PIECES OF EIGHT: DON ELLIS OCTET LIVE AT UCLA

This album is newest release of Don Ellis to date. Originally recorded in 1967 during their live show in UCLA, this recording was never released in whole. Around half of it was released as cassette and was only sold during Don Ellis concerts. Now there is a full material with quite good sound quality.

This octet was assembled only once specially for this recording, so in some sense this CD set contains unique materials.

The music from the first look is a bit modernised big band sound, what isn't true. First of all, only a small combo is playing there, just trying to imitate big band's sound. But most important, there are many elements which doing this music much more complex and experimental from regular big band sound. And for sure main difference is rhythms - unusual, very mixed. They gave to all sound a bit strange, "world" atmosphere.

For me this album sounds as proto jazz fusion, still with strong be-bop and big band roots, but with many of small elements showing that the new jazz era is coming. To be honest I am not sure that this album can attract prog rock fans, but it could be interesting for jazz lovers and jazz fusion researchers.