In Montreal

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This live date, recording at the Montreal Jazz Festival in 1989, was apparently part of a Charlie Haden tribute, with Haden showcased in a number of small group settings over the length of the festival. Haden has demonstrated an affinity for the duo format throughout his career, recording three separate albums of duet recordings in the mid-70's, playing with musicians such as Keith Jarrett, Hampton Hawes, Ornette Coleman and Archie Shepp. Some of Haden's other 1989 Festival performances, with pianists Geri Allen and Gonzalo Rubalcaba, have been released sporadically over the last few years, all on the Verve label, but perhaps because Gismonti was contracted to ECM, this one came from the ECM vaults. Haden and Gismonti were hardly strangers to each other at the time of this meeting, as they had performed and recorded together previously, in 1981, as part of a trio with saxophonist Jan Garbarek.

Even though Haden has been affiliated since his earliest days with the avant garde, as a member of Ornette Coleman's famous (or infamous) early quartet, his playing has always been highly melodic and even romantic. He has never been acclaimed for extraordinary technical gifts, but he projects a deep, profound musical passion and has a huge tone, which he employs primarily in the lower registers of his instrument. On this date with Gismonti, he takes the role of sensitive accompanist for the most part, but he displays his power and sensitivity on one of his most well-known compositions, 'Silence', where he pulls notes out of his bass as if he is tearing them out of the earth itself.

The Brazilian Gismonti, who alternates in this performance between piano and classical guitar, is an interesting figure. Certainly not as well known as he should be, especially in North American, he has the liability of being 'jazzy', without really playing jazz, and his music does not lend itself to the kind of neat categorization which many critics and listeners require. There are substantial elements or indigenous folk music in his playing, but a wealth of classical elements as well. (In the past, he has recorded the music of Villa-Lobos, Brazil's most famous classical composer.) Gismonti's playing sometimes creates the illusion of an inspired primitivism, and his style does have strong populist elements. But he is also a superb technician, with lightning-fast moves, and has very sophisticated musical sensibility.

Gismonti's work on piano is always accomplished, but the rolling chords on some of the CD's early pieces ('Maracatu', 'Palhaco',) have a folksy garrulousness reminiscent at times of George Winston or perhaps Keith Jarrett -- not bad by any means, but perhaps a little dated twelve years after the fact. However, Gismonti is capable of pianistic surprises, contributing an angular, Monkish solo on 'Silence', and flashing a strong left hand and some intricate moves on 'Lorco', and 'Frevo', with elements of stride piano and boogie-woogie hovering in the background of his solos. Gismonti's work on 10 string classical guitar is superb throughout, and he can sometimes sound like two or three guitarists playing together. He mixes dazzling runs, percussive energy and an elegant lyricism with a range of extended techniques such as tapping and string damping. Haden usually defers to his more flamboyant partner, but he not only maintains his legendary pulse, but emerges periodically for some gorgeous and always heartfelt solo work.