Years before the advent of jazz-rock, when BITCHES BREW was just a gleam in Miles Davis's eye, young trumpet sensation Don Ellis was combining jazz with electric, rock-identified elements in an amalgam that somehow managed to be both adventurous and popular. Listening to ELECTRIC BATH today, some of the '60s go-go-dance beats Ellis added to his forward-looking big band compositions sound a bit dated. For the time, though, his vision and adventurousness were unparalleled. Even now, the elements of discord in the horn section, the weird time signatures, and the presence of sitar and electric keyboards in a jazz context seem like unprecedented foresight. For those interested in the place where rock and jazz meet, this is one of the first places to look.
For his first studio recording with his colorful big band, Don Ellis utilized five trumpets, three trombones, five reeds, Mike Lang on keyboards, three bassists, drummer Steve Bohannon, and three percussionists to perform some remarkable new music. The most memorable selection is "Indian Lady" (accurately described as a "hoedown in 5/4"), which with its false endings is often quite humorous. The other four originals (the trumpeter-leader's feature on "Alone," "Turkish Bath," "Open Beauty," and the 17/4 "New Horizons"), while lesser-known, are also quite spirited. For the first time Ellis opened his band to the influence of rock (making liberal use of electronics) and the results lend themselves to some hilarity. The 1998 CD reissue has the original five selections plus the brief single versions of "Turkish Bath" and "Indian Lady." Well worth searching for. All tracks have been digitally remastered using 20-bit technology.
01. Indian Lady
02. Alone
03. Turkish Bath
04. Open Beauty
05. New Horizons
06. Turkish Bath (single, bonus track)
07. Indian Lady (single, bonus track)
Bass - Dave Parlato , Frank De La Rosa
Bass, Sitar - Ray Neapolitan
Congas, Bongos - Chino Valdes
Drums - Steve Bohannon
Percussion [Miscellaneous Percussion], Vibraphone [Uncredited] - Alan Estes
Piano, Electric Piano [Fender], Clavinet - Mike Lang
Saxophone [Alto, Soprano], Flute - Joe Roccisano , Ruben Leon
Saxophone [Baritone], Clarinet [Uncredited], Bass Clarinet, Flute - John Magruder
Saxophone [Tenor], Flute, Clarinet - Ron Starr
Saxophone [Tenor], Piccolo Flute, Flute, Clarinet - Ira Schulman
Timbales, Percussion [Miscellaneous Percussion], Vibraphone [Uncredited] - Mark Stevens
Trombone - Dave Sanchez* , Ron Myers , Terry Woodson
Trumpet - Alan Weight , Bob Harmon , Don Ellis , Ed Warren* , Glenn Stuart
Written-By - D. Ellis* (tracks: 1, 4, 5, 7)
