CD ECM Records Charlie Haden, Carla Bley: The Ballad Of The Fallen

1983

Charlie Haden - bas
Carla Bley - pian, glockenspiel, aranjamente
Don Cherry - trompetaSharon Freeman French Horn
Mick Goodrick - chitara
Jack Jeffers - tuba
Michael Mantler - trompeta
Paul Motian - tobe, percutie
Jim Pepper - saxofoane, flaut
Dewey Redman - saxofon tenor
Steve Slagle - saxofoane, clarinet, flaut
Gary Valente - trombon

The second recording by Charlie Haden's Liberation Music Orchestra utilizes a few alumni (the bassist/leader, trumpeters Don Cherry and Mike Mantler, tenor saxophonist Dewey Redman, drummer Paul Motian and pianist Carla Bley), along with other musicians who rose to prominence since the 1969 debut album (Jim Pepper and Steve Slagle on reeds, trombonist Gary Valante, guitarist Mick Goodrick, Sharon Freeman on French horn, and Jack Jeffers on tuba). As with the first set, the music mixes together some melodic but avant-garde explorations with revolutionary themes including songs from the Spanish Civil War, El Salvador, Portugal and Chile. "Too Late," a duet by Bley and Haden, serves as a change of pace. The music is quite credible and emotional, and has dated well. [ AllMusic ]

in 1982 Charlie Haden recorded the second Liberation Music Orchestra studio album, Ballad of the Fallen. As in the first album he included songs from the Spanish Civil War but this time, reflecting on the Reagan Administration activities in South America, he added songs from El Salvador, Chile, and a Portuguese song associated with the early 70s resistance movement he met a decade earlier. At the back of the album he featured a painting by a Salvadorian refugee with the following inscription: “No to US intervention. Yankee invader out of El Salvador – Our only crime is that we are poor – we are tired of so many bullets sent by Ronald Reagan.”. Well said. More on this in an excellent interview Jazz Legend Charlie Haden on His Life, His Music and His Politics

Ballad of the Fallen is the album I like the most in LMO’s recorded output. There is something very melancholic yet hopeful in these Spanish and South American melodies, and Carla Bley’s arrangements do them a great service. Of course it helps that the ensemble is made of some of the greatest free jazz musicians of the time: Don Cherry, Michael Mantler, Jim Pepper, Dewey Redman, Gary Valente, Paul Motian and others. The rhythmic understanding between Motian and Haden is psychic. For decades they were one of the best rhythm units in Jazz, playing with Keith Jarrett’s American quartet and on various albums such as Etudes. Bill Frisell has a nice memory of playing with the two: “The first gig I did with Charlie Haden was at Seventh Ave. South with The Liberation Music Orchestra. The stage was tiny. There wasn’t enough room. Somehow I managed to squeeze in underneath the drums between Paul Motian and Charlie. The bass was 3 inches from one ear, the cymbals 3 inches from my other. I’ll never forget that. What a sound. It was paradise. Talk about STEREO.”

The outbursts of free improvisation throughout the album contrast the beautiful songs and add a confrontational side of protest to the music. After all the issues at hand do piss off these musicians. In a surprising move Downbeat Magazine selected Ballad of the Fallen as Jazz album of the year in 1984. ECM was a favorite label on the magazine in the early 80s. The Art Ensemble Of Chicago – Full Force won in 1981 and Old and New Dreams – Playing in 1982.
[ musicaficionado.blog ]