| Flexible Flyer | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1975 | |||
| Recorded | March 1974 | |||
| Studio | Blue Rock Studios, New York City | |||
| Genre | Jazz | |||
| Label | Freedom AL 1006 | |||
| Producer | Moselle Galbraith | |||
| Roswell Rudd chronology | ||||
| ||||
Flexible Flyer is an album by trombonist Roswell Rudd. It was recorded in March 1974 at Blue Rock Studios in New York City, and was released in 1975 by Freedom Records. On the album, Rudd is joined by vocalist Sheila Jordan, pianist Hod O'Brien, bassist Arild Andersen, and drummer Barry Altschul. [1]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
In a review for AllMusic, Scott Yanow wrote: "The trombonist plays quite well; the rhythm section is tight yet adventurous; and the use of Jordan (who also has some individual spots) as part of some of the ensembles helps make the date something special. Recommended." [2]
Bill Shoemaker, writing for Jazz Times , called the album "an against-the-grain gem," and noted: "At a time when AACM and BAG artists were writing the new chapter in jazz history, Rudd moved as far away as he could from the '60s new thing that initially brought him international recognition." Shoemaker commented: "The finesse-oriented team of bassist Arild Anderson and drummer Barry Altschul was well attuned to Rudd's delicate balance of joyous swing and introspective lyricism. The result is an album that has just not stood up well over the years, but has gained gravity with the passage of time." [3]
In a New York Magazine article, Gary Giddins stated that Rudd "casts an unexpected eye on bebop, possibly under the influence of... Hod O'Brien. The phlegmatically humorous 'Waltzing in the Sagebrush' and 'Moselle Variations' are amusing, but the more adventuresome readings of two standards are pretentious, largely due to Sheila Jordan's vocals." [4]
Barry Altschul is a free jazz and hard bop drummer who first came to notice in the late 1960s for performing with pianists Paul Bley and Chick Corea.
Sheila Jordan is an American jazz singer and songwriter. She has recorded as a session musician with an array of critically acclaimed artists in addition to recording her own albums. Jordan pioneered a bebop and scat jazz singing style with an upright bass as the only accompaniment. Jordan's music has earned praise from many critics, particularly for her ability to improvise lyrics; Scott Yanow describes her as "one of the most consistently creative of all jazz singers." Charlie Parker often introduced Jordan as "the lady with the million dollar ears."
Arild Andersen is a Norwegian jazz musician bassist, known as the most famous Norwegian bass player in the international jazz scene.
Walter Howard "Hod" O'Brien was an American jazz pianist.
Trickles is the first album by Steve Lacy to be released on the Italian Black Saint label. It features performances of five of Lacy's compositions by Lacy, Roswell Rudd, Kent Carter and Beaver Harris.
Archie Shepp Live in San Francisco is a live album by Archie Shepp released on Impulse! Records in 1966. The album contains a performance recorded by Shepp, trombonist Roswell Rudd, bassists Donald Garrett and Lewis Worrell and drummer Beaver Harris at the now defunct Both/And Club in San Francisco, CA, on February 19, 1966. The CD edition also contains an extended track that was released on LP as Three for a Quarter, One for a Dime in 1969.
Jumpin' Punkins is an album by Cecil Taylor recorded for the Candid label in January 1961 but not issued in the States until 1987. The first release was in Japan by Victor in 1977 as Cecil Taylor All Stars Featuring Buell Neidlinger. The album features performances by Taylor with Archie Shepp, Buell Neidlinger and Denis Charles with Billy Higgins, Clark Terry, Roswell Rudd, Steve Lacy and Charles Davis added on one track. Additional recordings from these sessions were released on New York City R&B in 1971 and Cell Walk for Celeste in 1988.
Numatik Swing Band is a live album by Roswell Rudd and the Jazz Composer's Orchestra released on the JCOA label in 1973.
Everywhere is an album by American jazz trombonist Roswell Rudd featuring studio performances recorded in July 1966 for the Impulse! label.
A.R.C. is an album by American jazz pianist Chick Corea, British jazz bassist Dave Holland and American jazz drummer Barry Altschul, recorded over January 11–13, 1971 and released on ECM later that year.
Keep Your Heart Right is an album by trombonist Roswell Rudd which was recorded and released on the Sunnyside label in 2008.
The Unheard Herbie Nichols, Vol. 1 is an album by trombonist Roswell Rudd. It was recorded in November 1996 at The Spirit Room in Rossie, NY, and was released by CIMP in 1997. On the album, which features little-heard works by composer and pianist Herbie Nichols, Rudd is joined by guitarist Greg Millar and drummer John Bacon, Jr.
Regeneration is an album by trombonist Roswell Rudd. It was recorded in June 1982 at Barigozzi Studio in Milan, Italy, and was released by Soul Note in 1983. On the album, which features compositions by Herbie Nichols and Thelonious Monk, Rudd is joined by saxophonist Steve Lacy, pianist Misha Mengelberg, bassist Kent Carter, and drummer Han Bennink.
Roswell Rudd is a live album by the trombonist Roswell Rudd, the first recording under his name. It was recorded in November 1965 in Hilversum, Netherlands, and was released by America Records in 1971. On the album, Rudd is joined by saxophonist John Tchicai, bassist Finn Von Eyben, and drummer Louis Moholo.
Blown Bone is an album by trombonist Roswell Rudd. It was recorded in March 1976 at Blue Rock Studios in New York City, and was released on LP by Philips Japan in 1979. On the album, Rudd is joined by clarinetist Kenny Davern, saxophonists Steve Lacy and Tyrone Washington, trumpeter Enrico Rava, vocalist Sheila Jordan, pianist Patti Bown, guitarist and vocalist Louisiana Red, bassist Wilbur Little, and drummers Jordan Steckel and Paul Motian. The album was reissued on CD by Emanem Records in 2006 with a different track sequence, and with an additional track recorded in 1967 featuring another ensemble.
Airwalkers is an album by trombonist Roswell Rudd and bassist Mark Dresser. It was recorded in August 2004 at Nevessa Studio in Saugerties, New York, and was released by Clean Feed Records in 2006.
Live in New York is a live album by saxophonist Archie Shepp and trombonist Roswell Rudd. It was recorded in September 2000 at the Jazz Standard in New York City and released by Verve Records in 2001 as part of its Soundscape Series. Shepp and Rudd are accompanied by trombonist Grachan Moncur III, bassist Reggie Workman and drummer Andrew Cyrille. They are joined on one track by poet Amiri Baraka.
Strength & Power is an album by trombonist Roswell Rudd, pianist Jamie Saft, bassist Trevor Dunn, and drummer Balázs Pándi. It was recorded in July 2014 at Potterville International Sound in Kingston, New York, and was released by RareNoiseRecords in 2016.
Inside Job is a live album by trombonist Roswell Rudd. It was recorded on May 21, 1976, at Sam Rivers' Studio Rivbea in New York City, and was released later that year by Freedom Records. On the album, Rudd is joined by trumpeter Enrico Rava, pianist Dave Burrell, bassist Stafford James, and drummer Harold White.
Trombone Tribe is an album by trombonist Roswell Rudd. It was recorded at various locations and was released in 2009 by Sunnyside Records. On the album, Rudd appears in different brass band combinations. On five tracks, Rudd appears in a sextet with trombonists Steve Swell and Deborah Weisz, tubist Bob Stewart, bassist and violinist Henry Grimes, and drummer Barry Altschul, while two tracks feature Rudd with five additional trombones plus Altschul. The remaining tracks include members of the bands Bonerama, Sexmob, and the Gangbé Brass Band of Benin.
