| Noah Howard Quartet | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1966 | |||
| Recorded | January 1966 | |||
| Studio | New York City | |||
| Genre | Free jazz | |||
| Length | 29:35 | |||
| Label | ESP-Disk 1031 | |||
| Noah Howard chronology | ||||
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Noah Howard Quartet is the debut album by alto saxophonist Noah Howard. It was recorded in New York City during January 1966, and was released later that year by ESP-Disk. On the album, Howard is joined by trumpeter Ric Colbeck, bassist Scotty Holt, and percussionist Dave Grant. [1] [2] [3] [4]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| The Penguin Guide to Jazz | [5] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [6] |
In a review for AllMusic, Michael G. Nastos called the album a "pivotal recording in the development of early avant garde jazz," and wrote: "Howard proves himself as an innovator who boldly goes where Ornette Coleman, Marion Brown, or Frank Wright did not fear to tread. His alto saxophone sound and ideas clearly mirror Coleman, reaching for upper atmospheric, warp signatures, and also playing warm lyrical phrases... This is... a stark reminder of how he was in on the ground floor of this progressive movement." [1]
The authors of The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings stated that Howard's sound at this point in his career was "different and idiosyncratic, but not yet fully realized," but praised the gentle "And About Love". [5]
The Guardian's John Fordham noted that the album "was explicitly connected to the Coltrane/Coleman lineage, but also exhibited the mixture of Ayler's anguished soulfulness and an unexpectedly tender folksiness that would be Howard's signature sound." [7]
A writer for Stereogum described the album as "a major statement, an oft-overlooked gem in the ESP-Disk catalog," and commented: "His music... has a compelling energy that never erupts into the kind of screaming frenzy that was rapidly becoming the cliché of free jazz. Instead, it makes a far subtler statement." [8]
All compositions by Noah Howard.
Albert Ayler was an American avant-garde jazz saxophonist, singer and composer.
Scotty Holt is an American jazz bassist. He is known for his work with Jackie McLean for Blue Note Records in the 1960s, on albums such as New and Old Gospel and Hipnosis. He also performed in McLean's quartet, along with Billy Higgins and LaMont Johnson. An example of their work in concert is provided by the SteepleChase Records LP, Dr. Jackle. He also recorded with Woody Shaw, Bud Powell, and Ornette Coleman. He toured Europe with Art Blakey in 1969, and has not recorded since.
Town Hall, 1962 is a live album by Ornette Coleman, recorded on December 21, 1962 at New York City's Town Hall and released in 1965 by the ESP-Disk label. It was the first recording of Coleman's new trio, featuring rhythm section David Izenzon and Charles Moffett.
Frank Wright was an American free jazz musician, known for his frantic style of playing the tenor saxophone. Critics often compare his music to that of Albert Ayler, although Wright "offers his honks and squawks with a phraseology derived from the slower, earthier funk of R&B and gospel music." According to AllMusic biographer Chris Kelsey, Wright "never recorded even a single record under his own name for a major label; he was 'underground' his entire career." In addition to tenor saxophone, Wright also played the soprano saxophone and bass clarinet.
Noah Howard was an American free jazz alto saxophonist.
Requiem for Julius is an album by the jazz group the World Saxophone Quartet released by the Justin Time label. The album features performances by Hamiet Bluiett, John Purcell, Oliver Lake and David Murray and is dedicated to the band's founding member Julius Hemphill.
New and Old Gospel is an album by American saxophonist Jackie McLean recorded in 1967 and released on the Blue Note label. It features McLean in a quintet with saxophonist Ornette Coleman, pianist LaMont Johnson, bassist Scotty Holt and drummer Billy Higgins.
Charles Tyler Ensemble is the debut album by American jazz saxophonist Charles Tyler, which was recorded in 1966 in New York City and released on ESP-Disk.
Bells is a live album by American free jazz saxophonist Albert Ayler recorded at The Town Hall in New York City in 1965 and first released as a single sided LP on the ESP-Disk label. The album was released in many variations including clear and coloured vinyl and with a variety of colored covers and most recently on CD combined with Prophecy.
