Equal Interest is an album by Equal Interest, a collaborative project by saxophonist Joseph Jarman, pianist Myra Melford and violinist Leroy Jenkins, which was recorded in 1999 and released on the OmniTone label.[1][2][3]

Equal Interest
Studio album by
Released1999
RecordedAugust 2 & 3, 1999
StudioSear Sound, New York City
GenreJazz
Length59:13
LabelOmniTone
12001
ProducerFrank Tafuri, Equal Interest
Joseph Jarman chronology
Return of the Lost Tribe
(1998)
Equal Interest
(1999)
Lifetime Vision Orchestra: Vision Festival 2002
(2002)
Leroy Jenkins chronology
Solo
(1998)
Equal Interest
(1999)
The Art of Improvisation
(2004)
Myra Melford chronology
Above Blue
(1999)
Equal Interest
(1999)
Dance Beyond the Color
(2000)

The three musicians first came together during an AACM concert, after which they participated in the recording of the album Out of the Mist. According to Jenkins, during a rehearsal, they discussed continuing as a trio, and Muhal Richard Abrams proposed the name Equal Interest.[4]

Reception

edit
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic     [5]

In his review for AllMusic, Michael G. Nastos states: "these three brilliant musicians come together in continually surprising ways. The depth of their collective spirituality is most impressive, but the music virtually bursts with passion and vibrancy ... Following up the prelude to this recording, Out of the Mist (Ocean), this trio has exploded into a most impressive improvising unit that will hopefully continue to bring us miracles like this highly recommended CD".[5]

Writing for the Cleveland Scene, Aaron Steinberg commented: "this eponymous debut from Equal Interest keeps a surprisingly meditative mood throughout. Difficult free music gestures are skillfully submerged in airy themes and folkish melodies, unison passages, and regular pulses. And even when one of the three musicians takes a solo into outer space, the other two temper the sound with defiantly sweet and calming accompaniment."[6]

In a review for JazzTimes, Peter Margasak wrote: "Rarely has the phrase 'sum of its parts' applied so accurately to an all-star jazz gathering as it does to Equal Interest... On its eponymous debut the group doesn't merely pool its collective experience... but it brings a startlingly wide world of sounds to the table. While members of the AACM routinely trafficked nonchalantly in diverse styles, the range delivered by Equal Interest is stunning nonetheless, adding to the expected fusion of jazz, boogie woogie and blues with a complement of international sounds that never sounds like a lazy hodgepodge."[7]

Track listing

edit
  1. "B'pale Night" (Leroy Jenkins) – 6:19
  2. "Rondo for Jenny" (Joseph Jarman) – 7:13
  3. "Over This/Living Music" (Myra Melford) – 10:46
  4. "Poem Song" (Jarman) – 13:24
  5. "In the Moment" (Jenkins) – 6:05
  6. "The Beauty We Love" (Melford) – 5:30
  7. "Everything Today" (Melford) – 3:36
  8. "Apricots from Eden ("Sourmaloui Jerk")" (Traditional Armenian) – 6:20

Personnel

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ Joseph Jarman discography, accessed January 16, 2018
  2. ^ Jazzlists: OmniTone Records discography, accessed January 16, 2018
  3. ^ Myra Melford: biography, accessed January 16, 2018
  4. ^ Tafuri, Frank (2018). "Interviews with the members of Equal Interest". OmniTone Records. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  5. ^ a b Nastos, Michael G.. Equal Interest – Equal Interest: Review at AllMusic. Retrieved January 16, 2018.
  6. ^ Steinberg, Aaron (April 27, 2000). "Equal Interest". Cleveland Scene. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  7. ^ Margasak, Peter (July 1, 2000). "Equal Interest: Equal Interest". JazzTimes. Retrieved January 18, 2022.