Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Charles Tolliver Music Inc.: Live at the Captain's Cabin

Charles Tolliver Music Inc.: Live at the Captain's Cabin

By Pierre Giroux
November 29, 2024
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Charles Tolliver

trumpet
b.1942

" data-original-title="" title="">Charles Tolliver's Live at the Captain's Cabin is a previously unheard two-CD set captured at an intimate venue in Edmonton, Alberta, on June 24, 1973, produced for release on Reel to Real Recordings by tenor saxophonist and jazz entrepreneur

Cory Weeds

saxophone, alto
b.1973

" data-original-title="" title="">Cory Weeds. The synergy and spontaneity heard in this session can only come from a group accustomed to the rigours of the road. With no prior intention to record, trumpeter Tolliver and his quartet, comprised of pianist

John Hicks

piano
1941 - 2006

" data-original-title="" title="">John Hicks, bassist

Clint Houston

bass
b.1946

" data-original-title="" title="">Clint Houston and drummer

Cliff Barbaro

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Cliff Barbaro, present a tour de force that captures the intersection of bebop, modal jazz and avant-garde stylings.

There are only seven tracks spread over the two CDs, with the music consisting of a mixture of previously recorded and new compositions, all penned by Tolliver except for "Black Vibrations," written by Houston, and the

Neal Hefti

trumpet
1922 - 2008

" data-original-title="" title="">Neal Hefti jazz standard "Repetition." Disc one opens with the previously noted Houston number, taken at warp speed and full throttle. Tolliver's trumpet displays speed and upper register ferocity as he shifts from bebop lines to exploratory modal phrases. Hicks's piano mirrors Tolliver's boldness with a percussiveness that adds depth to the quartet's sound. Composer Houston's bass lines pulse with an organic quality, and Barbaro's drumming has an explosive energy that courses through the number. The first of the Tolliver compositions is "Earl's World." Following a robust rhythmic foundation from Houston, Hicks builds his extensive solo on layered chords that are flush with the heat of abstraction. Tolliver delivers a feverish range of exploratory choruses over the groove. The closing track is called "Compassion," a mid-tempo waltz and an unexpected change of pace. Hicks offers a very lyrical opening providing a segue for Tolliver as he glides through the chart with precision and polish. Houston and Barbaro are a grounding force that holds the number together.

Disc two continues the sonic bath, with Tolliver's trumpet as the focal point, delivering articulation and clarity with aggressive yet disciplined phrasing. Neal Hefti's "Repetition," which became part of

Charlie Parker

saxophone, alto
1920 - 1955

" data-original-title="" title="">Charlie Parker's repertoire, is given a Tolliver makeover at breakneck speed. He and Hicks stretch and bend the number with a fieriness that requires on-the-spot attentiveness. Houston and Barbaro set the pace without faltering. The closer is "Stretch," a bebop-inspired line that fully engages the band. The number captures the electricity when skilled musicians channel their collective interaction into a seamless, unbridled performance.

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Track Listing

Disc 1: Black Vibrations; Earl's World; Impact; Compassion. Disc 2: Truth; Repetition; Stretch.

Personnel

Charles Tolliver

trumpet

John Hicks

piano

Clint Houston

bass

Cliff Barbaro

drums

Album information

Title: Live at the Captain's Cabin | Year Released: 2024 | Record Label: Reel to Real Recordings

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