HOWARD RILEY TRIO – DISCUSSIONS, Opportunity 2499, 33 1/3 rpm (UK), 1968

edition of 99 copies!

 

this is quite a rare gem…. one of the most sought after Lps in the european free jazz circles…. we kid you NOT!

an amazing document with Howard Riley on the piano… a very young Barry Guy  on the double bass ( his first recording on 12″ format..) and the amazing Jon Hiseman on drums! The amazing cover with the far out action inc drawing, pasted on the cardboard and the music sits very very well together. a perfect FIT! a MATCH!

The music is very interesting form many perspectives and of course complety great .– a mix of jazz influenced piano trio playing a la Paul Bley and some more advanced European contemporary music shapes and forms. At the same time very free and loose, but also quite restrained and hold back… a perfect balance of creative musics.

There is also a Japanese editions of this amazing record, made in two alternative covers, one white ( as the original) and one reverse black version. the two covers came together with one piece of vinyl. The Japanese pressing is hard enough to find, since that one was also made in only 99 copies !!! But the original british pressing is quite impossible nowadays. This one sells for about 2000 USD these days and more , if in good shape.

But first of all… music is extremely interesting, since it is telling a lot what is to come… the whole bristish improv scene…. and this record is still resting on the jazz tradition… just in between the two genres. and that makes it such an amazing historical and musical document! You can hear traces of what Barry Guy will explore 10 years later in his solo playing…. but also reminaissance of the great bass playing by Scott LaFaro and Gary Peacock.

This vinyl is an ALL TIME favourite!!! AMAZING!!!!

 

Howard Riley – piano

Barry Guy – bass

jon Hiseman – drums