For their brand of harmolodic jazz, Pinski Zoo presents a pared down version of Prime Time. There is only one bassist, one drummer and no guitar soloists. Iliffe’s synthesiser takes up the slack and a mood similar to that achieved by their mentors in engendered.
Kopinski may be no Ornette Coleman but that is a good thing. At least his solos belong to him and titles such as Ben Hur, White Out and Nightjar, in particular, have statements that would certainly not be mistaken for someone else. Moreover, they are an organic part of the ensemble and help, in a quite deliberate way, to ensure that the Zoo’s music, live or on record, is always realised in collective form.
Unlike Coleman himself, Prime Time has not been widely influential. The Zoo can be considered as their most positive European voice and this CD should please those who have closely followed that phase of Coleman’s musical career.
Discography
(1) Bubble Fun; Dust Bowl; Fridge; Ben Hur (2) White Out; (3) Bouncing Mirror; Natham’s Song; Nightjar; De-icer; Slab (64.56)
(1) Jan Kopinski (ts, as, feedback); Steve lliffe (syn, samples); Karl Bingham (elb); Steve Harris (d). Wiesen, Austria, July 10, 1993.
(2) as (1). New York, March 21, 1991. (3) as (1). Banbury, England, July 17, 1993.
(Slam CD 206)
