Fractions (Gary Peacock) (LP 2302)

Gary Peacock  Shift In The Wind (CD, ECM Records, 1981) ****  

Genre: Jazz 

Places I remember: Kings Recording (Abu Dhabi)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Last First

Gear costume: So Green

Active compensatory factors: American bass player, Gary Peacock, appears here in a trio with Art Lande on piano and Eliot Zigmund on drums.

The AllMusic review says, 'the interplay between these masterful musicians is more significant than the actual compositions and rewards repeated listenings'.

Art Lande in particular is outstanding on this album. He holds the playing together for my money.

Where do they all belong? A lovely album that fits into the ECM corner of the jazz collection.

Stranger (Clare Fischer) (LP 858 - 859)

Clare Fischer  First Time Out  (Vinyl, Philips Records, 1962) **** 

Clare Fischer  Surging Ahead  (Vinyl, Fontana, 1963) ****   

Genre: Jazz piano 

Places I remember: The Little Red Bookstore (Hastings)/ Record Fair in Palmerston North

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Toddler (First Time Out)

Gear costume: Without A Song (Surging Ahead)

Active compensatory factors: I'd never heard of Clare Fischer before seeing an album by him in The Little Red Bookstore  in Hastings. 

Being a big fan of piano trios, and recognising bassist Gary Peacock's name meant a punt.

Wow. Good thing I did. Turns out Clare is some kinda genius on the piano. Why he's not spoken of in the same breath as Bill Evans is one of music's great mysteries.

There is an easy swing to these albums, and the relaxed feeling that you are in good hands (get it?).

Recently, I picked up Surging Ahead while browsing at a record fair in Palmerston North. It was going cheap because the seller didn't really know much about him and, it needs to be said, the covers are pretty average. By the way my copies are NZ pressings via Philips, so they don't include the huge Pacific Jazz bit, indicating where the albums were recorded, as pictured above.

Where do they all belong? Great additions to the jazz piano section.