"Marion Brown Quartet" - Marion Brown

Nabbed a copy of this on vinyl a few weeks back; don't get too excited, it's just a 2002 Get Back reissue, but none the less, very cool to have coming off the needle.

This is Brown's first session as a leader for ESP-Disk' and it's a solid performance. Capricorn Mood is a side-long track that starts with an Eastern influenced rhythm between Rashied Ali on drums and Ronnie Boykins and Reggie Johnson on bass. The melody kicks in cheerfully and whimsical before Brown sets off on his solo. This is then followed by Alan Shorter on trumpet. The two of them create an interesting juxtaposition over the repetitive bass line. Following all this is a dual bass improvisation and a heavy tom dominating drum solo by Ali before returning to the theme.

27 Cooper Square is a faster tempo cut with a higher collective of free improvisations. Contains the same personnel as Capricorn Mood minus Boykins on bass. Exhibition drops Alan Shorter on trumpet with the additive of Benny Maupin on sax. This track is similar to Capricorn Mood with it's Eastern influenced rhythms, but seems focused more on longer dissonance of notes. There's also a stellar solo by Ali before rapping up the set.

1967 - Esp Disk'.

Marion Brown - Sax; Alan Shorter - Trumpet; Benny Maupin - Sax; Ronnie Boykins - Bass; Reggie Johnson - Bass; Rashied Ali - Drums.