Violin Summit Review by Bob Rusch

Violin Summit featured Stuff Smith, Stephane Grappelli, Svend Asmussen and Jean Luc-Ponty (with pianist Kenny Drew, bassist Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen, drummer Alex Riel) in concert (September 30, 1966)...The music came off quite well, in large part probably because the four violinists were paired in different sets with all four actually featured together on only one take, "It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIhXGprTf6M&list=OLAK5uy_nvcZOcD4gU-7OK7Mct1tB_B9_5xbwCUZk

#stuffsmith #jeanlucponty #StéphaneGrappelli #svendsmussen #violin #violinjazz #mpsrecords

Jean-Luc Ponty: Sunday Walk released in 1967 on MPS

David Spicer wrote on Jazzwise:

"A truly pan-European jazz summit, featuring a Danish bassist, Swiss drummer, German pianist and French violinist, Sunday Walk was Ponty's fourth appearance on record and second album as a leader. Not yet 25 years old, the firebrand fiddler was already displaying the fierce, impatient energy and clear, strident attack that would lead to him being lured over to Los Angeles by Frank Zappa and into the orbit of the Mothers of Invention just a couple of years later. But, in 1967, the jazz-rock and fusion that he was to help pioneer hadn't even been invented yet. Here, he blazes a trail across bouncing boogaloo, fidgety bebop, sprightly waltz, louche ballad...Recorded with a live and loose club-date feel, the whole session zings with passion and commitment."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQjLPFCQ33o&list=PL8AD6-m0K9G7gZloswM-SPWZIGpNlFnvd&index=1

#jeanlucponty #jazzviolin #MPSrecords #jazz #europeanjazz

Spiritual Jazz 17: SABA / MPS (2025)

Esoteric, Modal and Progressive Jazz from the SABA & MPS Labels 1965-78

https://spiritualjazz.bandcamp.com/album/spiritual-jazz-17-saba-mps

#music #jazz #spiritualjazz #avantgardejazz #modaljazz #spiritual #variousartists #compilation #sabarecords #mpsrecords

#NowPlaying John Tchicai and Cadentia Nova Danica - Afrodisiaca (MPS, 1969).

First side is the almost unbelievable 22 minutes title-track, with the large ensemble Cadentia Nova Danica led by trumpet player/composer Hugh Steinmetz.

Side 2 is just as great smaller group numbers.

A masterpiece featured in Thurston Moore's 'Top Ten Free Jazz Underground' records.

#JohnTchicai #MPSRecords

#NowPlaying The Dave Pike Set : Noisy Silence - Gentle Noise (MPS Records, 1969).

I particularly like the tripped-out track Mathar with Volker Kriegel on sitar but the rest of the album is really nice too.

#TheDavePikeSet #MPSRecords

#NowPlaying Michael Naura Quartett - Call (MPS Records, Germany 1971).

Cult German fusion record 🖤

#MichaelNauraQuartett #MPSRecords

#NowPlaying The Mike Nock Underground - Between Or Beyond (MPS Records, Germany 1971).

Great fusion record !

#TheMikeNockUnderground #MPSRecords

#NowPlaying Cecil Taylor - Live In The Black Forest (MPS Records, 1979).

Back in the music room after a week away 😊

Recorded live on German radio, two long tracks from Taylor with Raphé Malik, Jimmy Lyons, Ramsey Ameen, Sirone and Ronald Shannon Jackson.

Beyond awesome.

#CecilTaylor #MPSRecords #FreeJazz

#NowPlaying Gittin' To Know Y'all (MPS Records, 1970).

Recorded during the annual Baden-Baden Free Jazz Meeting in 1969.

Four different groups :
- Baden-Baden Free Jazz Orchestra (Lester Bowie, Dave Burrell, Roscoe Mitchell, Joseph Jarman, Albert Mangelsdorff, Barre Phillips, Kenny Wheeler, Claude Delcloo…)
- The Terje Rypdal Group (with Joseph Jarman, Steve McCall…)
- Karin Krog
- The Willem Breuker-John Surman Duo

Monster record!
And that cover art 🖤

#LesterBowie #MPSRecords #FreeJazz

on now: George Duke - The Inner Source (1971)

from the MPS box. with every play i'm amazed how good this is. i consider him Zappa's most important band member ever.

#wolfsmixedbag
#GeorgeDuke #MPS #MPSRecords