''Low Blue Flame'' is an album by drummer

Andrew Cyrille Andrew Charles Cyrille (born November 10, 1939) is an American avant-garde jazz drummer. Throughout his career, he has performed both as a leader and a sideman in the bands of Walt Dickerson and Cecil Taylor, among others. AllMusic biographe ...

. It was recorded in January 2005 at Kampo Studios in New York City, and was released by Tum Records in 2006. On the album, Cyrille is joined by saxophonist

Greg Osby Greg Osby (born August 3, 1960) is an American saxophonist and composer. Biography Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Osby studied at Howard University, then at the Berklee College of Music. He moved to New York City in 1982, where he played with Jaki ...

. Cyrille and Osby met backstage after sharing a bill at a festival in France, and first performed publicly at Tonic in New York City in early 2004.

Reception

Brandt Reiter, in an article for

All About Jazz ''All About Jazz'' is a website established by Michael Ricci in 1995. A volunteer staff publishes news, album reviews, articles, videos, and listings of concerts and other events having to do with jazz. Ricci maintains a related site, ''Jazz Near ...

, stated that the album is characterized by "melodic improvisation within a tight compositional framework, with intensity coming not from highflying pyrotechnics but synchronized, concentrated searching." He commented: "Rarely does Osby resort to the honks and squeals one would expect from this type of encounter, instead using his trademark lacerating tone to plumb the depths of each number... Cyrille's resources are seemingly limitless, his instincts uncanny and his choices startlingly right. He is, in short, magnificent and anyone interested in the varietal possibilities of the drums would do well to check out this disc." A writer for The Free Jazz Collective commented: "when two of today's greatest jazz musicians play together, fireworks are the result. The veteran free jazz drummer demonstrates what experience and rhythmic creativity mean for music, while young alto and soprano saxophonist Greg Osby's warm and broad pallette really flourishes in this free and dynamic environment... anyone interested in drums and sax should have a close listen at how these two artists bring musical interaction to an almost sublime level... Another wonderful record which has almost gone unnoticed. Don't miss it." A Squidco reviewer wrote: "Theirs is a mix of intricate improvisations and blues based riff work with a strong compositional sense amidst creative and advanced playing. A great and interesting perspective on traditional form and modern composition."

Track listing

# "Equalatogram" (Osby) - 3:05 # "Work" (

Thelonious Monk Thelonious Sphere Monk (, October 10, 1917 – February 17, 1982) was an American jazz pianist and composer. He had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including " 'Round Midnight", "B ...

) - 4:24 # "With You In Mind (Instrumental)" (Cyrille) - 3:30 # "Cyrille In Motion" (Osby) - 5:38 # "No. 11" (Cyrille) - 8:22 # "Noodle" (Osby) - 3:29 # "Striation" (Cyrille) - 4:28 # "With You In Mind (Recital)" (Cyrille) - 3:47 # "Low Blue Flame" (Cyrille) - 6:20 # "Pop Pop" (Osby) - 3:22 # "Concepticus" (Osby) - 3:33 # "The Music In Us" (Cyrille) - 7:48 # "Roscoe" (Cyrille) - 3:46

Personnel

– drums *

– alto saxophone, soprano saxophone

References

{{Reflist 2006 albums Andrew Cyrille albums