Search - David Murray :: Death of a Sideman

Although saxophone giant David Murray has made far more famous albums than Death of a Sideman, this 1991 session deserves consideration alongside Special Quartet as one of Murray's most stupendous outings. The music's not Murray's; it was written by cornetist Bobby Bradford and dedicated to the brassman's late friend and collaborator, clarinetist John Carter. Bradford wrote Sideman as a suite, with episodic opening, peaking moments of energy, and bustling, blues-lit romps. What's more, Bradford's behind the cornet throughout, joined by Murray's sky-high-then-valley-low tenor and bass clarinet, Fred Hopkins's elastic bass, and the late, great Ed Blackwell's whisper-soft-then-thunder-loud drumming. Bradford's tunes are linear and rich with bounce, like his early work with Carter. Murray adds mounds of gusto and potency without budging on the mellow side--where he gets tender enhancements from Blackwell. For fans of anyone in this special quartet (expanded to a quintet when Dave Burrell sits in on piano for three tracks), it's a not-to-miss session. --Andrew Bartlett