Release Date: 29 November 2019
Label: ECM Records
Packaging Type: Gate Fold Vinyl
No of Units: 2
Barcode: 602577986321
Genres: Jazz Contemporary
Description
Revisited and remastered, with additional takes, texts and photos, here is the very first ECM session, recorded in Ludwigsburg in November 1969, featuring the great American pianist Mal Waldron, whose resume included work with Coltrane, Mingus, Dolphy and Billie Holiday.
In his original liner notes, Mal wrote: "This album represents my meeting with free jazz. Free jazz for me does not mean complete anarchy… You will hear me playing rhythmically instead of soloing on chord changes." As Jazz Journal noted, "tough, two-handed modal blues" predominates, and the music sounds as fresh now as the day it was recorded. Indeed, the tersely-grooving "Boo" and "Rock My Soul" could be club hits half a century later.
The Extended Anniversary Edition of Free At Last is issued as an audiophile vinyl double album.
Personnel: Mal Waldron (piano), Isla Eckinger (double bass), Clarence Becton (drums)
Tracklisting
Vijay Iyer; Wadada Leo Smith
Anouar Brahem; Anja Lechner; Django Bates; Dave Holland
Patrick Demenga; Latvian State Academic Choir; Youth Choir Kamer; Riga Cathedral Boys Choir; Andres
Nicolas Masson; Colin Vallon; Patrice Moret; Lionel Friedli
Various artists
Yuval Cohen Quartet
Thomas Stronen; Craig Taborn; Chris Potter; Sinikka Langeland; Jorge Rossy
Stephan Micus
Enemy
Niran Dasika
Richard Baratta
Jim Snidero
Brittany Davis
Sun-Mi Hong
Steve Millhouse
Ron McClure Trio
