Primitive Arkestra Live
Dolphy's Hat
(SLAM)

LED by pianist David Haney, 31 top US jazz musicians took part in five sessions from 2008 to 2013 to create this powerful album invoking the memory of the epochal alto saxophonist Eric Dolphy (1928-1964).
 
Primitive Arkestra is an amalgam of luminous and seasoned musicians with much younger players and taking part in these sessions in New York and Seattle was the late and outstanding trumpeter Roy Campbell, also playing flute, arch-bassist Adam Lane and two trombonists of startling innovative power and experience — slide man Steve Swell and the veteran Julian Priester, a duo partner of Haney.

Dolphy's Hat, primarily ensemble pieces, has less emphasis on solo work and opener Rutless Opening has bassist Frank Clayton anchoring the rhythm with Oleg Ruvinov's tuba and the palavering instrumental of Priester's trombone, Rosalyn De Roos's airy clarinet, Dan Blunck's guttural tenor and Haney's piano make potent play in Leopard's Boulevard.

The free-flowing L.T. Ruckus has Campbell playing a chirruping flute and the 15 minutes of the title track are earthed by tuba and bass in subterranean beat unison which stops suddenly for Haney and Priester to exchange their notes and narratives.