Complete Communion [Original recording remastered]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Blue Note arrived late on the '60s avant-garde scene, only recording figures like Eric Dolphy, Ornette Coleman, and Cecil Taylor after they had disappeared from the rosters of other major American jazz labels. Complete Communion, from 1964, was Don Cherry's first session as a leader after brilliant sideman contributions with Ornette Coleman and Sonny Rollins, and it's one of the landmark records of the era. The music consists of two long suites of interlocking Cherry compositions, and they're played with telepathic precision and explosive energy by a great quartet of Gato Barbieri on tenor saxophone, bassist Henry Grimes, and Cherry's long-term collaborator Ed Blackwell on drums. Cherry is in superb form, throwing off high notes like bright spears and twisting lines that suddenly rebound into the ensembles. For those who only know Barbieri's work from his later, more commercially inclined Brazilian-flavored work, his playing here will be a revelation. He combines an original sound, booting energy, and a startling melodic fluency that leaps freely over his horn's range. This is an essential document of jazz in the '60s. --Stuart Broomer

Customer Reviews:

great, great!!!.......2006-12-05

This is the way ,I think, Purcell should sound. No pomp and surcomstance but only great music.

ALL THE MUSIC YOU EVER NEED!!.......2003-05-23

This boxed set is by far one of the best purchases I have ever made. As a Purcell freak, this hits every button I have. The cast of characters include the inequitable Robert King, New College Choir, Bowman, and a host of other venerable persons. Likewise the attention to period performance of these works makes it an essential addition to the library of any serious anglophile/Musicologist etc. Now if only the Britten Realizations of all Purcell's songs could be recorded alongside the originals! You will Love this set!

Average customer rating:

Playful and evocative
Just unmissable
A classic Blue Note outing for Don Cherry
Really solid date
Uhhh... Not a fave.

Complete Communion
Don Cherry
Manufacturer: Blue Note Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Avant Garde & Free Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

Blue Note Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

General | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Avant-Garde | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Traditional & Vocal Pop | Pop | Indie Music | Stores | Music
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ASIN: B00004GJVK
Release Date: 2000-02-15

Tracks:

Complete Communion: Complete Communion/And Now/Golden Heart/Remembrance
Elephantasy: Elephantasy/Our Feelings/Bishmallah/Wind, Sand And Stars

Amazon.com

Blue Note arrived late on the '60s avant-garde scene, only recording figures like Eric Dolphy, Ornette Coleman, and Cecil Taylor after they had disappeared from the rosters of other major American jazz labels. Complete Communion, from 1964, was Don Cherry's first session as a leader after brilliant sideman contributions with Ornette Coleman and Sonny Rollins, and it's one of the landmark records of the era. The music consists of two long suites of interlocking Cherry compositions, and they're played with telepathic precision and explosive energy by a great quartet of Gato Barbieri on tenor saxophone, bassist Henry Grimes, and Cherry's long-term collaborator Ed Blackwell on drums. Cherry is in superb form, throwing off high notes like bright spears and twisting lines that suddenly rebound into the ensembles. For those who only know Barbieri's work from his later, more commercially inclined Brazilian-flavored work, his playing here will be a revelation. He combines an original sound, booting energy, and a startling melodic fluency that leaps freely over his horn's range. This is an essential document of jazz in the '60s. --Stuart Broomer

Customer Reviews:

Playful and evocative.......2004-07-02

This is a very good CD comprised of two tracks approximately 20 minutes each in length. Each track is divided into several sections alternating between composed and improvised free workouts which flow together to form a suite.

There is a great variety in the many composed and improvised parts in each of the pieces. Some are boppish' others full of melodic and rhythmic abandon. Some have an almost tribal feel to them courtesy of Ed Blackwell. Still others are quiet and gentle, though never for long.

Throughout the CD Ed Blackwell plays some complex and swinging drums. He's a sympathetic and aware player who pushes and pulls at the right moments. Likewise Henry Grimes bass playing. He's a nimble player who keeps everthing moving and is dynamically aware.

Don Cherry and Gato Barbieri are playful with the composed parts and very free and lyrical with their solos. Initially I was surprised by Gato's presence in this a more free setting, but he plays fine and has a warm and strong tenor sound. Don plays exceptionally well, really stretching out and is in fine tone throughout. These guys seem to be having a lot of fun and its infectious.

Overall this CD is both complex and rewarding. The twenty minutes per song goes by quickly. Not groundbreaking but a very enjoyable set of 1960's era free jazz. One can really hear the influence of this CD and Ornettes early work in the Masada series by John Zorn.

Just unmissable.......2004-01-13

Era ora! Dopo anni di oblio torna alla luce uno dei grandi capolavori del free jazz. Questo disco, registrato nel 1965 dal cornettista Don Cherry con il tenorsassofonista argentino Gato Barbieri ed una sezione ritmica composta da Henry Grimes al contrabbasso e Ed Blackwell alla batteria, rimane uno dei momenti più importanti di tutta la stagione free. Cherry, reduce da una lunga militanza nel quartetto di Ornette Coleman, trova in Barbieri il compagno ideale per intraprendere un dialogo brillante, fatto di suggerimenti, urli ed intrecci, condotto con una comunione d'intenti che sembra quasi telepatica. Anche la sezione ritmica, che crea una base poliritmica sulla quale i fiati tessono le loro trame, non disdegna d'intervenire nella conversazione. Nei due lunghi brani che compongono il disco, l'improvvisazione free e post-bop si contamina d'influssi etnici, regalando una musica che ancora oggi suona innovativa e non può che farci notare come molti degli attuali astri del jazz stiano in effetti ripercorrendo strade gia esplorate trentacinque anni fa.
Arthur Cravan

A classic Blue Note outing for Don Cherry.......2001-04-08

Apparently I read the liner notes and so I am going to give you my emotional rather than my musicologist or intellectual feelings about this album. I highly recommend it and it appeals to me with its use of quotations from blues to even hard bop variations in its cool Cherry stylings. The screeching and brilliant appregios of sound impress me.

