Jimmy Giuffre 3 – 1961
Previous Autechre – LP5 Next Wow! Barbara Wojirsch
| Artist | Jimmy Giuffre 3 |
| Title | 1961 |
| Label | ECM |
| Year | 1961 |
| Designer | Barbara Wojirsch, photos: Herb Snitzer |
| Music | Essential |
| Desktop | Download image |
| Notes | I’m a huge fan of the late Texan clarinettist Jimmy Giuffre, particularly the three studio albums that he recorded with Steve Swallow and Paul Bley. They made music informed by jazz and composition which reached deep into silence and the blues to create an atavistic music that sounds absolutely vital and remains highly contemporary half a century later.
1961 is a two disc reissue of the trio’s albums Fusion and Thesis. I’m not sure why it was renamed 1961, I prefer the original titles, but otherwise this release is wonderful. Herb Snitzer’s photography is stunning, particularly that last image of the three men walled in by baffles and framed by microphone booms. Each image conveys the sense of thought and introspection out of which the music must surely have been born. And the space and clarity of Barbara Wojirsch’s layout – most visible on the front and back cover – is a perfect visual accompaniment to the music. 1961 is available from ECM on vinyl as well. If I had too much (enough?) money I’d own both. I’m still unsure whether the CD was the right decision. Having said that, and although there are precious few jewel cases featured here on Hard Format, I do feel a certain affection for the confident functionalism of the double width CD case. I managed to find two small images of the original covers (though on second thoughts, the Thesis cover looks like it may be a later Verve reissue):
If you hear and enjoy the music on these albums then Free Fall, the final studio recording by the trio is absolutely essential. Likewise the double live set, tragically long out of print, on Hat Art: Emphasis & Flight 1961 and the Graz 27 October 1961 bootleg. See also: |
