Bruce Ditmas "What If" (Postcards 1007)

1. Island Seven 10:11
2. What If 10:20
3. Clever Conversation 7:52
4. 3348 Big Easy*
   a) Deep Blue Sleep 3:18
   b) Thursday Nite Special
   c) Voodoo Street Beat
5. Pulp* 8:00
6. Power Surge* 3:18
7. Don't Wake Me 4:52

I believe that this is the debut recording for Bruce Ditmas at least one that is getting national exposure. The compositions, solo and group improvisations, and rapport between players are excellent. It reminds me in spirit and feeling to the previous Postcards recording: Reggie Workman's "Summit Conference." The music doesn't have the classic jazz quartet feel and it doesn't fall into the standard AABA jazz compositions. Here you have 60 minutes of recording that allows each player to freely explore the music. Ditmas provides the definite pulse along with Dominic Richards on bass. #2, #3 have a modern, clear, trinkly effect. #2 is sort of boppy and #3 has more of a liberation music sound. Nice piano work by Bley. #4 is a suite. It starts of with Rivers doing a nice short soprano solo. Each musician joins in leading to 4b & 4c which are fun! 4b is fast and snappy with a constant bass. 4c has a click/ clocky feel with a sort of conversation between the quartet. Great tenor work on #6. #7 is quiet and spacey with Bley dropping in bits of synthesizer.

-Cat

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http://kzsu.stanford.edu/~cathya/nr.html Cathy Austin