Free At Last
Mal Waldron
- 1Rat Now
10:15 - 2Balladina
05:01 - 31-3-234
04:01 - 4Rock My Soul
11:23 - 5Willow Weep For Me
07:31 - 6Boo
03:25
ECM’s Records’ 50th anniversary culminates with its 1969 first release, with former Billie Holiday piano accompanist Mal Waldron’s ‘Free At Last’. It’s inimitably gritty, unsentimental piano trio improvising, but with Spartan melodies always uppermost, despite the title.
John Fordham, The Guardian
This is a hugely welcome re-issue, and would be a welcome addition to anyone’s collection who has not previously heard this remarkable music. This was the fledgling ECM’s very first recording, and how perceptive was Manfred Eicher to record Waldron at this juncture in his career and in a setting that was pretty new to the pianist, at one where he was preparing to meet some demons head on. […] This newly released 2LP set presents the original album on sides 1 and 2, with the ‘extended edition’ being previously unreleased takes on sides 3 and 4. Recorded fifty years ago the music stands the test of time extremely well. Uncanny how Eicher manages to get it spot on with his first release, and this music is testament to his unwavering belief and self discipline. Kicking off with ‘Rat Now’ by Mal Waldron, all the material was written by the pianist with the exception of ‘Willow Weep For Me’, the trio get things off to a most satisfying start, and over the course of ten minutes drive things along at a fair clip but always focused on the material. […] Released late on in the year, but pretty much essential listening. Highly recommended to those that have heard the originally released album, and a must have purchase for anyone new to this first and important in the ECM catalogue.
Nick Lea, Jazz Views
‘Mal Waldron Trio Free At Last Expanded Edition’ is another significant achievement for ECM. The sound quality of the re-mastered vinyl is superb (kudos to original engineer Kurt Rapp and producers Manfred Eicher and Manfred Scheffner). There is a palpable intimacy to the music. The instrumental precision of piano, drums and double bass is rendered with a delicate touch. The overall mix is balanced and the instruments blend organically. The gatefold packaging is lavish, especially the stunning black and white cover by Rufus Vedder.
Robbie Gerson, Audiophile Audition
A fresh opportunity to enjoy its taut sound and angular rhythms. But it’s also a chance to reflect on ECM itself, which, under the perspicacious guidance of producer Manfred Eicher, has become one of the world’s most important music imprints.
DW, The Boston Globe
Manche mögen sich hier die Ohren reiben, den was man hört, ist keineswegs der typische ECM-Sound, jene Klangästhetik, die das Label berühmt machen wird, sondern ziemlich kantiger Trio-Jazz, der echte Free-Passagen bereithält (die gleichwohl – wie Waldron zu Protokoll gibt – durchdacht und organisiert sind). Aber ‘Free At Last’ ist eben auch ein Beleg dafür, wie offen ECM für Musik aller Couleur war und ist. Jetzt mit den vollständigen Versionen der Stücke, die damals wegen des Fassungsvermögens einzelner Plattenseiten gekürzt werden mussten, unveröffentlichten Sessionfotos und Texten als Extended Edition. Hinreißend und nur auf Vinyl!
Tilman Urbach, Jazzthing
Its explorative nature and sense of abstraction would go on to become a crucial component in ECM’s ethos. What’s unique about this particular reissue is that Eicher – who rarely offers additional material on ECM’s reissues – has unearthed an LP’s worth of fascinating, previously unheard, alternate takes.
Charles Waring, Record Collector
This reissue, a handsomely packaged gatefold double album, underlines the vital input of African-Americans in the ECM story, but perhaps more importantly, it makes the essential point that Waldron was a piano great who we ignore at our peril […] ‘Free At Last’ was an explicit reference to the free jazz movement but with the caveat that Waldron heard structure rather than chaos in the controversial approach of some of his peers […] as he shows with the fine reprise of ‘Willow Weep For Me’, Waldron still knew how to bring a ballad to life, as if Billie remained his guiding light, an angel perched on his shoulder.
Kevin Le Gendre, Echoes
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