Burton Greene, Compendium, Solos Duos Trios

Better late than never when it comes to music that you have not covered because life got in the way. That's how it's been for me with the fine album by Free-Avant Jazz pianist legend Burton Greene and his fairly recent double-CD release Compendium (Improvising Artists 2-CD). The subtitle Solos Duos Trios tells us what the form is that things take in this wide-ranging and rather brilliant offering of Burton and the workingman's dedicated groups and subgroups he fields on this collection.

Burton is of course the constant on piano and he is featured in solo as well as varying duos and trios wit Roberto Haliffi on drums, Stefan Raidl on double bass (for the first CD) and Tilo Raumheier on flute (for the second CD).

The emphasis is on how Burton has evolved and keeps going like the formation of a coral reef island where there is a building atop via accumulative developments. So in the course of this program the very free mixes with Monk, with songs and swinging, with compositions and tonal singing. It is a definitive look at Burton as he is now, ever moving forward and worth every moment of your listening time. This is that and anyone who knows and digs Burton's earlier work, does not know it all that well or just loves the piano will find this I think very much a revelation, an absorbing and rewarding thing.

I am so glad I have it. That should tell you something?