Initially calling their quartet The New Art Jazz Ensemble, they made their debut album Seeking in 1969 for the small Revelation Records. Their music was very much in the same orbit as Ornette's with darting linear compositions and freedom from chordal structures blended into a marvelous fresh sense of swing and blues roots.
Carter's virtuosity on clarinet, flute
and saxophone sets the benchmark for the music that this group strives
for and achieves. Distinctive for their rich vibrant tones and
articulation, Carter and Bradford bring a variety of colors, moods and
rhythms to their vibrant brand of modern jazz. They manage to achieve an
air of precision with a music that thrives on interplay and looseness.
Every performance resonates with beauty and adventure.
This set
includes both Carter/Bradford albums on Revelation (the other is Secrets
as well as two unissued sessions from 1971 and a 1979 duet studio
session which label co-founder Jonathan Horwich taped at Westlake
Studios in LA. These new discoveries (almost two hours of unissued
music) greatly expand the Carter/Bradford output, which was heretofore
known to be only two albums each on Revelation and Flying Dutchman.
PERSONNEL:
(A) John Carter (as, ts, cl, fl), Bobby Bradford (tp)
Tom Williamson (b) Bruz Freeman (d)
Produced by Jonathan Horwich
Recorded on January 16, 1969 at Occidental College, Los Angeles.
(B) John Carter (as, ts, cl, fl) Bobby Bradford (tp) Tom Williamson (b)
Bruz Freeman (d)
Produced by John William Hardy
Recorded in early 1969 at Occidental College, Los Angeles
(C) John Carter (as, cl) Bobby Bradford (tp)
Bill Henderson (p) Henry Franklin (b) Bruz Freeman (d)
Produced and recorded by John William Hardy
Recorded on November 9, 1971 at Occidental College, Los Angeles
(D) John Carter (as, cl) Bobby Bradford (tp) Nate Morgan (p
Louis Spears (b) Leon Ndugu Chancler (d)
Produced by John William Hardy and Jonathan Horwich
Recorded on April 4, 1972 at Occidental College, Los Angeles.
(E) John Carter (cl) Bobby Bradford (tp)
Produced and recorded by Jonathan Horwich
Recorded on July 7, 1979 at Westlake Studios, Los Angeles.
All titles are previously unissued.
DISC ONE:
01. In the Vineyard (A)
02. Karen On Monday (A)
03. Sticks and Stones (A)
04. The Village Dancers (A)
05. Seeking (A)
06. Song For The Unsung (A)
07. Sticks and Stones (B)
08. Blues Upstairs (B)
09. Domino (B)
DISC TWO
01. The Village Dancers (B)
02. Rosevita’s Dance (D)
03. Ballad (D)
04. Circle (C)
05. In A Pretty Place (D)
06. Latin (C)
07. The Little Waltz (C)
08. Woodmen Hall Blues (C)
DISC THREE
01. And She Speaks (E)
02. Pinch (E)
03. Redwood (E)
04. This Earth Feeling (E)
05. Scramble (E)
