Elton Dean Live At The BBC CD

Elton Dean's Ninesense grouped members of Chris McGregor's Brotherhood of Breath, Keith Tippett's sextet, and Elton Dean's Just Us players and his quartet. All these groups had much stronger ties to bebop jazz than rock, or even fusion jazz -- which is what Dean is still best known for through his tenure in Soft Machine. And thus the music of Ninesense will surprise more than a few misinformed fans. Live at the BBC expands the timeline of the group as it culls one session recorded ten months before it cut its first LP (May 1975), and another nine months after its second (March 1978). The first set features original trumpeter Mongezi Feza in his only known recording with the band, and includes "Dancin'" and "Soothing," two pieces that would appear on 1976's Oh For the Edge as "Dance" and "Forsoothe," plus two previously undocumented pieces. These light, avant-jazz melodies paired to the Blue Notes' rhythm section (bassist Harry Miller and drummer Louis Moholo) rank among Dean's most accessible (though a bit bland) material. The "Bidet Bebop" is one raucous tune, fast, quirky, and heavy in horn presence (the lineup also includes Alan Skidmore on sax, Marc Charig on cornet, and Radu Malfatti and Paul Nieman on trombones). "Nicra" and "Seven for Me," from the second session, had been recorded for the second and last LP, Happy Daze, under the titles "Nicrotto" and "Seven for Lee." Harry Beckett has replaced Feza since his death in December 1975. Nick Evans subs for Nieman. "Seven for Me" brings the highlight of the disc: both simple and complex (in a Coleman-esque harmolodic way), the tune leaps out of the speakers like the brightest tunes from Soft Machine's Golden Age (that would be the Third/Fourth period) and features pianist Keith Tippett on celeste. With better sound, this rendition would be flooring, but as it is, with a rather poor sound capture by BBC standards, it still has the power to impress. ~ François Couture

Elton Dean was a member of Soft Machine in 1969 and this saxophonist has long been in spearhead of free jazz in England.

Elton Dean: Elton Dean (saxello); Harry Miller (double bass); Keith Tippett, Louis Moholo, Mongezi Feza, Nick Evans, Marc Charig, Radu Malfatti, Paul Nieman, Alan Skidmore.

Personnel: Elton Dean, Elton Dean (saxophone, alto saxophone); Alan Skidmore (tenor saxophone); Harry Beckett (trumpet); Mongezi Feza (pocket trumpet); Marc Charig (cornet, tenor horn); Nick Evans, Radu Malfatti, Paul Nieman (trombone); Keith Tippett (piano, celesta); Louis Moholo (drums).

Liner Note Author: Alyn Shipton.

Recording information: BBC Studios, London, England (05/19/1975-03/17/1978).

Introduction bys: Charlie Alexander ; Charles Philip Fox.

Photographer: Elton Dean.