Ornette Coleman - Twins
If you've ever been interested in Ornette's Free Jazz, but thought that it might be "too much", then this album might be worth a listen. The first track, "First Take", is literally a shorter version (17 minutes) of the Coleman classic. The double quartet lineup is impressive: Don Cherry, Scott LaFaro, Billy Higgins, Eric Dolphy, Freddie Hubbard, Charlie Haden and Ed Blackwell.
Lester Bowie - All The Magic!
The late horn man from the Art Ensemble of Chicago presents some large ensemble weirdness on record #1 and some solo weirdness on record #2. There is some blasphemous noise on the solo record. It's good for what ails ya.
The Black Earth Percussion Group
I live for this stuff. Four guys bangin', rattlin' and abusing various percussion instruments including: claves, maracas, meditation bells, brake drums,gongs, wood blocks, cymbals, buckets of water, sand paper block, flower pots, fluted cake pan and prepared piano. The one mystery is that the record label, Opus One, was based out of Greenville, Maine...not exactly a hotbed of cultural activity back in the mid-70's.
Captain Beefheart - Trout Mask Replica
If forced to make up a desert island list, this one would be one it. There are so many nooks & crannies of musical weirdness on it that it'll take you years reach full comprehension. Maybe by then the professor will have figured out how to make spark plugs out of sea shells.
(First posted on Mark Is Cranky)
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