Archie Shepp, still merrily blowing his sax at 81, was fifty years ago or so a veritable mage of black musical expression who drew on African music, New Orleans jazz, and rhythm and blues, while he developed a trademark guttural, blistering style. A towering figure in American music and ethnic consciousness, he has been a bold, soulful innovator in his time like Sonny Rollins. This 5 Original Albums anthology in its neat slipcase is as good a place to start as any.
Recorded in just one day, on February 29, 1968, The Way Ahead is probably the most adventurous album in the pack, and the first one you should listen to. It will wake you up if it’s Saturday morning, that’s for sure.
The influence of Charlie Mingus is clear as a skyscraper on a blue morning as the record opens with the bluesy, honking Damn If I Know (The Stroller), composed by Walter Davis Jr, piano-player on the album. Suffice to say that Shepp blows like a powerhouse. Frankenstein continues the shuddering, stonking, jittery trajectory as the musical behemoth careers through a Babel of exhilarating sound.
Also on board this rolling thunder unit are regular Shepp sideman, Grachan Moncur 111 on trombone, the legendary Ron Carter on bass, Beaver Harris and Roy Haynes alternating on drums, with trumpeter Jimmy Owens, Charles Davis on baritone sax, Dave Burrell on piano, and Walter Booker on bass completing the long-tailed line-up. The other fine albums gathered here include Four for Trane from 1964, Mama Too Tight (1966) On This Night (1965) and Fire Music from the same year. Highly recommended and Archie - no slouch - plays piano too on the eponymous On This Night tune.
