Milford Graves - Bäbi

 

This is the epitome of Free Jazz, the record to end all records, the Alpha and Omega, the limits of Jazz. Honestly, it's THAT good. Of course, I can't deny it has sentimental value to me, as this is the first (or at least the one I remeber the most) Free Jazz, or more clearly, Jazz record I have ever listened and liked. It's extreme, very furious, but keep in mind, I came from a Extreme Metal background, the first Punk record I've ever gave a shit about was Orchid - Chaos Is Me, so there couldn't be a better intriduction to the genre than Bäbi. I mean, yes, I knew about John Zorn and Naked City, but that never really struck with me. I don't know, maybe that had too much outside influences? Can't really explain it, as even to this day I don't enjoy Naked City that much. But anyway, Bäbi is, I feel, the furthest you can take Jazz and still make it sound like Jazz, without falling into non-idiomatic improvisation.

Milford Graves is one of the greatest (and my absolute favorite) Jazz drummers. He elevates Percussion playing to another whole, personal, level. With an impressive currriculum, including the New York Art Quartet, Paul Bley, Giuseppi Logan (one of my favorite Sax players, which I should post here soon), Albert Ayler, Sonny Sharrock, among many others (also the aforementioned John Zorn). The guy has also an impressive life story, worth reading into (there's also a documentary, which I'm yet to see). 

Bäbi is his first solo record, featuring, besides himself on drums/percussion and vocals, a line-up of two sax players, Arthur Doyle and Hugh Glover, and that's it. Recorded live in New York, the trio tears it up almost non-stop from beggining to end. Half an hour of furious Sax skronk and all-over-the-place percussion assault. Seriously, it's a battle between the two horns to decide who can keep it the longest. But even so, all that noise becomes a backdrop for Grave's percussion to take center stage. He utilizes the whole kit, all the time, no space is left blank, always busy. But the concert is not without dynamics, you have room to breath, and diversity. After the first four minutes of furious Jazz noodling, everything is interrupted briefly by Grave's solo vocal performance, which is as free and unhinged as the rest of the instrumentation, and makes more appearances throughout the performance. Another noteworthy moment, during the later half of the last song, is Grave's percussion and voice solo, featuring some more interesting vocalizations and singing, and even some gong. I suspect some minor Japanese influence, considering the fact that, on the next year, he recorded and released his second solo record, in Japan, which features the amazing Kaoru Abe. You should track that one down too. Meanwhile, groove to this one here.