Staying In The Game

Anderson, Fred
Engine Studios
Jazz | Jul 2009

Reviews

Fo
Reviewed 2009-08-30
FRED ANDERSON: Staying in the Game
Engine Studios, 2009

AVANT-BOP – Anderson, an icon of Chicago’s free-bop sound at age 80, continues to turn out fresh, vigorous and inventive tenor sax lines in this lo-fi trio recording, made late last year with bassist Harrison Bankhead and drummer Tim Daisy. Bass is wonderfully varied but sometimes buried in the mix; drums have a wide, enveloping sound.

* * * * | All good. Fo’s Picks: 2, 4, 5, 6

1. 24:38 – relaxed bop stroll, ever so gradually heats up; clusters of sax notes over thick walking rhythm… cooking by the halfway point; collapses for excellent bass solo with 8:00 to go, ramps back up swiftly at end.
2. 8:21 – duet gets busy: firm sax statements spar with dense bass scribbles
3. 10:50 – trio rumbles ‘n’ rolls, maintains a steady level; sax has lots to say
4. 6:40 – soothing kalimba/bass & melodic sax, flutters about, then gentle walk
5. 6:13 – duo: hot sax, chattering percolation over rumbling drums
6. 10:22 – rich solo drum patter, joined by scribbly arco bass, calming sax… meditative over turbulence, fine three-way interplay

[ Fo ] 08/30/09

Recent airplay

Changes In Bodies And Tones
Sunday Afternoon
Springing Winter
Memory SelectOct 27, 2009
Springing Winter
Music CasseroleOct 17, 2009
Sunday Afternoon
Wandering
No Cover, No MinimumOct 09, 2009

Charting

2009-08-30 — 2009-11-01 Jazz
Week EndingAirplays
Nov 1 3
Oct 18 2
Oct 11 1
Oct 4 2
Sep 13 1
Sep 6 1

Track listing

1. Sunday Afternoon
2. The Elephant And The Bee
3. 60 Degrees In November
4. Wandering
5. Springing Winter
6. Changes In Bodies And Tones