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Tales Of The Algonquin (Vinyl)
"Algonquin is 70’s progressive big band, the soloists pitted against the choregraphed ensemble, which takes a little getting used to after a decade of listening to small-group improvisation, or progressive small band. Despite being a native, I’m relatively new to this music, but I find there is plenty of variety and virtuosity on display. I’m warming to Surman’s spirited soprano, John Taylor’s “poetic” piano (a nice Fordham description), Malcolm Griffiths plaintive trombone, Harry Beckett’s fluttering trumpet. Each has their own voice, of standing in their own right. And whatever the soloists impart, the spirit of Coltrane is ever present. Once heard, could never be unheard.
The Dandelion is indeed a beautiful piece, spacious, with a filmic quality. Mike Osborne’s extended alto solo commands attention as it rides over a straining woodwind backcloth, not modal but more structured. Taylors angular piano lines set out new territory. If you want a blind listening test, ask a friend which American jazz players they can hear here? (Canadian doesn’t count) Take your time…no hurry…
Is this Progressive Jazz? The term “progressive jazz” was coined by Stan Kenton in the late 1940’s, to badge his loud and brassy big band format. Not being my thing, I had to sample a bit to find out what was behind this chosen label “progressive jazz”.
Well, it’s loud and brassy big band alright, less smooth and syncopated than its dance-music ballroom predecessor, but it is progressive only in the sense of being the next iteration of progress.
With the passing of time, Stan Kenton’s big band would itself become a conventional big band format, against which others would push further still, testing the boundaries with dissonance, atonality, and counter-measures, which is where I think Algonquin finds its place: still big band, but further along the road of “progressiveness”, if there’s such a word, moving forward in the footsteps of Gill Evans and George Russell, but in fresh directions.
Now is a good time to dig into this British iteration of progressive jazz, before someone comes along with a new label, post-progressive jazz or whatever. You can’t stop progress, though it is not always for the better." - London Jazz Collector