Fire Music

"Some of the most exciting jazz albums to listen to are those that try to strike a middle ground between 'mainstream' and 'avant-garde'. One such example is this often-fascinating album, rich in compositional and improvisational prowess. Employing a sextet including drummer Joe Chambers and alto saxophonist Marion Brown, Shepp puts together a record that is both challenging and accessible to most listeners. "Fire Music"s masterpiece is undoubtedly Hambone. This multi-part composition's highlights are the opening theme, Ted Cursons complex trumpet musings and a bluesy section featuring a tough and funky solo by Brown. The tracks momentum is maintained with the thematically dense Los Olvidados which features another sterling contribution by Curson. Then there's a spoken word tribute to Malcolm X, featuring bassist David Izenzon and drummer J.C. Moses. Concluding the album is a bizarre version of The Girl from Ipanema. An album that belongs in any serious jazz collection." (Robert Gilbert, AllAboutJazz)