I feel rather startled about the genius of the work in fact. There is a playfulness and religiosity in the music as well. The title song is fairly serious in fact... Complete Communion features 21 minutes of pure virtuosity in fact and it moves me that there is a strong gospel feeling about it and was rather uplifted. I connected very well to that one.

The companion piece Elephantasy is rather cool and more free flowing. There is no key signature and the fluidity is rather apparently in fact. I loved its light liltness and its utterly dancey like looping structures.

I guess that this album is close to being like abstract expressionism in musical motion just like a Jackson Pollock bringing order out of chaos by using natural methods. Free jazz sounds rather natural so natural relative to say jazz rock or jazz funk...

Cool beans and I'm outta here!

Beat Detective

Really solid date.......2000-11-01

After reading many reviews of this session, I think I expected a little wilder recording. I've read much about Gato Barbieri's 60s free playing, which is always compared to Ayler and Sanders. Unfortunately his sound seems derivitave, not whole heartedly convincing like Ayler and Sanders (as he proved his lack of commitment to this type of playing later). That said, I think he works well on this recording. The compositions are structured enough and the playing is sort of "inside/out" enough for his brand of overblowing to work. Not a masterpiece, but a solid, thoughtful avant statement that I think I'll listen to alot.

Uhhh... Not a fave........2000-10-24

Seems like people are falling over themselves to praise this disc. I feel duty bound to register, as someone who ADORES much of Cherry's output thru the 70's and 80's, that this album, which, I grant you, I haven't heard for awhile, held very little interest for me. Yeah, Gato had some good free jazz moments, even doing some stuff on ESPdisk affiliates, and does some strong playing here, but as far as I'm concerned, after leaving Ornette, Cherry spent several years trapped in the role of free jazz player, putting out material that was at best was searching and tentative or at worst bordered on raucous gunk (like WHERE IS BROOKLYN?, with Pharoah Sanders doing ACENSION-style screechings all over it). That didn't change until MU, his first fully individualized post-Ornette album, as far as I'm concerned. COMPLETE COMMUNION isn't a BAD album, mind you, and it might be interesting to people whose primary concern in Cherry is via Ornette Coleman -- but, if any of you are primarily DON CHERRY FANS, I'd, frankly, skip it. It won't add a whole lot to your appreciation of his work, like, say, MU might, or even the COOL release. Yeah, yeah, it's good jazz, it's worth a spin, it just... I dunno, I couldn't CARE about it. Maybe I'm just an idjit. Felt I owed y'all the warning.

Purcell: The Complete Anthems and Services, Vol. 10

Average customer rating:

Purcell: The Complete Anthems and Services, Vol. 10

Manufacturer: Hyperion
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000002ZU1
Release Date: 1994-12-06

Tracks:

Verse Anthem Z21: I Will Give Thanks Unto The Lord
Full Anthem Z22: I Will Sing Unto The Lord As Long As I Live
Devotional Song Z188: How Have I Stray'd
Full Service Z230: Benedictus In B Flat
Verse Anthem Z14: Hear My Prayer, O God
Full Service Z230: Kyrie Eleison In B Flat
Verse Anthem Z45: Out Of The Deep Have I Called
Full Service Z230: Nicene Creed In B Flat
Verse Anthem Z7: Blessed Is He That Considereth The Poor
Verse Anthem Z69: The Lord Is King, And Hath Put On Glorious Apparel
Verse Anthem Z63: Unto Thee Will I Cry

Thomas Tallis: The Complete Works (Box Set)

Average customer rating:

Go To Amazon.com/uk
Wonderful Set, but why pay this much?

Thomas Tallis: The Complete Works (Box Set)

Manufacturer: Signum UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

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General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B0006OR0DA
Release Date: 2005-01-25

Customer Reviews:

Go To Amazon.com/uk.......2006-02-23

Thank you Paul Schleuse. Your review is right on, and most importantly, I paid $113. (including shipping) from amazon.com/uk to Boston. Less than halk the price here.

Wonderful Set, but why pay this much?.......2005-07-30

This is a landmark set: the complete works of one of the most important composers of the 16th century, in performances of grace and clarity. However, you can get it for less than half of the US price by buying it at Amazon.co.uk. At GBP65.20, it works out to just over $100, or about $10 per disc--quite a bargain on a major addition to any serious early-music collection.

Henry Purcell: The Complete Anthems and Services, Vol. 7

Average customer rating:

Excellent performance (not everybody will like this music)

Henry Purcell: The Complete Anthems and Services, Vol. 7

Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000002ZTB
Release Date: 1994-03-01

Tracks:

The Complete Anthems And Services - 7: I Was Glad When They Said Unto Me
The Complete Anthems And Services - 7: O Consider My adversity
The Complete Anthems And Services - 7: Beati omnes qui timent Dominum
The Complete Anthems And Services - 7: I was Glad When They Said Unto Me
The Complete Anthems And Services - 7: In The Black Dismal Dungeon Of Despair
The Complete Anthems And Services - 7: Save Me, O God
The Complete Anthems And Services - 7: Te Deum In B Flat
The Complete Anthems And Services - 7: Julibilate In B Flat
The Complete Anthems And Services - 7: Thy Way, O God, Is Holy
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