Heavy Spirits | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 1975 | |||
Recorded | January 31 & February 3, 1975 | |||
Genre | Jazz | |||
Length | 40:06 | |||
Label | Arista Freedom | |||
Producer | Michael Cuscuna | |||
Oliver Lake chronology | ||||
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Heavy Spirits is an album by American jazz saxophonist Oliver Lake, which was recorded in 1975 and released on the Arista Freedom label. The album features Lake playing in different settings: three quintet tracks with Olu Dara on trumpet, Donald Smith on piano, Stafford James on bass, and Victor Lewis on drums, three more tracks with Lake backed by three violinists, a trio piece with trombonist Joseph Bowie and drummer Charles "Bobo" Shaw, and a solo sax piece.
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
The Penguin Guide to Jazz | [2] |
In his review for AllMusic, Scott Yanow states "This will be one of the least accessible of altoist Oliver Lake's recordings for most people but repeated listenings reveal a great deal of beauty." [1]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz says "Heavy Spirits seems, at this distance, like a relic of an exciting period in the American avant-garde.. Hit and miss, but untempered and often intriguing." [2]
Arthur Murray Blythe was an American jazz alto saxophonist and composer. He was described by critic Chris Kelsey as displaying "one of the most easily recognizable alto sax sounds in jazz, big and round, with a fast, wide vibrato and an aggressive, precise manner of phrasing" and furthermore as straddling the avant garde and traditionalist jazz, often with bands featuring unusual instrumentation.
Digital III at Montreux is a 1979 live album featuring a compilation of performances by Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Joe Pass, and Ray Brown, recorded at the 1979 Montreux Jazz Festival. It was produced and has liner notes by Norman Granz. The cover photo is by Phil Stern.
Joseph Bowie is an American jazz trombonist and vocalist. The brother of trumpeter Lester Bowie, Joseph is known for leading the jazz-punk group Defunkt and for membership in the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble.
A Night in Tunisia is a 1957 jazz album by Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers, released by the RCA Victor subsidiary label Vik. It features the only recorded instances of saxophonists Jackie McLean and Johnny Griffin playing together.
Charles Wesley "Bobo" Shaw was an American free jazz drummer, known as a prominent member of the Human Arts Ensemble and Black Artists Group. He was born in Pope, Mississippi, United States.
Ming is an album by David Murray released in 1980 on the Italian Black Saint label and the first to feature his Octet. It features performances by Murray, Henry Threadgill, Olu Dara, Lawrence "Butch" Morris, George Lewis, Anthony Davis, Wilber Morris and Steve McCall.
The Individualism of Gil Evans is an album by pianist, conductor, arranger and composer Gil Evans originally released on the Verve label in 1964. It features Evans' big band arrangements of five original compositions and compositions by Kurt Weill, Bob Dorough, John Lewis and Willie Dixon. Tracks 1, 6, 7, 8 & 9 first appeared on the CD version of the album.
Home is an album by David Murray released in 1982 on the Italian Black Saint label and the second to feature his Octet. It features performances by Murray, Henry Threadgill, Olu Dara, Lawrence "Butch" Morris, George Lewis, Anthony Davis, Wilbur Morris and Steve McCall.
Live at Sweet Basil Volume 1 is an album by David Murray released on the Italian Black Saint label in 1984 and the first to feature his Big Band. It features performances by Murray, Olu Dara, Baikida Carroll, Craig Harris, Bob Stewart, Vincent Chancey, Steve Coleman, John Purcell, Rod Williams, Fred Hopkins and Billy Higgins conducted by Lawrence "Butch" Morris. The album was followed by Live at Sweet Basil Volume 2.
Live at Sweet Basil Volume 2 is an album by David Murray released on the Italian Black Saint label in 1984 and the second to feature his Big Band. It features performances by Murray, Olu Dara, Baikida Carroll, Craig Harris, Bob Stewart, Vincent Chancey, Steve Coleman, John Purcell, Rod Williams, Fred Hopkins and Billy Higgins conducted by Lawrence "Butch" Morris. The album was preceded by Live at Sweet Basil Volume 1.
Fast Last! is an album by trumpeter Lester Bowie recorded for the Muse label and released in 1974. It features performances by Bowie, Julius Hemphill, John Hicks, John Stubblefield, Joseph Bowie, Bob Stewart, Cecil McBee, Jerome Cooper, Charles Shaw and Phillip Wilson.
Rope-A-Dope is an album trumpeter Lester Bowie recorded for the Muse label and released in 1976. It features performances by Bowie, Joseph Bowie, Malachi Favors Maghostut, Don Moye, Charles Bobo Shaw and Raymund Cheng.
The Flam is an album by American jazz saxophonist Frank Lowe recorded in 1975 for the Italian Black Saint label.
Rosewood is an album led by trumpter Woody Shaw which was recorded in 1977 and released on the Columbia label in 1978.
For Sure is an album led by trumpeter Woody Shaw which was recorded in 1979 and released on the Columbia label.
Again and Again is an album by American jazz saxophonist Oliver Lake, which was recorded in 1991 and released on the Gramavision label. He composed eight ballads for a quartet with pianist John Hicks, bassist Reggie Workman and drummer Pheeroan akLaff.
Nicky's Tune is an album by American jazz trumpeter Ira Sullivan, which was recorded in 1958 but not issued until 1970 by Delmark. He leads a quintet with saxophonist Nicky Hill, pianist Jodie Christian, bassist Victor Sproles and drummer Wilbur Campbell.
Attainment is the third album led by saxophonist Charles Brackeen which recorded in 1987 and released on the Swedish Silkheart label.
Amarcord Nino Rota is an album by various artists, recorded as a tribute to composer Nino Rota.
Wildflowers: The New York Loft Jazz Sessions is a series of five albums recorded May 14–23, 1976 at Studio Rivbea, a loft jazz space in New York City, run by Sam Rivers and his wife Bea. The albums include performances by groups led by musicians such as Hamiet Bluiett, Anthony Braxton, Marion Brown, Dave Burrell, Andrew Cyrille, Oliver Lake, Jimmy Lyons, Ken McIntyre, Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre, Roscoe Mitchell, David Murray, Sunny Murray, Sam Rivers, Leo Smith, Henry Threadgill, and Randy Weston. The recordings were originally released in 1977 on the Douglas and Casablanca labels as five separate LPs, and were reissued in 1999 by Knit Classics as a 3-CD set.