Henry Grimes Trio - Live at the Kerava Jazz Festival

Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG Newsletter

HENRY GRIMES TRIO - Featuring Henry Grimes on contrabass, David Murray on tenor sax & bass clarinet, and Hamid Drake on drums. There is no better fairy tale in the legends of free jazz than the triumphant return of contrabassist supreme Henry Grimes, after his thirty-year absence and rumours of his demise. This is only Henry's second date as a leader; his first was on ESP in the mid-sixties, besides the hundreds of historic sessions he did with Albert Ayler, Don Cherry, Cecil Taylor and Sonny Rollins.
This is also his second record date since his return, the first was Dennis Gonzalez' 'Nile River Suite'.

For this fabulous live date, recorded in Finland in June of last year, Henry selected an incredible all-star trio - the mighty David Murray on tenor sax & bass clarinet and perhaps everyone's favourite drummer and percussion hero - Hamid Drake. Each one a leader and an incredible musician on his own.
Both William Parker, another bass legend, and Ben Young, jazz scholar & radio host have contributed some fine liner notes. This great trio toured Europe last year and this date is/was the fruit of their labours.

This is an immensely powerful and intensely creative trio, so focused as one strong and liberating force, the recording also is perfectly balanced, so that each member of this grand trio is one equal part. Nice to hear David Murray playing with that fierce and unquenchable spirit, digging deep and unleashing those sheets of notes. Henry and Hamid are also locked together in rhythmic flight, pumping, pushing and pulling, swinging hard yet free.

Over an hour and consistently splendid throughout. Welcome back Mr. Henry Grimes, we love you and we missed you!