Azure

Azure

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Scottish saxophonist Tommy Smith has delivered an eye-opening set with Azure, a forceful, atmospheric collection that recalls the groundbreaking cusp-of-the-'60s works of John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, and Ornette Coleman. The Coleman allusion is particularly apt given the lineup here--with Kenny Wheeler playing Don Cherry to Smith's Coleman, while the rhythm team of Lars Danielsson and Jon Christensen lay down a shifting foundation that's Haden-and-Higgins-like in its intensity. It's the asymmetrical interplay between Smith and Wheeler, however, that elevates this 10-track album. The aptly titled "Dialogue of the Insects" illustrates how the twosome easily converse and make their own sympathetic solo statements like two strong-minded debaters who are in agreement but enjoy exploring the finer points on their own. Azure (recorded in London in 1995 and first released by Linn in '97) was inspired by Catalan artist Joan Miró, which isn't surprising given the inventive, creative force behind this revelatory recording. It's a piece of art. --Steven Stolder

Azure,Tommy Smith,Linn Records,Hard Bop,Jazz,Jazz Music,Pop

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