Archie Shepp
Lady Bird
Denon (Japan) 1979
YX-7543-ND (LP) w/insert.
sleeve : EX-(wear on corner.)
media : EX+/EX+(some slightly noises.)
This is a Japanese exclusive album released in 1979 under the production of Yoshio Ogasawara, the mastermind behind numerous unique Japanese projects, featuring the gem of a saxophonist, Archie Shepp, renowned for his contributions to African-influenced jazz masterpieces alongside John Coltrane and Cecil Taylor. The album showcases recordings from a stellar quartet session in a New York studio the previous year, with Jaki Byard on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums. The tracklist includes uplifting arrangements of Charlie Parker's classics, such as the A1 cover and the A2 rendition with a pleasant groove. Overall, it's a superb album where Archie Shepp's alluring performance in his 40s shines through standard numbers.
A1: Donna Lee
A2: Now’s The Time