Career rebirths usually serve as manna for the receptive jazz press. Few, if any, are as remarkable as that achieved by bassist Henry Grimes: More than three decades spent in anonymity practically erased by a prodigal return. This ESP reissue gives a composite idea of how he originally went out, on the top of his game and poised to take the logical step to influential leader status. Sadly, that career trajectory wasn’t in the cards. Despite a number of auspicious sideman appearances in the following year Grimes eventually succumbed to personal demons and an ensuing life off the grid.
Perry Robinson practically deserves credit as co-leader on the date. The pair had previously appeared together on the clarinetist’s Funk Dumpling session for Savoy in 1962 and their creative rapport is even stronger in this free-leaning setting from late ‘65. Nods to the earlier meeting include the Grimes tune “Son of Alfalfa”. Robinson brings a battery of extended techniques previously largely the province of the saxophone, from chirrups and hiccups to split tones and judiciously deployed shrieks. These tactics lack artifice and instead feel wholly integrated into the music, something not easily said of certain other contemporaneous albums by peers. “Walk On” and “Saturday Night What Th’” promote the trio’s freebop interests with Robinson and Grimes engaging in some bracing exchanges and the bassist’s scuttling spider legs strums particularly memorable.
As the bluntest point of the triangle, drummer Tom Price is a bit heavy-handed, particularly on snare, and not quite on par with his colleagues. He builds up quite a vertical barrage on “Fish Story”, but there’s little in the way of horizontal movement in the resulting cascade. The suite-like “For Django” asks more from his sticks and he manages to respond with enhanced color and nuance around Robinson’s chalumeau explorations. Grimes is brilliant throughout, his bone dry sawing on the opening of the first piece contrasting with richer harmonic shades in the final minutes of the second. Robust pizzicato patterns shoot forth like gossamer webs and the newly scrubbed sound aids in discerning their complexities. The stereo mix parcels him cleanly into the left channel leaving Robinson and Price plenty of space in the right. Grimes appears busier than ever these days though debate about his abilities lingers. This set harkens to a time when the contingent of doubters was substantially slimmer and as such seems a slice of required listening.
~ Derek Taylor
Posted by derek on June 24, 2008 8:31 AMUnless I'm half asleep, you haven't mentioned the drummer's first name, Derek. It's TOM Price. You might not like him that much but give him a namecheck!
Since ESP promos are now downloads (aren't they?) or because you have to sign your name in blood promising to review the disc for a national daily newspaper before they send you a real copy (and I haven't, and I won't), I haven't got my copy of this one. I had it once on cassette but don't remember being blown away. But I should relisten.
Aaagh, that other Grimes thread you linked to.. had forgotten that one!
Nope, Dan, looks like you’re wide awake & I’m the one who’s Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas. Price is no longer just a surname above, thanks.
I’m not “blown away” by this one either, but mainly because of the occupier of the drum stool. Now if Sunny Murray, or even better Andrew Cyrille, had been available, that would’ve been something. But I gather Price and Grimes were good friends and spent several years shedding together off and on, which explains his presence on the date. He’s not bad, just not in the same league, IMO.
ESP promos are still hard copies, afaik, nor am I aware of any special stipulations for receiving them. Maybe it's a Euro thing? Fwiw, this new edition sounds better than the old German ZYX. I dig the digipack design too- distinctive, streamlined & simple.
Posted by: derek at June 25, 2008 10:20 AMKeep in mind that, whether you like Tom Price's playing, this was a working trio for the most part. The bass chair was alternately occupied by Grimes and David Izenzon.
Posted by: clifford at June 26, 2008 4:26 PMThis just spotted from Margaret Davis Grimes:
“Sadly, we note that ESP Disk has again re-released Henry Grimes’s
classic recording “The Call” (ESP #1026, 1965) on CD, to much fanfare,
without making any arrangements whatsoever to pay Henry a penny. Bernard
Stollman of ESP owes Henry more than 40 years of royalties for sales of
this recording and only paid him $10 to record it in the first place –
and yes, we have a copy of Henry’s original contract from 1965.
Attorneys, please contact musicmargaret [at] earthlink [dot] net
regarding this, because we could use some legal help! Fans, if you feel
you must buy this re-release, please contact musicmargaret [at]
earthlink [dot] net to arrange to send Henry Grimes some money for your
purchase. Thank you.”
Plus ça change..
File this under: "Things that Make You Go Hmmm..."
Posted by: derek at July 7, 2008 4:19 AMDo you think she means she expects punters to pay twice for the same album?
I'd love to see that contract though!
We can all thank Margaret for making Henry's comeback a relative dud.
She is so obsessed with getting him money that very few "good" albums of his new work have been able to make it out.
He has a ton of great projects but what the public gets is that terrible Ribot project.
That would have been fine after a few solid projects on labels with good visibility.
This is pretty dicey stuff, & a veritable breeding ground for conjecture of all species, so I’ll tread lightly. But given that ESP’s re-launched reissue program has been around now for a couple years, I’m surprised that Margaret wasn’t more proactive in her crusade for royalty reparations.
As for recent “good” Grimes albums, I’ve been getting a bit of a kick out of his duo w/ Rashied Ali on Porter.
Posted by: derek at July 7, 2008 12:35 PMI would love to hear the duo with Ali, is it out yet? It is not on emusic yet. Is it mostly bass or violin?
I like the bass quartet on Splasch (though it is tough to isolate Grimes) and the duo with my old friend Oluyemi Thomas - that is fantastic.
I'm keeping my lips zipped on this whole shebang re: Grimes, beyond my appreciation of this ESP record.
You can tell I just want to start a flame-war, cantcha?
