''The Complete ESP-Disk Recordings'' is a two-CD compilation album by saxophonist Frank Wright. Issued by

ESP-Disk ESP-Disk is a New York-based record company and label founded in 1963 by lawyer Bernard Stollman. History Though it originally existed to release Esperanto-based music, beginning with its second release (Albert Ayler's ''Spiritual Unity''), ESP b ...

in 2005, it contains two studio albums released by the label during the 1960s: ''

Frank Wright Trio ''Frank Wright Trio'' is the debut album by saxophonist Frank Wright. It was recorded in November 1965 in New York City, released by ESP-Disk in 1966, and reissued on CD in 1992. On the album, Wright is joined by bassist Henry Grimes and drummer ...

'', recorded in 1965 and issued in 1966, featuring bassist

Henry Grimes Henry Grimes (November 3, 1935 – April 15, 2020) was an American jazz double bassist and violinist. After more than a decade of activity and performance, notably as a leading bassist in free jazz, Grimes completely disappeared from the music s ...

and drummer Tom Price, and ''

Your Prayer ''Your Prayer'' is the second album by saxophonist Frank Wright. It was recorded in May 1967 in New York City and was released by ESP-Disk later that year. On the album, Wright is joined by saxophonist Arthur Jones, trumpeter Jacques Coursil, ba ...

'', recorded and released in 1967, featuring saxophone Arthur Jones, trumpeter

Jacques Coursil Jacques Coursil (March 31, 1938 – June 26, 2020) was a composer, jazz trumpeter, scholar, and professor of literature, linguistics, and philosophy. Early life Coursil was born in Paris, France, of Martinican parents. At age nine, he began studyi ...

, bassist Steve Tintweiss, and drummer

Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and activist. Nicknamed "The Greatest", he is regarded as one of the most significant sports figures of the 20th century, a ...

. The compilation also features a twelve-part interview with Wright, conducted by ESP-Disk founder

Bernard Stollman Bernard Stollman (July 19, 1929 – April 19, 2015) was an American lawyer and the founder of the ESP-Disk record label. Biography He was born to a Jewish family in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and grew up in Plattsburgh, upstate New York, where ...

Reception

In a 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 ...

, Michael G. Nastos wrote: "An important landmark in the making of new music for this time period, and one that launched Wright on a long journey into progressive jazz up to his death in 1990, this is where it started for him and many others. It's a CD that has to be considered essential in the lexicon of creative improvised African-American music." The authors of ''

The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings ''The Penguin Guide to Jazz'' is a reference work containing an encyclopedic directory of jazz recordings on CD which were (at the time of publication) currently available in Europe or the United States. The first nine editions were compiled by ...

'' stated that the album "at least restores some of the small but neglected Wright canon... It isn't a revelatory reissue, of the kind that can reposition a reputation, but it's a solid body of work that gives some substance to Wright's musicianly reputation." Writing 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 ...

'', Germein Linares commented: "Forty years after their inception, the material... remains remarkably fresh... While Wright was never fully appreciated while he was alive, this release hopes to, at the very least, give a new generation of jazz aficionados a chance to hear his music." AAJ's Clifford Allen noted the "pronounced bar-walking influence" audible in Wright's playing, and remarked "Though these ESP sessions are only an early indicator, Frank Wright was one to get it 'on.'"

Track listing

Disc 1

All compositions by Frank Wright. ;Frank Wright Trio # "The Earth" – 7:52 # "Jerry" – 12:10 # "The Moon" – 14:56 ;Interview #

"Bernard Stollman Meets Frank Wright" – 1:03 # "Recording" – 0:47 # "The Voice of Life" – 1:03 # "Playing with Other Musicians" – 1:45 # "Bernard Advises Frank on Europe" – 0:53 # "Europe vs. America (Part One)" – 3:05 # "Europe vs. America (Part Two)" – 1:56 # "Other Recordings, Books, and More" – 2:52 # "All Is Said" – 0:28

Disc 2

Track 1 by Arthur Jones. Tracks 2–5 by Frank Wright. ;Your Prayer # "The Lady" – 7:12 # "Train Stop" – 7:44 # "No End" – 7:10 # "Fire of Spirits" – 12:56 # "Your Prayer" – 16:10

Personnel

* Frank Wright – tenor saxophone *

– bass (disc 1) * Tom Price – drums (disc 1) * Arthur Jones – alto saxophone (disc 2) *

– trumpet (disc 2) * Steve Tintweiss – bass (disc 2) *

– drums (disc 2)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Complete ESP-Disk Recordings 2005 compilation albums Frank Wright (jazz musician) albums Free jazz compilation albums ESP-Disk albums