''Gaia'' is an album by American jazz pianist

Marilyn Crispell Marilyn Crispell (born March 30, 1947) is an American jazz pianist and composer. Scott Yanow described her as "a powerful player... who has her own way of using space... She is near the top of her field." Jon Pareles of The New York Times wrot ...

, which was recorded in 1987 and released on the English

Leo Leo or Léo may refer to: Acronyms * Law enforcement officer * Law enforcement organisation * ''Louisville Eccentric Observer'', a free weekly newspaper in Louisville, Kentucky * Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity Arts an ...

label.Marilyn Crispell Sessionography by Rick Lopez
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Reception

'' The Wires 1988 critics poll listed ''Gaia'' as one of the best albums of that year. The editors wrote: "Named for the Greek Goddess of the Earth, GAIA affirms the power of the life-force in fierce, joyous music that is both sexual and spiritual..." In his review for

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

, Thom Jurek states "''Gaia'' is too fragmented to be marketed as a single work, its editing is sloppy and incoherent, and the improvising here - by a trio that would later stun live audiences with its empathy and near telepathic communication - is too stilted and rudimentary." '' The Penguin Guide to Jazz'' says that "''Gaia'' is one of the finest composition/improvisation records of the '80s, a hymn to the planet that is neither mawkish nor sentimental, but tough-minded, coherent and entire."

Track listing

''All compositions by Marilyn Crispell'' # "Gaia" – 39:40

Personnel

–

piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...

harp The harp is a stringed musical instrument that has a number of individual strings running at an angle to its soundboard; the strings are plucked with the fingers. Harps can be made and played in various ways, standing or sitting, and in orche ...

percussion A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Exc ...

* Reggie Workman -

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass gui ...

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...

, percussion *Doug James - drums, percussion

References

{{Authority control 1988 albums Marilyn Crispell albums Leo Records albums