Ascension cover

Ascension

Recorded
Released

Two trumpeters, five saxophonists, a pianist, two bassists and a drummer gather, and for 40 minutes, they leave it all on the field. Fervid solos are bracketed by wailing, polyphonic ensemble passages; Elvin Jones drives the music hard, but still seems like he’s sprinting to catch up with the horn players, who are riding rocket sleds. Explosive and unremitting, but the more you listen, the more beautiful it gets.

Phil Freeman

Recommended by

Suggestions
Last Desert cover

Last Desert

Liberty Ellman
Utica Box cover

Utica Box

Dan Weiss
Lontano cover

Lontano

Tomasz Stańko Quartet
Real Gone cover

Real Gone

Tom Waits
Lumi cover

Lumi

Edward Vesala
Freedom Suite cover

Freedom Suite

David S. Ware Quartet
Dark Magus cover

Dark Magus

Miles Davis
Configuration cover

Configuration

Paul Rogers, Tony Hymas, Jacques Thollot, Sam Rivers, Noël Akchoté