ARCHIE SHEPP — On This Night (review)

ARCHIE SHEPP — On This Night album cover Album · 1965 · Avant-Garde Jazz Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
snobb
Archie Shepp's fourth studio album (and third on Impulse!) is a mixed bag. It contains outtakes from the 1965 spring-summer recording sessions and stylistically illustrates Shepp's transition from hard bop to avant-garde jazz. Some songs are great, (Shepp's version of "In A Sentimental Mood"), others sound quite strange (the title piece with classical soprano vocalist Christine Spencer), the entire collection is really eclectic and quite bulky. Fortunately Archie is in great form throughout, which helps give a positive impression of the album in whole.

Another and even bigger problem is the CD reissue. Not only is the track order absolutely different, but most of the added bonuses (placed here and there between original songs) only bring an additional chaotic feeling, making the album even more extremely eclectic. On top of that - the CD re-release (containing 5 bonus tracks) excludes one song from the original vinyl album - the ten minute long composition "Gingerbread, Gingerbread Boy"! The formal reason for such a strange decision is this song originally comes from a live recording in Newport, so it was separated from the rest of the material which was completed in full studio sessions from March and August 1965. Even if such concept could have made some sense, the result is really sad - the original studio album is destroyed and instead you get something that could be better called "Complete 1965 Studio Session, etc". It's a pity - so if possible, it might be better to go for the original vinyl.

Even if this is not Shepp's best work, this album contains some nice songs, some great soloing and nice work from vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson on some songs too.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

Symphonic Blues No. 6 Third Stream
CORKY SIEGEL
Buy this album from MMA partners
Recut Jazz Related Electronica/Hip-Hop
SKALPEL
Buy this album from MMA partners
Yuval Cohen Quartet : Winter Poems Post-Fusion Contemporary
YUVAL COHEN
Buy this album from MMA partners
Just Nu Jazz
JIM HART
Buy this album from MMA partners
Skrifum Post-Fusion Contemporary
JON BALKE
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

SOLSTICE album release • Duo Russo - Holst
PAOLO RUSSO
js· 60 minutes ago
Akiko Yano & Hiromi - Kawarushi (Official Audio)
HIROMI
js· 1 day ago
All I Want For Christmas Is You
DAVID HAZELTINE
js· 1 day ago
Chicken
QUATUOR EBÈNE
js· 2 days ago
Det er en egen lomme
THE LEIF
js· 2 days ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed