Solo Live, Vol. 1

by Scott YanowEver since emerging on the scene in 1976, tenor saxophonist David Murray has recorded an enormous number of records. In fact, this album from the Italian Cecma label was already his fourth set of unaccompanied solos. Murray, who doubles here on bass clarinet, tears into five of his originals (best known are "Sweet Lovely" and "Flowers for Albert"). The improvising is quite free, exploratory, and sometimes violent, although there are a few strong melodies. Along with Vol. 2, which is partly from the same Swiss concert, this album is a real rarity.