''The Gardens of Harlem'' is an album by multi-instrumentalist and composer

Clifford Thornton Clifford Edward Thornton III (September 6, 1936 – November 25, 1989) was an American jazz trumpeter, trombonist, activist, and educator. He played free jazz and avant-garde jazz in the 1960s and '70s. Career Clifford was born in Philadelphia. ...

. It was recorded at the Blue Rock Studio in New York City in April 1974, and was released in 1975 by JCOA Records. On the album, Thornton is joined by members of the

Jazz Composer's Orchestra The Jazz Composer's Orchestra was an American jazz group, founded by Carla Bley and Michael Mantler in 1965, to perform orchestral avant-garde jazz. Its origins lay in the Jazz Composers Guild, an organization founded by Bill Dixon which grew out ...

, supplemented by seven musicians playing African percussion instruments. The music was conducted by Jack Jeffers.

Reception

In an article for ''London Jazz News'', Jon Turney stated: "Clifford Thornton... led the final release credited to the co-operative Jazz Composers' Orchestra, and it's a great one. The multiple African percussion that features prominently in the early pieces here energises the music wonderfully. And as the notes made clear, that collection of sounds arises because the whole work explores West African music and how it has travelled 'from West to North Africa, the Caribbean, the South Eastern United States, to Harlem'. He evoked that history by selecting vocal melodies from the territories in question, and orchestrating them... They are fine tunes, orchestrated with great skill, and evocative in their own right. Add some great jazz soloing, and it's a heady brew."

John Corbett John Joseph Corbett Jr. (born May 9, 1961) is an American actor and country music singer. On television, he is best known for his roles as Chris Stevens on '' Northern Exposure'' (1990–1995), Aidan Shaw on ''Sex and the City'' (2000–2003 ...

called Thornton "another figure whose thin discography distorts his real significance," and described the album as "gorgeous, majestic, intricate." Writing for ''

The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide ''The Rolling Stone Album Guide'', previously known as ''The Rolling Stone Record Guide'', is a book that contains professional music reviews written and edited by staff members from ''Rolling Stone'' magazine. Its first edition was published in 1 ...

'', Fred Goodman commented: "this... album... remains one of the more satisfying fusions of traditional Third World musics with the American jazz tradition. Thornton's compositions get superb treatment here from the Jazz Composer's Orchestra... ''Gardens of Harlem'' weaves together into one grand tapestry the many experimental directions being pursued on the New York scene during that period." David Hollenberg, in a 1976 review for ''

Mother Jones Mary G. Harris Jones (1837 (baptized) – November 30, 1930), known as Mother Jones from 1897 onwards, was an Irish-born American schoolteacher and dressmaker who became a prominent union organizer, community organizer, and activist. She h ...

'', commented: "The Jazz Composer's Orchestra... have published ten records... All are ambitious and honest, especially a recent album entitled ''The Gardens of Harlem''... It is not the first time that a jazz musician has attempted to integrate 'primitive' music with jazz... but it is to my knowledge the most thorough and believable attempt." 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 ...

, Eugene Chadbourne wrote: "There was something of a struggle getting this project finished and released... ''Gardens of Harlem''... perpetually in the oven or being rehearsed in dribs and drabs, was to be hornton'smasterpiece, bringing together Afro-Cuban, Jamaican, Ghanaian, Algerian, American blues, and gospel influences as well as a piece based on the cry of a South Carolina fruit vendor. A massive cast was to be involved, including some hot avant-garde jazz soloists and a stage full of percussionists. Slightly more than 50 minutes was eventually released, and the good moments are truly riveting, making one long for the version of this album that might have been created had someone with deeper pockets been around... it is a shame Thornton was unable to create a larger body of work with this kind of vision."

Track listing

All compositions by Clifford Thornton. # "Ogún Bára" – 5:46 (soloist: Janice Robinson) # "O Desayo" – 8:02 (soloists: Clifford Thornton, Roland Alexander) # "Agbadzá" – 9:42 (soloists: Clifford Thornton, Marvin Peterson, Michael Ridley) # "Changó Obarí" – 4:33 (soloist: Leo Smith) # "Aïn Salah" – 8:16 (soloist: Clifford Thornton) # "Gospel Ballade" – 4:44 (soloists: Carla Bley, Charles Stephens) # "Sweet Oranges" – 1:08 # "Blues City" – 8:57 (soloists: George Barrow, Dewey Redman, Ted Daniel)

Personnel

– cornet, valve trombone, shenai, cabasa, bell *

Carlos Ward Carlos Ward (born May 1, 1940 in Ancón, Panama) is a funk and jazz alto saxophonist and flautist. He is best known as a member of the Funk and disco band BT Express as well as a jazz sideman. Biography Ward was raised in Panama City, and at a you ...

– alto saxophone, flute *

Dewey Redman Walter Dewey Redman (May 17, 1931 – September 2, 2006) was an American saxophonist who performed free jazz as a bandleader and with Ornette Coleman and Keith Jarrett. Redman mainly played tenor saxophone, though he occasionally also played ...

– alto saxophone, tenor saxophone * Pat Patrick – tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone *

Roland Alexander Roland Alexander (September 25, 1935 – June 14, 2006) was an American post-bop jazz musician. Early life Born in Boston, Alexander grew up with his parents and sister, Gloria, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He earned a bachelor's degree in mus ...

– tenor saxophone * George Barrow – baritone saxophone, flute * Michael Ridley – trumpet *

Marvin Peterson Hannibal Lokumbe (born Marvin Peterson on November 11, 1948) is an American jazz trumpeter. Career A native of Smithville, Texas, United States, he is sometimes known by the name "Hannibal". He attended high school in Texas City, Texas and was i ...

– trumpet * Leo Smith – trumpet *

Ted Daniel Ted Daniel (born June 4, 1943) is an American jazz trumpeter and composer. Biography He studied trumpet in elementary school, and began his professional career playing local gigs with his childhood friend, the legendary guitarist Sonny Sharrock. ...

– trumpet, flugelhorn * Charles Stephens – trombone *

Janice Robinson Janice Robinson (born 8 December 1967) is an American singer and songwriter, initially known as a member of 1990s Italian Eurodance group Livin' Joy before she embarked on a solo career. Early life and career Robinson, raised in Garfield, New ...

– trombone * John Thompson – French horn * Gregory Williams – French horn * Bob Stewart – tuba *

Carla Bley Carla Bley (born Lovella May Borg; May 11, 1936) is an American jazz composer, pianist, organist and bandleader. An important figure in the free jazz movement of the 1960s, she is perhaps best known for her jazz opera '' Escalator over the Hill'' ...

– piano * Andy González – bass * Art Lewis – drums * Kobena Adzenyah – nnawuronta, apentima, oprenten, ntrowa, conga, sogo, atsimevu *

Jerry González Jerry González (June 5, 1949 – October 1, 2018) was an American bandleader, trumpeter The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the hig ...

– kónkolo bata, kaganu, quinto, tumba, bell, palos *

Milton Cardona Milton Cardona (November 21, 1944 – September 19, 2014) was a percussionist, vocalist and conga player from Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. Milton Cardona made well over 1000 recordings, nine of which won Grammies. His career and was highly influence ...

– itótele bata, tumba * Gene Golden – iyá bata, tumba, palos * Vincent Jorge – tumba, axatse, conga * Asante Darkwa – gankogui, nnaronta, bell * Laxmi G. Tewari – axatse, kidi, ntrowa * Jack Jeffers – conductor

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gardens of Harlem 1975 albums Clifford Thornton albums Jazz Composer's Orchestra albums JCOA Records albums