Retrospective

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For anyone who spent a large proportion of their youth reading album sleevenotes, the name of Ray Russell may strike a chord (no pun intended) as a dependable and able fusion tinged session guitarist whose playing graced many an MOR 70s and 80s release (Judie Tzuke, Bryan Ferry, Phil Collins etc etc). Jason Witherspoon on the Kozmigroov list once made the observation that pretty much every mainstream fusion artist had some incendiary psychedelic whacked out masterpiece lurking (usually unissued) in their back catalogue (think George Duke, Les McCann, Bob James) and this 2 CD set bears testament to that view. Drawn mainly from early 70's recordings, these tracks (reissued by Jim O' Rourke's Moikai label) are a revelation and an important document of British jazz from an era where it seemed like anything was possible, and fusion wasn't a dirty word. Russell's guitar playing combines the fire of early John Mclaughlin and the blistering Coltrane inspired sheets of sound approach favoured by Sonny Sharrock, but with a much more feral, rock tinged edge than either; not surprising that Gil Evans was a fan. Disc one is mostly given over to a 1971 gig recorded at the ICA, originally released on RCA and features the same band as the (also recently reissued) 'Rites and Rituals' album for CBS - saxist Tony Roberts, trumpeter Harry Beckett and long time Russell collaborators Alan Rushton (drums) and bassist Daryl Runswick. Skeletal, mournful themes alternate with unaccompanied solo sections or long, multi-limbed free blowouts. Harry Beckett, one of Britjazz's unsung heroes and a perfect example of the kind of musician equally at home with bebop and free jazz, is as precise and thoughtful as ever; his long solo on 'Stained Angel Morning' is a perfectly judged gem. Roberts combines huge intervallic leaps with gutbucket overblowing yet his tenor playing retains some sort of bluesy, Ornette-ish edge on occasion, while his flute and bass clarinet excursions widen the textural palette (shades of Eric Dolphy here too). Russell is awesome; bottleneck frenzy and langurous feedback moans give way to acid raga figures, metallic avant skronk or poisonous clouds of distortion. It's Rushton that provides the impetus for Russell's best moments; their relationship echoes the Jones/Coltrane symbiosis and is particularly potent on the jawdropping duet studio take of 'Stained Angel Morning' which opens CD2. Later live sessions feature the marvellous, late lamented Gary Windo (favoured collaborator of Carla Bley and Robert Wyatt amongst others) on tenor and bass clarinet, and though these sessions are in general more reigned in than the earlier pieces, there are many fine moments to be had (particularly Brian Miller's lovely spacey synth and Rhodes excursions on 'All Week Tomorrow'). Russell's sound is more mellow here but his playing is still as unfettered as on the earlier material. A trio of pieces from 1975 flirt with more conventional fusion and blues modes but the group's personality still shines through; Beckett's flugelhorn feature 'Blue Rain' is particularly lovely. The CD ends with a spirited 1968 live rendition of 'Dragon Hill'. God knows where Moikai dredged up this unreleased material, but be glad they did. An essential reissue (plus witty and perceptive sleevenotes by Alan Licht).