THE CRIMSON JAZZ TRIO — King Crimson Songbook, Volume 1 (review)

THE CRIMSON JAZZ TRIO — King Crimson Songbook, Volume 1 album cover Album · 2005 · Post Bop Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
Slartibartfast
King Crimson meets A Charlie Brown Christmas.

Well, OK the drummer, Ian Wallace was in the KC and the musical style certainly reminds me of what remains one my favorite soundtracks of all time. In fact, I tend to think that if you had introduced this album to the jazz loving public around that time (1965) it might just be regarded as a classic jazz album to this day. Even though the original King was known for embracing jazz elements on their earlier albums, these are tracks from the 1969-1984 era totally reworked as jazz pieces. Who knew that hiding inside King Crimson's songs were some cool jazz tracks trying to get out?

I think it is a testament both to the brilliance of Crimson's original compositions as well as the talent of the musician's involved in this project that it all works so well. A lot of the tracks you can kind of see reworked as pure jazz when you first read the list, but Three Of A Perfect Pair and Matte Kudasai work unexpectedly well. 21st Century Schizoid Man and Red were a bit of surprise, too. Cat, Food, Ladies Of The Road, and I Talk To The Wind, I could see. My favorite, last but not least, and not last really, Starless. Maybe that's the only one that might be out of place in parts back in the time before there was a King Crimson, but not by too much.

Fripp says on the liner notes "I have heard as if for the first time," these songs. I got the same feeling.

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