DEWEY REDMAN - MUSICS
Dewey Redman for Galaxy from 1979.
Dewey Redman-Tenor,Musette,Harp,Vocal;Fred Simmons-Piano,Cowbell;Mark Helias-Bass;Eddie Moore-Drums,Percussion,Saw,Vocal.
Paul Murphy flogged this to Chris Bangs who would drop the cut "Unknown Tongue" from the lp in his DJ sets back in the early 80s which is where I first heard it.What a tune!!!
Kicking off with the high pitched Middle Eastern whine of Dewey on musette which is joined after a few minutes with the bowed bass of Mark Helias....then comes the marching snare and percussion of Eddie Moore and the bow is dumped for a bass line worthy of Cecil McBee while the musette keens on....until the whine drops down and out while the bass/percussion remain then Dewey begins speaking in tongues...shouting and gabbling away like a man possessed but that rhythm keeps it all storming ahead...then back in with the musette to a fade...Bomb!
Can you imagine the impact this had on a crowd of southern soul boys all waiting to hit the floor to Lonnie Liston Smith and Donald Byrd? Well funnily enough it did fuck all to 'em which either goes to show that most people were either totally off their heads or didn't listen to the music anyway.I of course belonged in the former crew as it helped deaden the boredom of hearing "Expansions" for the umpteenth time that week.And given some of the utter shite that got played in those days you were probably better off not listening to it anyway.
And yes,before you ask, that is a version of Gilbert O'Sullivan's nauseating vomit fest "Alone Again" lurking on side 1 - but trust Dewey to give it a good overhall in a mutant bossa stylee.
Here's a review of the lp from Scott Yannow:
This is one of tenor-saxophonist Dewey Redman's more accessible sessions. With the assistance of pianist Fred Simmons, bassist Mark Helias and drummer Eddie Moore, Redman is heard on the lyrical ballad "Alone Again (Naturally)," a bossa nova, jamming over parade rhythms and performing originals that sometimes are advanced bop. The music is excellent although not as explorative as most of Redman's other recordings.
