KENNY GILL — What Was, What Is, What Will Be (review)

KENNY GILL — What Was, What Is, What Will Be album cover Album · 1971 · Avant-Garde Jazz Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
js
In the late 70s, you could go to the very back of a used record store’s jazz section and find all the obscure late 60s-early 70s records that people had unloaded. The late 60s was an interesting period in which the avant-garde, soul jazz and early fusion all converged into what many later called ‘spiritual jazz’. Lengthy African influenced jams, in which almost anything could happen and horn players played hand percussion when they weren’t soloing, were the style of the times. These albums were easy to spot due to the colorful dashikis and massive hair styles of the participants. It is from this cultural backdrop that we get this very Coltrane influenced album, “What was. What is and What will be”, by pianist Kenny Gill. Some sources list this album as rare, but since it can be found on eBay for around $12, it must not be that rare, but its certainly not common either.

Gill has an all-star band on hand here. Bob Berg, Carlos Garnett, Stafford James and Norman Connors were all in the very early stages of their career at this point, but all four went on to enjoy success, but not without their own share of ups and downs. Although there is plenty of free playing on here, this isn’t just a jam session as Gill is very much into arrangements. The music on here varies from straight up modal jams to atonal free parts, as well as long solemn statements that sound like calls to prayer. Gill’s playing reflects his devotion to John Coltrane in that he can channel both McCoy Tyner and Alice Coltrane, yet other times Gill has his own high speed jittery voice that may remind some of Cecil Taylor, but without Taylor’s sheer power.

There is a lot of mystery surrounding this album, who is Kenny Gill and where is he now, and why only one record from him? If you look around on the internet, you will find that at about the same time Gill recorded this on the WB’s Racoon label, he helped the three remaining members of the Youngbloods fulfill a recording contract obligation for the same label by recording a sarcastic Dadaist FU type album called “Crab Tunes/Noggins”. Apparently Gill’s intense piano playing was what they needed to make the album sound over the top. So possibly “What was…” was the Youngbloods thank you to Gill for helping them, or possibly they heard “What was..” first and decided he’d be perfect for the Noggins project, who knows.
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

Mikolaj Trzaska, Ingebrigt Haker Flaten, Paal Nilssen-Love : The Last Temple vol.3 Avant-Garde Jazz
MIKOŁAJ TRZASKA
Buy this album from MMA partners
Mikolaj Trzaska, Ingebrigt Haker Flaten, Paal Nilssen-Love : The Last Temple, Vol.1 Avant-Garde Jazz
MIKOŁAJ TRZASKA
Buy this album from MMA partners
Mikołaj Trzaska / Ingebrigt Håker Flaten / Paal Nilssen-Love : The Last Temple Vol.2 Avant-Garde Jazz
MIKOŁAJ TRZASKA
Buy this album from MMA partners
Sustain Avant-Garde Jazz
AALY TRIO
Buy this album from MMA partners
Sunset Park Post Bop
TOBIAS MEINHART
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

FASCINATING RHYTHM - The Amazing Keystone Big Band feat. Neima Naouri
THE AMAZING KEYSTONE BIG BAND
snobb· 1 day ago
Alicante
RENAUD GARCIA-FONS
js· 1 day ago
She's Forty with Me
WILTON CRAWLEY
js· 1 day ago
Tall Tillie's Too Tight
WILTON CRAWLEY
js· 1 day ago
Rhoda Scott Ladies and Gentlemen - special guest : David Linx
RHODA SCOTT
snobb· 1 day 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