Sunny Murray

One of the hippest, tightest sessions ever recorded by drummer Sunny Murray – a large group set recorded with his Untouchable Factor group – a great ensemble that includes Frank Foster on soprano sax, Oliver Lake and Arthur Blythe on alto saxes, Hamiet Bluiett on baritone, Don Pullen on piano, and Cecil McBee and Fred Hopkins on bass! The sound is somewhat straighter than Murray's free jazz of a few years before – almost in the mode that Foster was exploring with some of his large ensembles of the 70s – a platform for righteous jazz expression, but in a way that's still tied together strongly with a sense of rhythm. Other players on the group include the enigmatic Youseff Yancy on a host of instruments, including theremin – plus the under-recorded Monette Sudler on guitar. Some tracks are a bit more outside than others – and titles include "Past Perfect Tense", "One Down & One Up", "Applebluff", "Apple Cores", and "New York Maze".

TRACKS & PERSONNEL:

• SIDE A
• A1. APPLE CORES
• Jimmy Vass - alto sax
• Cecil McBee - bass
• Monnette Sudler - guitar
• Don Pullen - piano
• Frank Foster - soprano sax
• Youseff Yancy - trumpet, flugelhorn

• A2. PAST PERFECT TENSE
• Oliver Lake - alto sax
• Cecil McBee - bass
• Monnette Sudler - guitar
• Don Pullen- piano
• Frank Foster - soprano sax

• A3. ONE UP AND ONE DOWN
• Jimmy Vass - alto sax
• Cecil McBee - bass
• Monnette Sudler - guitar
• Don Pullen - piano
• Frank Foster- soprano sax
• Youseff Yancy - trumpet, flugelhorn

• SIDE B
• B1. NEW YORK MAZE
• Arthur Blythe - alto sax
• Hamiet Bluiett - baritone sax
• Fred Hopkins - bass
• Monnette Sudler - guitar
• Youseff Yancy - trumpet, flugelhorn

• B2. APPLEBLUFF
• Sonny Brown - drums
• Abdul Zahir Batin - flute, percussion
• Youseff Yancy - trumpet, flugelhorn