Posted by: clifford at July 7, 2008 8:40 PMYeah, you’re a regular posterboy for Pyromaniacs Anonymous, Cliff, Zippo & 10-gallon drum of jet fuel at the ready. ;-0
Damon, it’s a mix of both w/ some dubious poetry recitation thrown in. Parts meander, but some good back & forth too. I think the street date is 7/22. Haven’t heard that bass quartet, but heard from a couple sources that it was a bit of a pile-up? With you on the duet w/ Thomas. Oluyemi’s duo w/ Silva on Eremite is even better, IMO.
Posted by: derek at July 8, 2008 8:05 AMOf course the bass quartet is pile up! That doesn't keep it from being great.
I love the duo with Silva, if I am not mistaken, Alan plays Lisle Ellis' bass who was my main teacher. I have been playing duo with Oluyemi for many years, I remember showing up to a gig about 12 years ago having practiced all my classical stuff, and as soon as we started
I had to throw it out the window and "play like Alan Silva" to get it to work.
I think I have my own way to play with him now, but there is a real compatibility with Silva's music and his.
I still love the duo with Grimes.
As far as the royalties issue, Esp could give Henry some money.
This album has been issued enough times that I am sure it is not in the red.
On the other hand, albums do a lot more for a musician than money, and having better albums out can get Henry better live work, and lead to better album deals, if there are any out there at this point.
So a balance has to be struck between getting paid and getting the music out there.
Hello all. I thought I should put in my two cents here. I am the General Manager at ESP-Disk'. I wanted to let you all know that I have personally been in touch with Margaret Davis and Henry Grimes and everything is being worked out. ESP has been undergoing an internal audit of its sales history for the last few months. We are now in touch with dozens of the original artists. Any ESP artist can get current royalty statements by contacting the number or email below.
Phone: 1-800-685-2163
Email: artist@espdisk.com
Feel free to contact me directly if you have questions about getting promos or anything else.(tom@espdisk.com) No need to speculate!
Posted by: Tom Abbs at July 17, 2008 6:18 PMHow is Tom Price heavy handed compared to Sunny Murray? I think the drums are jacked up in the mix really. That snare drum pops out because it's not mixed right. As a drummer, I am quite glad that Tom Price is on this Henry Grimes album. Compare his drumming on Grimes' album to his drumming on the Frank Wright material he appeared on. There really isn't much else to listen to. I am really glad that Tom Price is on this album. I really like his playing. His approach is so odd. I think you are just having a hard time figuring him out. I think that if Henry Grimes and Perry Robinson thought Tom Price was good enough, that's good enough for me. I had never really heard of Tom Price before. I am wondering why I hadn't. To me, he is just as good as many other well known drummers.
He was probably too busy working his day job. Who knows, maybe he got a bad review early on and quit playing. Some of us drummers are really sensitive that way.
Burton Greene has some Tom Price stories.
I really like his playing. Don't think his work has much to do with Sunny, as far as I can tell, though it's been some time since I've listened to either back-to-back.
Keep yr eyes out for a Greene/Perry Robinson duo forthcoming on Tzadik.
Posted by: clifford at July 20, 2008 5:11 PMReally? Burton finally got a Tzadik gig? That's f**kin cool, and long overdue (Burton's been pushing the envelope with klezmer for years and JZ hasn't released any of it). He can paint that houseboat now!
Posted by: Dan Warburton at July 20, 2008 10:13 PMtom price is okay. i haven't listened to the grimes esp-disk in years, but i seem to remember it sounding okay and liked the drumming (and mix) on it just fine.
let's just say that if i gotta pick between bobby kapp and tom price, i pick the former any day!
nyuk nyuk,
ww
Posted by: weasel walter at July 20, 2008 11:15 PMI like Tom Price, too. I really like this trio. It would be cool the hear with Izenzon. Good news about ESP. I assume it is Tom Abbs the bass/tuba player..
Posted by: damon Smith at July 20, 2008 11:17 PMYeah, Kapp just kills - as do Colbeck, Burrell, Cathy Norris and Sirone - on the Noah Howard at Judson Hall.
Re: Tzadik, yes, Burton & Perry are part of a group called Klez-Edge that Zorn just put out.
Posted by: clifford at July 21, 2008 12:31 PMDid anyone hear the Grimes/Dunmall/Cyrille gig at Vision this year? If, as you say Derek, debate still lingers concerning the merrits of Henry's playing these days, that extended burst of varying voltage should have dispelled it. I've seen a couple of Henry's projects before, but that one was just stunning, one of the best moments of the festival.
As for margaret making Henry's comeback a dud, what bullshit! Henry's genius and Margaret's continued love and fostering of his music are complementary; she has worked damn hard to facilitate many extraordinary playing situations for Henry, her years of dedication to the music and its practitioners informing their choices. She has been a great help to me during the last couple years of my research, and while she and I have had several disagreements on what constitutes good music, I have never known anyone more dedicated, more ready to stand up for herself and for what she believes, than Margaret.
BTW, nice to see Tom jumping in to help out the ESP-contracted musicians! Nice new album, Tom! I hope payment is made, as I've heard a few things from the musicians I wish I'd never heard. For Burton Greene to come out on a reissue and justify Bernard's failure to pay the musicians based on world-wide exposure is in poor taste at best. Please, anyone at ESP following this, treat the artists right!
I have to say I am really enjoying Henry's duo with Rashied, (Great notes, Marc!). Henry is playing absolutely great on it, I wouldn't call it meandering, I'd call it taking their time - as musicians that age tend to do.
It is mostly bass and drums duo, there is a couple great violin interludes and the poetry is short and not bad at all.
His bass playing is solid and creative and very contemporary - it isn't just picking up where he left off, he has certainly made up for lost time.
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