Archie Shepp & Philly Joe Jones

ARCHIE SHEPP AND PHILLY JOE JONES America 30 AM 6102

Recorded November-December 1969, Paris, France

Side One

1. The Lowlands

Side Two

1. Howling In The Silence;

a. Raynes or Thunders
b. Julio's Song

Personnel

Anthony Braxton; soprano, alto sax
Chicago Beau; soprano sax, harmonica, vocal
Archie Shepp; tenor sax, piano
Julio Finn; harmonica, vocal
Leroy Jenkins; violin
Earl Freeman, bass, vocal
Philly Joe Jones; drums

Here's another out of print gem from Archie Shepp's canon. Shepp always seemed to have a deep reverence for the music's history even during his most avant-garde days, and by 1969 the journey was taking him into blues territory (certainly quite apparent on this album and also tracks from another overlooked gem from the time, Blasé).

From the liner notes for the track, "The Lowlands":

"THE LOWLANDS is a musical portrait of live in the black ghettos and southern black communities. The music begins with shouts and screams because shouts and screams are a sure sign of life. Whether one is shouting for joy or screaming in pain life and feeling for whatever is expressed here.

Archie Shepp, tenor, takes you on a tour of the Lowlands which hopefully is an unforgetable one. The rest of the orchestra breaks into a line rhythm, as Shepp and Philly Joe Jones blend in. And then, I begin the recitation of the Lowlands with the participation of the rest of the orchestra: Earl Freeman, bassist, in particular. After the recitation, I join Leroy Jenkins on violin, Julio Finn, Harmonica, Anthony Braxton, Alto-sax and myself, Soprano-sax, providing an interesting, mad, black, wild background for Shepp’s solo. After solos the rhythm resumes and the final verses are recited ending in a series of lone screams.

My thanks go to all who made my composition possible.
- L.T. Beauchamp [my note: aka Chicago Beau]
Paris, December 11th, 1969"

It's fiery music, a bit low-fi, and raw.

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