Crystals is a Soul & Funk album by Sam Rivers, originally released in 1974. On Gatefold: 8 pressings tracked.
About
In 1974 when Sam Rivers cut <i>Crystals</i>, nobody was doing avant-garde jazz with a big band – “big” being somewhat of an understatement as Rivers had a 64-piece band at his disposal. Along with the fact that he composed <i>Crystals</i> from 1959 to 1972, what really makes this album special was the balance of improv and conceptualization braiding together. The opening “Exultation” explodes sounding like the listener has been dropped in the middle of a freeform maelstrom. But when the bass and drums roll in, horns and strings scamper out of the foreground to solo off in jagged, kaleidoscopic fractals before regrouping. “Tranquility” delivers on its title with a more structured foundation of mellowed funk grooves built by bass and tuba. From there, flutes and woodwinds trim the top making way for a slow parade of brass to seep in and sparkle with harmonious incongruity, making for continuous ascent. The aptly named “Bursts” is a collage of short, allocated blurts coming together at once but wherein each player opens a pocket for someone else to solo reveals the raw chemistry.
via Apple Music
The Clerk says
The Clerk knows this whole record — the pressing quirks, the credits, the take.
Tracklist
- 1Exultation8:24
- 2Tranquility8:57
- 3Postlude2:30
- 4Bursts6:52
- 5Orb9:35
- 6Earth Song4:07
Sound DNA
- Soul & Funk
- Funk
- polished
- playful
- funky
Credits
The people behind it.
Performers
- Charles GreenleeTROMBONE
- Charles StephensTROMBONE
- Fred KellyPICCOLO FLUTE, FLUTE, SOPRANO SAXOPHONE, ALTO SAXOPHONE, BARITONE SAXOPHONE SOPRANO SAXOPHONE, BARITONE SAXOPHONE, PICCOLO FLUTE, FLUTE
- Greg MakerBASS
- Harold E. SmithDRUMS, PERCUSSION PERCUSSION
- Joe DaleyTROMBONE, TUBA
- Joe FergusonFLUTE, SOPRANO SAXOPHONE, ALTO SAXOPHONE TENOR SAXOPHONE, ALTO SAXOPHONE, SOPRANO SAXOPHONE, FLUTE
- Jon DaleyEUPHONIUM, TUBA
- Paul JeffreyFLUTE, BASSET HORN, TENOR SAXOPHONE TENOR SAXOPHONE, FLUTE, CLARINET, OBOE, BASSET HORN, BASSOON
- Richard WilliamsTRUMPET TRUMPET, FLUGELHORN
- Roland AlexanderFLUTE, FLUTE , SOPRANO SAXOPHONE, TENOR SAXOPHONE SOPRANO SAXOPHONE, TENOR SAXOPHONE, FLUTE, PIANO
- Sam RiversCOMPOSED BY, LINER NOTES, FLUTE, TENOR SAXOPHONE FLUTE, SOPRANO SAXOPHONE, TENOR SAXOPHONE, ARRANGED BY, CONDUCTOR, WRITTEN-BY
- Sinclair AceyTRUMPET TRUMPET, FLUGELHORN
- Ted DanielTRUMPET TRUMPET, FLUGELHORN
- Warren SmithDRUMS DRUMS, PERCUSSION
Rare pressing on Gatefold · 8 pressings tracked on Gatefold
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