Don Ellis - How Time Passes (Remastered) (1960/2023) [Official Digital Download 24/192]

A fascinating blend of jazz and contemporary classical influences, How Time Passes is the debut album from the envelope pushing trumpeter and composer Don Ellis. Known for his extensive musical experimentation, particularly in the area of time signatures, Ellis began his long career in the New York City's post bop and avant-garde jazz scenes of late 1950s. Most notably he appeared on Charles Mingus' Mingus Dynasty, and albums by George Russell and Maynard Feguson. But he also worked with, among others, the Glenn Miller Orchestra, Lionel Hampton, and Woody Herman. On subsequent albums, Ellis would take an even wilder direction. Here, on his first recoding date as a band leader, the experimentation begins. Ellis stretches the boundaries of bop-based jazz playing with time, tempo and meter. It is the start of his exploration of Third Stream - a fusion of jazz and contemporary classical music. The album title itself - How Time Passes - was taken from an article written by the controversial German composer Karlheinz Stockhausen on the "function of time." The exceptional section features Ron Carter on bass, the underrated Jaki Byard on piano and saxophone, and Charlie Persip on drums. The LP includes extraordinary liner notes by Candid A&R man and producer Nat Hentoff, and noted musician, historian and writer Gunther Schuller - the originator of the term "Third Stream" - giving a context and insight that adds to the experience of hearing these extraordinary performances.

Trumpeter Don Ellis' initial recording as a leader (and first of four small group dates from the 1960-1962 period) found him stretching the boundaries of bop-based jazz and experimenting a bit with time and tempo. Teamed up with Jaki Byard (who doubles on piano and alto), bassist Ron Carter and drummer Charlie Persip, Ellis (whose sound was already pretty distinctive) performs four of his unusual originals (including the 22-minute "Improvisational Suite #1") plus Byard's "Waste." Although these musical experiments failed to be influential (Ellis himself went in a different direction a few years later), the unpredictable music is still quite interesting to hear.

Tracklist:
01 - …How Time Passes‍‍… (Remastered)
02 - Sallie (Remastered)
03 - A Simplex One (Remastered)
04 - Waste (Remastered)
05 - Improvisational Suite #1 (Remastered)


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