I’m always listening to music.  True, sometimes it is only in my head, but often the music is being played on some kind of speaker.  I recently moved, and after getting the records out of boxes, I decided to start at letter A and go through the collection alphabetically, no matter how long it takes!  It’s taking a long time.  I have loved hearing Albert Ayler records (Spiritual Unity is my fave, although Bells and Witches & Devils are both incredible too), John Abercrombie records (the band with Richie Beirach and George Mraz was amazing – as good, or dare I say better than Gateway?), and Willie “Loco” Alexander records (and the Boom Boom Band – they rock!), among many other things.  The current batch includes three Gato Barbieri records, and what with his name not being so “household,” I figured I would send him some props.  Therefore:

• Third World is absolutely great.  This is around my favorite period in Charlie Haden’s very fantastic career, the arranging is great, everyone plays great, fantastic production…  It’s just one of those all around great – exploratory – albums.  Naturally, you can only get it as an import, or on LP.
• Under Fire sounds, to me, like a Pharaoh Sanders album.  But instead of starting with jazz/R&B, Gato’s record starts with South American musics.  And the band is pretty much right off a Sanders album.  Stanley Clarke sounds particularly fantastic (another case of favorite period…)  Also only available as an import, or on LP.
• Latino America, Vol. 1 is also great.  My least favorite of the three, but for no particularly great reason.  Ok, maybe because it’s the least “jazz” sounding one.  As the link suggests, this music – along with other sessions from the time – is available on CD.

I wish Gato would play more.  I also wish that his later music had that same fire, and the same sense of exploration as these early recordings.  This doesn’t mean that recent recordings of his are not exploratory, it just means that in the earlier days, he was still searching.

Oh, and don’t forget his playing on Don Cherry’s Symphony for Improvisers.

Enjoy, R.