Charlie Haden

• 4 1/2 STARS ALL MUSIC GUIDE

A fascinating reissue that comfortably straddles the lines of jazz, folk, and world music, working up a storm by way of a jazz protest album that points toward the Spanish Civil War in particular and the Vietnam War in passing. Haden leads the charge and contributes material, but the real star here may in fact be Carla Bley, who arranged numbers, wrote several, and contributed typically brilliant piano work. Also of particular note in a particularly talented crew is guitarist Sam Brown, the standout of "El Quinto Regimiento/Los Cuatro Generales/Viva la Quince Brigada," a 21-minute marathon.

PERSONNEL:

• Perry Robinson — (clarinet)
• Gato Barbieri — (tenor saxophone, clarinet)
• Dewey Redman — (alto & tenor saxophone)
• Don Cherry — (cornet, flute, Indian wood & bamboo flutes)
• Michael Mantler — (trumpet)
• Roswell Rudd — (trombone)
• Bob Northern — (french horn)
• Howard Johnson — (tuba)
• Sam Brown — (guitar, Tanganyikan guitar, thumb piano)
• Carla Bley — (piano, tambourine)
• Charlie Haden — (bass)
• Paul Motian — (drums, percussion)
• Andrew Cyrille — (drums, percussion)

Recorded April 1969

TRACKS:

• 01. The Introduction
• 02. Song of the United Front
• 03. El Quinto Regimiento (The Fifth Regiment)
• 04. The Ending to the First Side
• 05. Song for Ché
• 06. War Orphans
• 07. The Interlude
• 08. Circus ’68 ’69”
• 09. We Shall Overcome