Colorfield is an album by American jazz guitarist Joe Morris, which was recorded in 2009 and released on the ESP-Disk label. He leads a trio with pianist Steve Lantner, in his first recording with Morris as leader, and long-time collaborator drummer Luther Gray. The music is inspired, in part, by the Color Field school of painting, in which large patches of color, occasionally just one color, make up the composition. Another inspiration for the music is the early Cecil Taylor Unit recordings with Jimmy Lyons on alto saxophone and either Sunny Murray or Andrew Cyrille on drums.
Monterey Moods is an album by the Gerald Wilson Orchestra recorded in 2007 and released on the Mack Avenue label.
The Giuseppi Logan Quartet is an album by American jazz saxophonist Giuseppi Logan, recorded at Bell Sound Studios in 1964 and released in 1965 on the ESP-Disk label. His first recording as leader, it features Logan on alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, Pakistani oboe, bass clarinet, and flute along with pianist Don Pullen, bassist Eddie Gómez, and drummer Milford Graves. Logan had moved to New York City in September 1964, and the recording took place shortly after the October Revolution in Jazz, at which Logan performed, and during which he met ESP-Disk founder Bernard Stollman. According to Logan, the musicians had not played together prior to the recording session.
Marion Brown Quartet is an album by American saxophonist Marion Brown, his debut as a leader. It was recorded in November 1965 in New York City, and was released in 1966 on the ESP-Disk label. The album features Brown on alto saxophone, Alan Shorter on trumpet, Bennie Maupin on tenor saxophone, Reggie Johnson and Ronnie Boykins on bass, and Rashied Ali on drums.
New York Art Quartet is the debut album by the group of the same name. It was recorded on November 26, 1964, at Bell Sound Studios in New York City, and was released in 1965 by ESP-Disk as the fourth item in their catalog, following Albert Ayler's Spiritual Unity and Pharoah Sanders's Pharoah's First. It features John Tchicai on alto saxophone, Roswell Rudd on trombone, Lewis Worrell on bass, and Milford Graves on percussion. In addition, LeRoi Jones recites his controversial poem "Black Dada Nihilismus" on one track.
Frank Wright Trio is the debut album by saxophonist Frank Wright. It was recorded in November 1965 in New York City, released by ESP-Disk in 1966, and reissued on CD in 1992. On the album, Wright is joined by bassist Henry Grimes and drummer Tom Price. The tracks were also reissued in 2005 on the Frank Wright compilation The Complete ESP-Disk Recordings.
Your Prayer is the second album by saxophonist Frank Wright. It was recorded in May 1967 in New York City and was released by ESP-Disk later that year. On the album, Wright is joined by saxophonist Arthur Jones, trumpeter Jacques Coursil, bassist Steve Tintweiss, and drummer Muhammad Ali. The tracks were reissued in 2005 on the Frank Wright compilation The Complete ESP-Disk Recordings.
Music from the Spheres is an album by saxophonist Sonny Simmons. It was recorded in December 1966, and was released by ESP-Disk in 1968. On the album, Simmons is joined by saxophonist Bert Wilson, trumpeter Barbara Donald, pianist Mike Cohen, bassist Juney Booth, and drummer Jim Zitro.
In Search of the Mystery is the debut album by saxophonist Gato Barbieri. It was recorded in New York City on March 15, 1967, and was released later that year by ESP-Disk. On the album, Barbieri is joined by cellist Calo Scott, bassist Norris Jones, and drummer Bobby Kapp.
The Complete ESP-Disk Recordings is a two-CD compilation album by saxophonist Frank Wright. Issued by ESP-Disk in 2005, it contains two studio albums released by the label during the 1960s: Frank Wright Trio, recorded in 1965 and issued in 1966, featuring bassist Henry Grimes and drummer Tom Price, and Your Prayer, recorded and released in 1967, featuring saxophone Arthur Jones, trumpeter Jacques Coursil, bassist Steve Tintweiss, and drummer Muhammad Ali. The compilation also features a twelve-part interview with Wright, conducted by ESP-Disk founder Bernard Stollman.
At Judson Hall is a live album by alto saxophonist Noah Howard. It was recorded at Judson Hall in New York City on October 19, 1966, and was released in 1968 by ESP-Disk. On the album, Howard is joined by trumpeter Ric Colbeck, cellist Catherine Norris, pianist Dave Burrell, bassist Norris Jones, and percussionist Robert Kapp.