Crystals cover

Crystals

Released

This big band disc from 1974 featured an ensemble of 15 players: three trumpets, two trombones, tuba, five reeds (including Rivers), two basses, and two drummers. The compositions have structure, but they’re also very open and give a lot of space for solos, which are bracketed by group fanfares in the manner of John Coltrane’s Ascension. One of the most fascinating aspects of it is its extremely wide sonic field — it was originally issued in a quadraphonic mix, and horns seem to come at you from all parts of the room.

Phil Freeman

Recommended by

Suggestions
Without a Net cover

Without a Net

Wayne Shorter Quartet
777: Cosmosophy cover

777: Cosmosophy

Blut aus Nord
Off the End cover

Off the End

Brandon Ross
Compulsion cover

Compulsion

Andrew Hill
Kannon cover

Kannon

Sunn O)))
Watashi-Dake? cover

Watashi-Dake?

Keiji Haino
Street Priest cover

Street Priest

Ronald Shannon Jackson & the Decoding Society
Life in Leipzig cover

Life in Leipzig

Terje Rypdal, Ketil Bjørnstad
Go See The World cover

Go See The World

David S. Ware