Borgmann/Morris/Charles - "The Last Concert - Dankeschon"

[Steve Reynolds]

recorded live in Germany on March 6th, 1998

on silkheart (SHCD 151)

Thomas Borgmann - tenor, soprano, sopranino saxophones and egyptian double flute
Wilber Morris - bass
Denis Charles - drums

twenty days later, Denis Charles was gone

don't let the variety of horns after Borgmann's name mislead you - he is primarily a tenor player - and maybe he should be just a tenor player. Strong playing throught out the hour plus set (broken down into 2 long half plus pieces concluded with a short improvisation

This is music steeped in the tradition of the 1960's free blowing with a tenor player whose strongest attribute is a full strong sound. Nothing spectacular from the saxophonist - he is an able bodied player who has obviously listened to quite a bit of Trane and the rest of the originators and practitioners of what might now be called an idiom - some overblowing here and there - fairly standard stuff if it wasn't for others

and parts of the 35 minute "Bird Bath" with Thomas fooling around on his alternate horns have these ears listening to what's worth listening to

to one of the most rippin' rhythm teams one could ever hope to hear

Wilber Morris is a very powerfull player as many of you know - and he is recorded as well as one would hope in the sax-bass-drums format. Morris and Charles have a long history that results in a bass-drums combination that is as good as it gets

why?

Because Denis Charles sounds like a man possesed - swing?

unlike Ed Blackwell's final recordings where his health had deteriorated to the point that the technique was still there - but the power and vitality was gone, Denis Charles saved one of the greatest performances for this concdrt - the first 10 minutes or so features the boom boom boom thatgives him a unique and powerfull swing - me thinks this is the guy that few talk about who could lay down a groove like no one else - I know Walter loves him (and Morris) who else has heard these otherwise fairly standard sax-bass-drums trio recordings (the other I know is Boom Swing - this one is quite a bit better - maybe mostly due to the great balance of the recording - and the off the hook ROAR of the *great* Denis Charles.

If you've only heard Denis on the early Cecil Taylor dates, this musician is a horse of another garage - part of it is the drums sound that will have the listener thinking that the drummer might, in fact, actually be in the room

could listen to the man play his sometimes minimalistic - and often seemingly ancient and seemingly almost crude style all day long - as the man was a natural - who along with Blackwell, is my favorite drummer for this free-swinging free jazz







Nasty and Sweet, baby

[Jesse]

[QUOTE]

Originally Posted by Steve Reynolds

... who else has heard these otherwise fairly standard sax-bass-drums trio recordings...

I placed Charles on the 10 great drummers thread last month.

Listening as I type to Lacy/Boykins/Charles, Capers, 1979.

Don't know the sessions cited, Steve. You do have Capers?...

[Jon Abbey]

Steve, have you heard the Silkheart under Charles' name, Queen Mary? I was really into the Silkheart stuff when it came out, and that was maybe my favorite one, pick it up if you don't have it (and if it's still around).

[MRS]

It's NY Capers & Quirks.

[Steve Reynolds]

I have the Lacy album - good record - but Denis doesn't get the groove going as strong as on "free jazz" albums like the above - still fine playing by Charles - but not the balls out excitement I really like

havn't heard Queen Mary - but I love Denis' "Captain of the Deep" on eremite

but for some reason, it has disappeared in the pre-move mess.....

[Jesse]

Ahem, no, it is Capers, released on vinyl in '79. Saw this trio then.
You are referring to the Hat re-issue, NY Capers & Quirks, from '99.

[Steve Reynolds]

oops

back in the day, I was firaly infamous on these boards for having no turntable and certainly no jazz LP's

same is true today

Hubbard would never let me forget it

[walto]

I too am a BIG Dennis Charles fan....but if I can find my "Captain of the Deep" CD, I'll send it to you, Steve. PM me your address.

[JaSt]

Originally Posted by Jon Abbey

Steve, have you heard the Silkheart under Charles' name, Queen Mary? I was really into the Silkheart stuff when it came out, and that was maybe my favorite one, pick it up if you don't have it (and if it's still around).

It is still available, on CD. From Cadence or www.silkheart.se

[Steve Reynolds]

c'mon people - listen to the *great* Denis Charles

[Uli]

ok Steve. I am not gonna hold it against you too much that Denis Charles is a dead person. Have you heard Wiberforce, Wilber Morris' release with Charles and David Murray?

[Steve Reynolds]

no - always wanted to - isn't it on DIW?