MAL WALDRON — Mal Waldron Quintet ‎: The Seagulls Of Kristiansund - Live At The Village Vanguard (review)

MAL WALDRON — Mal Waldron Quintet ‎: The Seagulls Of Kristiansund - Live At The Village Vanguard album cover Live album · 1989 · Post Bop Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
snobb
One among most significant American ex-patriots on European jazz scene pianist Mal Waldron has recorded quite a lot of live material (mostly in Sweet Basil and Village Vanguard) which has been used for Waldron albums series for years ahead.

Leading a truly strong band (usually - quintet) Waldron played longish version of some his better tunes (usually between ten and twenty minutes long jam-like compositions,still with well controlled structure and generally easy accessible),which on vinyl albums of the era often were placed one per side. Quintet recordings (with Woody Shaw on trumpet,Charlie Rouse on tenor saxophone and flute,Reggie Workman on bass and drummer Ed Blackwell) came as two Italian Soul Note label albums - "The Git-Go: Live At The Village Vanguard" and "The Seagulls Of Kristiansund". Former contains just two compositions, and the later - three, with title song lasting longer than 26 minutes and filling all side B.

Mid'80s generally is quite a successful period for Waldron who recorded lot of strong material at that time. Blues and bop-rooted progressive post bop became his signature sound, with drone-like left hand playing which often gave rock-like aesthetics to genuinely very jazzy music.

All three album's compositions(Waldron originals) come from earlier times, where album's title song has been released for the first time as far as in 1977 (on "One-Upmanship" album with Steve Lacy and Manfred Schoof,among others). Waldron was a master of strong tunes so all three long compositions sound almost as easy as popular rock/pop songs of the time. Repetitive structure and piano droning don't destroy their integrity and when the music stops playing there is a feeling that it would be good to start same listening once again.

"The Seagulls Of Kristiansund" is with no doubt album's true peak - slightly melancholic beautiful tune doesn't requires any visual addition - listener easily founds himself on north sea shore with sax very realistic bird-like screams and common matured dreaming atmosphere. This music surprisingly has meditative qualities on a manner of Indian ragas - when repetitive saturated music incorporates listener to specific atmosphere where he wants to stay for a longer.

As good as some other live Mal Waldron recordings from same few years, "The Seagulls Of Kristiansund" is good listening for fans of original tuneful post bop and excellent entry for those interested in Waldron more current works.
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