Download Jazz Alchemist Heiner Stadler rating: ***** Composer/arranger

Jazz Alchemist Heiner Stadler
rating: *****
Composer/arranger Heiner Stadler is fondly remembered for one of the all-time
great album titles, his 1970’s release “Brains On Fire.” If that phrase implied the
synapse-shredding quality of much of that era’s Free jazz, Stadler’s newly-reissued
suite “Jazz Alchemy” suggests brains aflame with a quieter, though no less
riveting, approach to the acoustic jazz tradition.
The suite itself, recorded in 1975 and nearly 40 minutes long, is for trumpet, bass,
and drums. If the instrumentation sounds dry, not to worry: this is heady music that
is potently delivered. Charles McGhee, whose work graced many an important
Archie Shepp session of the 70’s, is the trumpet soloist here, and it’s great to hear
him at length. Backed by the eternally ferocious Richard Davis on bass, and the
little-known, but crisply attentive Brian Brake on drums, much of this suite is
reminiscent of Dutch trumpeter Nedley Elstak’s mid-1960’s work in a similar
configuration. Alternately thoughtful and driving, and never so abstract that it loses
sight of the listener, “Jazz Alchemy” is challenging, thoroughly enjoyable music
that should please any fan of the more exploratory edge of 1970’s improvisational
music.
Mixed in with the suite – and amplifying, rather that distracting from its content –
are five version of another Stadler composition, “Three Problems.” Seen from
different angles, two of the piece’s versions are 1988 duet recordings by Marilyn
Crispell and Reggie Workman ( and the heavyweight status of the names carries
over to the music), while the remaining versions are solo piano, by Joshua Pierce,
recorded in 1974. Piece is a pianist who is obviously comfortable in the realms of
avant-garde jazz as well as 20th century classical, and his readings of the piece are
delivered with the consummate tension-release and coloristic skills common to
both genres. Both intellectually and viscerally satisfying, Stadler’s “Jazz
Alchemy” deserves to be widely heard.
– Yahoo!Music