These two albums, which cover an impressively eclectic range of styles, are part of Sonic Camera Records’ Ben Allison Remastered Series 2004-2011, which will include five back-catalogue albums remixed by the Connecticut-born bassist, composer and producer.
Little Things Run The World presents strong ensemble playing in contrasting grooves and tempos, ranging from the jazz-rock of Blowback, through Four Folk Songs’ contemporary West African grooves, to the spacious contemporary ballad, Language Of Love. Roll Credits’ intricate chordal double-bass figures combine well with Steve Cardenas’s warm overdriven guitar chords, lending the arrangement additional harmonic edge, and solos from Cardenas and Allison himself also add variety. Ron Horton’s trumpet and flugelhorn solos are featured on several tracks, particularly when he stretches out most effectively on Lennon’s Jealous Guy. There are excellent sax solos on the three tracks with Michael Blake, with his fine soprano playing featured on Blowback.
On Think Free Allison revisits and reworks several contrasting pieces from his earlier recordings; Platypus is a slow jazz-rock burn, with a powerful solo from Cardenas, and Sleeping Giant also has hints of early Weather Report. Two unreleased tracks, short but effective free improvisations Steve Austin and City At Night are also included for the first time with this reissue. Cardenas supports and shines once again, alongside Shane Endsley’strumpet and Jenny Scheinman’s wonderful violin playing: Platypus is a slow jazz-rock burn, with a powerful solo from Cardenas, while Sleeping Giant also has hints of early Weather Report.
Two previously unreleased tracks, the short but effective free ensemble improvisations Steve Austin and City At Night, are also included for the first time on this album. Peace Pipe showcases Allison’s unusual ability to play double bass with a classical guitar right-hand technique; this combines effectively with pizzicato violin and guitar, emulating the kora playing of Mamadou Sidiki Diabaté on the original recording. Green Al is cleverly reassigned, from Mr Green to Mr Gore, with witty use of an ostinato riff (sounding very like a hook from the Bond-movie theme You Only Live Twice) bookending a debonair muted trumpet solo with an appropriate killer grove. Allison’s playful bass lines and solo on this track are a high spot, and Rudy Royston’s drumming is enjoyable throughout the album.
Discography
[Little Things Run The World] (1) Roll Credits; (2) Little Things Run The World; (1) Jealous Guy; Respiration; Language Of Love; (2) Man Size Safe; (1) Four Folk Songs; (2) Blowback (53.00)
[Think Free] (3) Fred; Broke; Kramer vs. Kramer vs. Godzilla; Sleeping Giant; Green Al; Peace Pipe; City at Night; Steve Austin (50.08)
(1) Ron Horton (t, flh); Steve Cardenas (elg); Allison (b, g); Michael Sarin (d). Pipersville, PA, 17-18 August 2007. (2) add Michael Blake (ts, ss).
(3) Shane Endsley (t, fx); Jenny Scheinman (vn); Steve Cardenas (elg); Allison (b); Rudy Royston (d). Place, date unknown.
Sonic Camera Records SC2205 & SC2204
