Sean Trane
Yet another Cuneiform BoB live release, this time made from three different sessions and two fairly different eras. Indeed if the big-band’s sound had somewhat evolved from mid-71 and mid-75 by progressing and exploring ever further down the road, it’s always surprising to see how most of the members remained fidel (well somewhat, anyway) for such a long time. Indeed, you’ll find the usual suspect, like Beckett, Charig, Evans, Feza, Griffiths, Miller, Moholo, Osborne, Parker, Pukwana, Skidmore and Windo, but you’ll also hear Elton Dean, and a few more
The 71 Radio Bremen broadcast opens on the goofy Funky Roots March (that usually served to close sets), but the set relies on many studio-origined tracks, like the repetitive Now, Bride, Think Of Something, etc…Well the band hovers from a slightly avant-garde big band to a still to be perfected improvising and dissonant band, but to more casual fans, the former trend dominates this set. To close the first disc, two pieces from a UK gig
On the second disc, another 75 gig, recorded at the same place (but to be honest I find the sound a bit shaky), which hogs the whole CD and barely feature any tracks that were originally recorded in the studios, As surprising as it may seem, the BoB is definyely less extreme that night, almost trad big-band like, but this only until that Restless track arrives, then all hell brakes loose, and the BoB boys go wild blowing in their horns. But most of the tracks of this set are a little to repetititititive to my taste, even if it allows sometimes some interesting solos. Well this third Cuneiform release (after Travelling and Eclipse) might appear the more complete, but the relatively poor sound of the second disc might be a slight deterrent to some