Ran Blake, Jaki Byard
Improvisations
Soul Note (Italy) 1981
SN 1022 (LP)
sleeve : NM-
media : EX/EX(some slightly noise)
American pianist Ran Blake first recorded an album in the late 1950s as a duo with vocalist Jeanne Lee, and after several years of further development, released a work on ESP-Disk in 1966, later leaving behind excellent recordings for Paul Bley’s Improvising Artists Inc. This 1981 album pairs Blake with the great pianist Jaki Byard. A fascinating piano duo work, it makes full use of Blake’s distinctive style, marked by a sense of silence and deep shadow reminiscent of Paul Bley, while unfolding as a dense and sharply focused exchange of improvisations. Although the album includes standard numbers, they often sound transformed into something completely different, which is part of its appeal. Byard’s extraordinary depth and flexibility are truly impressive.
A2: Prelude
B3: Sonata for Two Pianos