HOW TIME PASSES/180g Vinyl

Description

A fascinating blend of jazz and contemporary classical influences, How Time Passes is the debut album by trumpeter and composer Don Ellis. Known for his numerous musical experiments, particularly in the realm of time signatures, Ellis began his long career in the post-bop and avant-garde jazz scenes of New York in the late 1950s. He notably appeared on Charles Mingus's Mingus Dynasty and on albums by George Russell and Maynard Ferguson. But he also worked with, among others, the Glenn Miller Orchestra, Lionel Hampton, and Woody Herman. On subsequent albums, Ellis would take an even wilder direction. Here, during his first recording date as the bandleader, the experimentation begins. Ellis pushes the boundaries of bop-based jazz with time, tempo, and meter. This marks the start of his exploration of Third Stream - a fusion of jazz and contemporary classical music. The album's title itself - How Time Passes - is taken from an article written by the controversial German composer Karlheinz Stockhausen on the "function of time." The exceptional lineup includes Ron Carter on bass, the underrated Jaki Byard on piano and saxophone, and Charlie Persip on drums. The LP features extraordinary liner notes by Nat Hentoff, man and producer of Candid A & R, and the renowned musician, historian, and writer Gunther Schuller - who coined the term "Third Stream" - providing context and insights that enhance the experience of hearing these extraordinary performances.