Search - Ehrlich's Traveler's Tales :: Malinke's Dance

A Living Music

D. Peterson | Orem, Utah United States | 12/16/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"At first glance this album would seem to have less potential than the "usual" Ehrlich album. For one thing, it features relatively unknown tenorist Tony Malaby instead of Ehrlich's longtime tenorman Stan Strickland. Also it has Jerome Harris playing acoustic bass guitar- certainly an unusual choice. But this album reveals new facets to Ehrlich's already distinctive creative voice. The big reason to pick up this album is for Tony Malaby's solos and his interaction with Ehrlich. Their fiery solos on the title track alone are worth the price of the album. Malaby brings an enormous tone to his tenor, along with an altissimo reminiscent of Pharoah Sanders and an aggressive yet melodic conception all his own. As usual, Ehrlich comes at this with a polished intelligence, though he can rip off blisteringly intense solos like the best of them. Jerome Harris' acoustic bass guitar makes the music more riff-oriented than Ehrlich's quartet with Strickland and drummer Bobby Previte grooves, swings, and explodes like only the top percussionist of the New York scene could. Highlights for me are the incredible title track, the Middle Eastern flute-tenor blend of "The Cry Of," and a remake of Ehrlich's profoundly rootsy blues "Willy Whippoorwill." If you buy an album by this tremendous artist, you should start with his classic "Can You Hear a Motion," but any album will do."