Quiet Fire

by Alex HendersonA Roy Haynes CD that incorporates funk, soul, rock, and pop elements and includes electric keyboards and electric bass? In the generally conservative jazz climate of the 21st century -- a time when Wynton Marsalis and his equally rigid associates enjoy way too much influence -- the assumption is that a CD by someone of Haynes' caliber shouldn't be anything less than 100 percent purist in its outlook. But Haynes, truth be told, has long been versatile -- his resumé includes everyone from Pat Metheny to Lester "The Pres" Young -- and Quiet Fire reflects the veteran drummer's admirable diversity. Quiet Fire reissues two Galaxy LPs (1977's Thank You Thank You and 1978's Vistalite) back to back on a 77-minute CD. Haynes was in his early fifties when the albums were recorded, and he was obviously open to trying a variety of things. Parts of Quiet Fire are essentially straight-ahead post-bop, including Stanley Cowell's reflective "Sweet Song" and a hard-swinging version of Bronislaw Kaper's "Invitation." But a poppier, more R&B-influenced Haynes asserts himself on funky offerings like "Venus Eyes" and "Water Children" -- a Haynes who gives the impression that he's hip to Grover Washington, Jr., the Crusaders, Tom Scott, Charles Earland, Ronnie Laws, and other jazz-funksters of the '70s. At their best, all of those artists exemplified tasteful commercialism back then -- and Haynes brings a similar mentality to the more commercial parts of Quiet Fire. Haynes was definitely reaching out to soul, rock, and pop audiences at the time, but he did it with integrity; he never stooped to playing the sort of abysmal, mind-numbing elevator music that dominates today's NAC/smooth jazz formats. This CD is mildly uneven -- some of the tunes are more memorable than others -- but all things considered, Quiet Fire paints an attractive picture of Haynes in 1977 and 1978.