant-garde works from the late 50s-early 60s, and are not familiar with his later (lesser known) music, probably you will be pleasantly surprised with what you'll find here.