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As well as being the great vibraphone innovator of the era, Gary Burton is known for his unparalleled intuition as a talent scout. In 1973, The New Quartet introduced Abraham Laboriel: this was the first recording of the bassist who would soon become one of the most in-demand session players across all genres. “It must be emphasised that Laboriel sounds like a major artist in the making with his astonishing bass work,” wrote Melody Maker. Guitarist Mick Goodrick also emerged as a player to watch on this album, shining in a well-conceived programme with compositions of Keith Jarrett, Chick Corea, Carla Bley, Mike Gibbs and bandleader Burton.
"Burton possessed complete mastery of his instrument and had a profound understanding of harmony – and that’s saying nothing of his remarkable technique, which brought the four-mallet method into the mainstream. In live performance he could be stunning and was a source of huge fascination to a young Pat Metheny, whom Burton mentored. His playing here contains no high-tempo fireworks, but refined, almost perfect lyrical expressionism, use of dynamics, and a technique that effortlessly embraces the four-octave span of his instrument. He had a special affinity for Carla Bley’s penchant for unusual harmonic movement, and on her single representation on the album, ‘Olhos De Gato,’ Mike Goodrick clearly shares his outlook. Chick Corea’s joyous ‘Open Your Eyes, You Can Fly’ shows Burton has not divested himself of jazz-rock influences, but elided them into a more free-flowing interpretation than his 1960s work, as the romping ‘Mallet Man’ and the harmonically arresting ‘Tying Up Loose Ends,’ both by Gordon Beck, reveal. Jarrett’s profound ’Coral’ sees Burton responding with an intense lyricism that makes this a slow burn highlight; while Mike Gibbs’ ‘Four or Less’ reveals Laboriel well on the way to becoming the in-demand bassist he would become while Gibbs’ ‘Nonsequence’ is a highlight in a much-overlooked album that remains a classy offering 50 years after it was recorded." Jazzwise
"Burton possessed complete mastery of his instrument and had a profound understanding of harmony – and that’s saying nothing of his remarkable technique, which brought the four-mallet method into the mainstream. In live performance he could be stunning and was a source of huge fascination to a young Pat Metheny, whom Burton mentored. His playing here contains no high-tempo fireworks, but refined, almost perfect lyrical expressionism, use of dynamics, and a technique that effortlessly embraces the four-octave span of his instrument. He had a special affinity for Carla Bley’s penchant for unusual harmonic movement, and on her single representation on the album, ‘Olhos De Gato,’ Mike Goodrick clearly shares his outlook. Chick Corea’s joyous ‘Open Your Eyes, You Can Fly’ shows Burton has not divested himself of jazz-rock influences, but elided them into a more free-flowing interpretation than his 1960s work, as the romping ‘Mallet Man’ and the harmonically arresting ‘Tying Up Loose Ends,’ both by Gordon Beck, reveal. Jarrett’s profound ’Coral’ sees Burton responding with an intense lyricism that makes this a slow burn highlight; while Mike Gibbs’ ‘Four or Less’ reveals Laboriel well on the way to becoming the in-demand bassist he would become while Gibbs’ ‘Nonsequence’ is a highlight in a much-overlooked album that remains a classy offering 50 years after it was recorded." Jazzwise
Details
Cat. number: ECM 1030, 450 5324
Year: 2023
Notes:
Comes in a single pocket gatefold jacket with a plain white poly-lined inner sleeve. On the back of the shrink-wrap is a 'Made in Germany' sticker. Part of ECM's Luminessence audiophile vinyl-reissue series.
[Back cover]
Recorded on March 5 and 6 1973 at Aengus Studios, Fayville, Mass.
An ECM Production
℗ 1973 © 2023 ECM Records GmbH, München
Made in EU
[Labels]
℗ 1973 © 2023 ECM Records GmbH
