David Murray feat. Marcin Oleś & Bartłomiej Brat Oleś | Circles – Live in Cracow | Not Two Records
David Murray is of course one of the more important tenor saxophonists of his era – or make that any era. Judging by his extensive discography, he is ready to collaborate or engage in almost any musical project. Never one to rest on his many accomplishments, any recording with Murray is worth investigating. This release is no exception, although certainly it would not be the best place to begin one’s Murray research. For this collaboration, Murray connects with two brothers, bassist Marcin and drummer Bartlomiej Brat Oles, during a special concert with “Poland’s finest rhythm section”. This live show was recorded in Cracow as part of a festival and, as the liners state, Murray was throughly on board with this partnership, despite the fact that there apparently wasn’t much rehearsal time. As a result, many of the compositions present space for a blowing session of sorts, with modal vampsbeing the vehicle for the group’s interaction. Fortunately, Murray and the brothers sound like they enjoy one another’s company, with the brothers working as full partners whether out in front or in support mode. — Jay Collins Continue reading