Released 30 years ago
McPhee/Parker/Lazro
Joe McPhee · 1996
63 min · 4 tracks · jazz
A sprawling exploration of avant-garde improvisation blending saxophones and clarinet with a meditative, yet frenetic energy.
Top tracks — play these first
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The Emmet’s Inch — The lengthy opener serves as a showcase for the trio's improvisational prowess, gradually evolving from sparse textures to a rich tapestry of sound that captures the essence of their collaboration.
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Fire on the Water — This track features intense exchanges between instruments, highlighting the tension and release that defines much of McPhee's work while illustrating the dynamic interplay between the artists.
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And Eagle’s Mile — With its meditative pace, this piece contrasts sharply with the more frenetic tracks, allowing listeners to appreciate the subtleties of each musician's voice within the collaborative space.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
InstrumentalThe album showcases strong improvisational skills and unique interactions among musicians, marking it as a notable entry in free jazz.
What we noticed
- The album features extended improvisations, with each track averaging over ten minutes, allowing for deep exploration of themes.
- Saxophones and clarinet intertwine in a call-and-response manner, creating a dynamic dialogue between the musicians.
- The first track opens with a slow, meditative pace that gradually builds into frenetic bursts of sound, contrasting calmness with intensity.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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7/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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8/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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6/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 The Emmet’s Inch 36:54
- 2 The Snake and the Scorpion 4:33
- 3 Fire on the Water 7:02
- 4 And Eagle’s Mile 14:55
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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