DAVE LIEBMAN

DAVE LIEBMAN
HOMAGE TO JOHN COLTRANE (1987)
224-256 KBPS

Saxophonist Dave Liebman, who accompanied Miles Davis on some cult recordings (On The Corner, Get Up With It, Dark Magus), has never kept secret his passion towards John Coltrane, what's more, He plays the same instruments, tenor and soprano saxophone. In 1985, Liebman paid his first tribute to Trane on Naima, recorded with pianist Richard Beirach. Two years later, for the 20th anniversary of the death of his idol, he did it again. First on Homage To John Coltrane, recorded in New York for the french label Owl, then on Tribute To John Coltrane with Wayne Shorter, Richard Beirach, Eddie Gomez et Jack DeJohnette. If Liebman mostly plays the soprano saxophone here, the originality of this album is mainly its construction in two distinctive parts of five songs each. The first part is an entirely acoustic hommage (with Jim McNeely on piano, Eddie Gomez on double bass, Adam Nussbaum on drums & Caris Visentin on oboe), while the other, even more surprising but just as satisfying, is electric (Bob Moses, Caris Visentin, Jim Beard on synthesisers, Mark Egan on electric bass guitar). Either of both parts displays a vibrant and emotional tribute to Coltrane while never trying to copy him. A classic!

1 Untitled Original 5:16
2 Crescent 4:57
3 Love 8:20
4 Joy/Selflessness 5:42
5 After the Rain 3:37
6 India 7:54
7 Welcome 7:03
8 Mr. Day 6:09
9 Dear Lord 2:40
10 Dahomey Dance 4:25

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