Jeffrey Hayden Shurdut, Imaginary Control Systems

One of the more unusual and more interesting of Jeffrey Hayden Shurdut's JaZtTapes CD-Rom releases surely is Imaginary Control Systems (JaZtTapes CD-026). It is that by virtue of the chemistry on display between the trio members captured here.

Jeffrey plays the piano throughout, comping in an out way, doing all-over barrages, taking off from motival kernels of musical thought. Lukas Ligeti acts as a free-foil with drumming that can pulsate or go into a-rhythmic zones. And there is the late Luther Thomas on alto--in a Luther-as-post-Bird realm, quoting snatches of Bird-dom, developing melodic motifs that have an out-bop feel to them. The three together enter special places that are pretty rarified.

It was 2007, NYC, and Luther was to live only two more years. This seems to me one of his more important later recordings for all the reasons mentioned. The music is very free and loose and yet there are moments underpinned by structure. There are more musical-structural factors underlining the blowing going on than with the everyday sort of stream-of-consciousness mode. Now of course the stream approach is completely valid and all three players are known for it. It's just that there there are indeed kinds of "Imaginary Control Systems" put into play here.

For all that it makes for a very interesting listen. Get more info on this and other JaZtTapes by going to http://www.janstrom.se/6.-recordings/6.3.-jazt-tapes-6267605

Luther Thomas's Probingly Incisive Alto in A Good Setting

There are a number of the late Luther Thomas's recordings on Ayler records. One of the very best is the download digital release of Finally! Total Unity in 3 Phases (aylDL-041). It's a 2006 quartet date that brings some lucid Thomas alto sax within the context of the ubiquitous Jeffry Hayden Shurdut on guitar and drums, Ed Chang on computer electronics, home-made reeds and tenor, and Motoko Shimizu on toys, recorder and voice. The quartet sets up interesting textural clouds of freely articulated sounds that are pieced by some very vibrant Thomas alto.

This is pretty much free improvisation all the way. It is distinguished by an interesting mix of electronics, little instrument sounds and Luther Thomas at his freely expressive best. Click on the Ayler link on this page for further details.

Luther Thomas & Rune Larsen Play Street Music

Luther Thomas was a complicated cat, both personally and musically. We will only deal with the latter here. In the summer of 2001 he and Rune Larsen did some street busking as a duo in the Christiana section of Copenhagen. Luckily somebody taped nearly an hour of them in action and it is avalable as Busking in Christiana (Ayler Download 029).

First off, this is casual music-making. That's understandable given the time and place. They are on occasion accompanied by police sirens, dogs barking and general city-life sound. Such context only adds to the charm. It is deceptively casual, though, for there is some beautiful music-making going on.

What you get is Luther's alto and Rune's accordion naked, so to speak. They are playing jazz standards from swingtime on--"Tea for Two," "Autumn Leaves," "Take the A Train," "Blue Monk," etc. It shows you a side of Luther Thomas that you don't often get--the traditionalist that still gives out with outness. And the accordion of Mr. Larsen here is something else. He accompanies with ease, making the whole enterprise swing, suggesting stride sometimes, or a bop sort of bass and comping other times.

This is no classic. It is an absolute hoot though. There's nothing quite like it and it gives you a very sizable portion of why Luther Thomas was a magnificent player. Get it for some good fun and palpable insights. You must go to the Ayler site to get it. See the link on the right,

Luther Thomas & John Lindberg Live in St. Louis, 1977

We turn back the clock to 1977 and a live appearance of altoist Luther Thomas and bassist John Lindberg at Major Beaux's in St. Louis. It's available as Spirit of St. Louis (Ayler Download 064), an Ayler Records Download Series release that you can get directly from Ayler Records for $10 (see the Ayler link on this page).

John Lindberg is a bassist's bassist; Luther Thomas had a bop-to-free sensibility and deserves much more in the way of recognition. Together they do a very attractive set that has free segments, some blues, and a version of Bird's "Bloomdido."

This one may not change the world but it's a very good example of Mr.Thomas catching a little fire. No need to call 911. Just download and check it out.