1. Swiss Suite
2. Stolen Moments
3. Black, Brown and Beautiful
4. Blues and the Abstract Truth
Oliver Nelson - Alto sax
Gato Barbieri - Tenor sax*
Eddie ”Cleanhead” Vinson - Alto sax*
Pretty Purdie - Drums
Bosko Petrovic - Drums, vibes, tarabooka
Na-Na - Berimbau
Sonny Morgan - Congas
Stanley Cowell - Piano
Victor Gaskin, Hugo Rasmussen - Bass
Danny Moore, Rich Cole, Bernt Steen, Harry Beckett - Trumpets
Charles Tolliver – Trumpet, flugelhorn
Buddy Baker, Bertil Standberg, Donald Beightol, C.J.Shibly, Monte Holtz, John Thomas - Trombones
Jim Nissen - Bass trombone
Jesper Thilo, Orzen Depolo - Alto saxes
Michal Urbaniak, Bob Sydor - Tenor saxes
Steve Stevenson - Baritone sax
* Swiss Suite only
Oliver Nelson was a prodigious composer and arranger and more than a better than average alto and tenor player. All of these talents are on full
display on this live recording from the 1971 Montreux Jazz Festival called Swiss Suite which thankfully has been re-issued by Flying
Dutchman Jazz Classics.
The centrepiece of this album is an extended work entitled Swiss Suite which at the time of the original recording had not been performed
previously and had been written expressly for the Festival. The intention of the piece would be to showcase three strong saxophonists, namely
Argentinian-born tenor man Gato Barbieri, the altoist Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson and Nelson himself on alto. Backed by a 27-piece monster band and a
full-throated rhythm section, the composition opens with a brass flourish over a rousing 6/8 rhythm. First out of the gate is Barbieri, who opens
in a mellow frame of mind but quickly dissolves into a gritty textured exposition. Nelson, whose alto talents were often underestimated, shows he
knows his way around the instrument with a strong tone and modern ideas. Rushing into the fray comes “Cleanhead” who was determined to flesh out
his ideas in unmistakeable fashion in both style and tempo. Throughout all this, pianist Stanley Cowell keeps things moving with his dynamic
comping supported by the swirling percussion section. All in all a “tour de force” performance.
The other three compositions are also Nelson originals with Stolen Moments and Blues and the Abstract Truth most recognizable. Black, Brown and Beautiful was written in the late 1960s for an album tribute to the late Martin Luther King Jr. Nelson wrote the
composition in such a way as to exhibit his alto talents and he does so with an astute and imaginative solo around the unique melody line. Stolen Moments sounds entirely different when driven by the large orchestra as compared to the earlier recorded version. Nevertheless the
trumpet work by Danny Moore offered in the upper register is exhilarating and Nelson delivers a warm solo on alto. Blues and the Abstract Truth begins with an up-tempo opening line from the full orchestra and as the tune plays out, pianist Cowell
supports the rising horn section with powerful chords as a counterpoint.
A stellar re-issue worth checking out.
Pierre Giroux
CD Reviews
CDBGPM 279
