Number look up: ANTHONY DAVIS – Hemispheres LP 1983

Tuesday, February 6, 2018

ANTHONY DAVIS – Hemispheres LP 1983

Label: Gramavision � GR-8303

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album / Country: US / Released: 1983

Style: Free Improvisation, Free Jazz

Recorded at Vanguard Studios, New York City in July 1983.

Mixed at Gramavision Studio, New York City in August 1983.

Cover � Francesco Clemente

Photography By [Photo By] � Robert Mapplethorpe

Design [Album Design] � Peter Corriston

Engineer � David Baker

Mastered By � Bob Ludwig

Mixed By � David Baker

Producer � Anthony Davis, Jonathan F. P. Rose

A1- Mvt I: Esu At The Crossroads....................................................... 4:52

A2- Mvt II: Little Richards New Wave................................................. 8:31

A3- Mvt III: Ifa: The Oracle, Esu The Trickster .................................... 4:46

B1 - Mvt IV: A Walk Through The Shadows ....................................... 13:26

B2 - Mvt V: Clonetics............................................................................ 7:06

Composed By � Anthony Davis

Anthony Davis � piano

Dwight Andrews � flute

J.D. Parran � clarinet

Leo Smith � trumpet

George Lewis � trombone

David Samuels � vibraphone

Shem Guibbory � violin

Eugene Friesen � cello

Rick Rozie � bass

Pheeroan AkLaff � drums, percussion

Written as music to accompany the choreography of Molissa Fenley, Anthony Davis followed the huge artistic (if not commercial) success of his albums Episteme and Variations in Dreamtime with yet another wonderful recording along similar lines. Using many of the same musicians and, in fact, recycling some of the same thematic material (as he was to do often in his career), Davis once again finds enormous richness and power in a territory straddling advanced jazz and contemporary minimalism, here even enjoining the services of Steve Reichs violinist of choice, Shem Guibbory. The compositions combine propulsive, oddly metered rhythms with fascinating and often gorgeous melodies including, especially his bitterly beautiful "A Walk in the Shadows," here given arguably its finest, most intense performance with Guibbory doing gut-wrenching work. The ensemble is incredibly tight and features superb playing by, among others, trumpeter Leo Smith and trombonist George Lewis. The cover painting by Francesco Clemente and the portrait photograph by Robert Mapplethorpe indicate how closely Davis was becoming involved with the New York avant-garde in the early 80s. This would lead to an increased "classicalization" of his work, largely to its detriment, in oncoming years, and Hemispheres would prove to be perhaps his last unqualified success. Very highly recommended.

_ Review by Brian Olewnick