SPEAK HIGH

“SPEAK LOW” is Walter Bishop Jr.’s first album in 1961, which is very popular in Japan, especially for the traditional Jazz cafe’s playing.

Walter Bishop Jr. (p)

Jimmy Garrison (b)

G.T.Hogan (ds)

His carrier is really in mainstream,like collaboration with Art Blakey, Miles Davis (DIG, 1951), Kenny Dorham, Curtis Fuller, Milt Jackson, Hank Mobrey and so on, and so on.

However, this post is not for the mainstream (called in Japan as “modern jazz), but for FUSION.

SOUL VILLAGE in 1977

Walter Bishop Jr.(key)

Randy Brecker (tp)

George Young (ss,as)

Gerry Niewood (ts,fl)

Steve Khan (g)

Mark Egan (b)

Ed Soph (ds)

Victoria Berdy (perc)

It is natural that every person has his individual preference in listening, and I am afraid many of WALTER BISHOP JR.mainstream loving people are not so positive for “SOUL VILLAGE”.

However, I like both. Or much for SOUL VILLAGE.

Because, at that time I was 17 years old, and in the days to be deeply impressed with big wave of FUSION. Usually in the age of high teens and early 20s are most sensitive in his life!

Listening to SOUL VILLAGE could brought me to my GOLDEN AGE easily !!

Every each player is performing with high passion in the red zone. Just to say privately, I am impacted in Mark Egan (b) and Victoria Berdy (perc). Mark Egan is clearly influenced by JACO PASTRIOUS, and it reminds me of GIL EVANS LIVE AT SWEET BASIL (in 1985). Like it very much !!

In fact they are SPEAKING HIGH !!