''The Powers of Two, Volume 2'' is an album by drummer
Paul F. Murphy and pianist
Larry Willis. It was released in 2006 by
Mapleshade Records. The album is the companion to 2004's ''
The Powers of Two''.
Reception
Thomas Conrad, writing for ''
Jazz Times
''JazzTimes'' is an American magazine devoted to jazz. Published 10 times a year, it was founded in Washington, D.C. in 1970 by Ira Sabin as the newsletter ''Radio Free Jazz'' to complement his record store.
Coverage
After a decade of growth ...
'', commented: "The revelation of this recording is Murphy. He is a drummer/sound painter who totally trusts his wildest creative impulses. He responds directly to Willis' forays with a provocative, complex code of his own, then showers Willis' piano decisions in washes of color and dramatic detail."
In an article for ''
All About Jazz'', Joel Roberts stated: "It's an odd pairing on the surface - a mostly post-bop pianist known for his subtlety and precision and a free jazz drummer known for his speed and intensity. Yet somehow it works. The two artists display a strong empathy with each rising to the challenge posed by the other; Willis turning up his volume and energy and Murphy showing (occasionally) a softer side. This is rather accessible improvised music... owing mostly to Willis' strong sense of melody. While it's all completely improvised, Willis' solos are so well crafted they often sound like fully realized compositions."
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 ...
'' praised the album's sound quality, noting that is "not easy with this instrumentation."
Track listing
All compositions by Paul F. Murphy and Larry Willis.
# "Freefall" – 5:49
# "Murky Water" – 7:27
# "Condor's Flight" – 9:30
# "Blitzkrieg" – 4:22
# "Sweet Solitude" – 6:51
# "Roadmap to Everywhere" – 7:13
# "Gremlins" – 6:14
# "Autumn Hue" – 3:28
# "Jere's Theme" – 3:55
Personnel
*
Paul F. Murphy – drums
*
Larry Willis – piano
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Powers of Two, Volume 2
2006 albums
Larry Willis albums
Paul Murphy (musician) albums
Mapleshade Records albums