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One of the things I find facinating about Don Ellis is how you can re-listen to his recordings and still find new ideas. This recently happened to me as I listened to "Autumn", the album that followed "Electric Bath" and "Shock treatment". I owned this album on vinyl in the '70s when I first got into Ellis. Mostly I listened to the two live tracks; "K.C. Blues" (based on a Charlie Parker solo) and "Indian Lady" a fast driving (and in my opinion, more exciting) live take of the studio track off Electric Bath. Both tracks were recorded Live at Stanford University. The remainder of the album is made up of studio tracks, including the original studio version of Pussy Wiggle Stomp, which on the "Live at the Fillmore" album became a faster, more driving encore to an excellent live show. Also on "Autumn" is "Child of Extacy", where Ellis's lead trumpet, Glenn Stuart is allowed to show his stuff in excellent fashon. And there is an odd litle diddy, Scratt and Fluggs, a jazz/psychedelic/dixieland/bluegrass number. The remaining track is "Variation for Trumptet", a magnum opus that is the longest track on the album at 17:17.
But back to my original thought... I purchased the "Autumn" CD recently in an effort to upgrade my Ellis collection and have those live tracks I mentioned above. So, on a short car trip, I popped "Autumn" in the CD player and listened to the entire album. And what caught my attention was that extended piece "Variation For Trumpet". While I had listened to "Variation For Trumpet" before on vinyl, perhaps I didn't appreciate it on my old stereo. Listening to the clarity of the track on CD, I became enthralled with the complexity, the colors and textures this opus held. It was a thoughouly enjoyable and fulfilling experience, like discovering and appreciating Don Ellis all over again.
Originally I might have given this album 4 stars, but having reached a fuller appreciation of the complexities, concepts, textures and colors provided by Don Ellis and his excellent orchestra, I have to give it five.
Listen to the album. Let it grow on you.
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Michael (Trumpet player)
Not for the non-fan
Reviewed in Canada on December 30, 2013
John Pitchers
Superb, Exciting, Big band Music
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