Name: By Any Means Necessary
Brand: Allegro Corporation ***
SKU: 115881
Price: 12 USD
Availability: InStock

By Any Means Necessary

Rating

Performer Notes

Personnel: Gary Thomas (tenor saxophone, flute, synthesizer); Greg Osby (alto saxophone, synthesizer); Tim Murphy, Geri Allen (piano, synthesizer); John Scofield, Mick Goodrick (guitar); Anthony Cox (bass); Dennis Chambers (drums); Nana Vasconcelos (percussion).
Recorded at RPM Sound Studios, New York, New York in May 1989.
The M-Base concept, which never caught on in a big way but did influence the playing of a dozen or so top jazz improvisers, is heard in its prime on this Gary Thomas release. The tenor saxophonist (doubling on flute) meets up with the fiery altoist Greg Osby, keyboardist Geri Allen, keyboardist Tim Murphy, bassist Anthony Cox, drummer Dennis Chambers, percussionist Nana Vasconcelos, and, on some selections, guitarists John Scofield and Mick Goodrick. The music features dense ensembles, simultaneous improvisations, eccentric funk rhythms, and rhythmic but very dissonant horn solos that have a logic of their own. One can think of this noisy date as being an updated extension of Ornette Coleman's Prime Time and is recommended to open-minded listeners who think that nothing new has been played in jazz since the mid-'70s. ~ Scott Yanow