Tom Varner Quartet
Motion / Stillness
Soul Note (Italy) 1983
SN 1067 (LP)
sleeve : NM-
media : EX+/EX+(some very light surface noise)
This is the 1983 leader album by American French horn player Tom Varner, who has participated in The New York Composers Orchestra organized by Wayne Horvitz and Robin Holcomb, and the George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band, and has also collaborated with New Age artists like Scott Cossu and avant-garde musicians like John Zorn. The album features live recordings from a 1982 performance at Inroads in New York with a quartet consisting of Ed Jackson (as), Ed Schuller (b), and Billy Hart (ds). A1, with Schuller's excellent bass playing a solo while scatting in unison, and A2, which sprints at a speedy pace with layers of minimalist phrasing, are highlights. The performances are superb, maintaining a consistent groove while exploring free-form action reminiscent of Ornette Coleman and Don Cherry. Highly recommended.
A1: Subway Awakening
A2: Study No. 1