CONTEMPORARY JAZZ QUINTET / Actions 1966-67

"Action #VI"

Atavistic's Unheard Music Series continues to do wonders in tracing the geneology of American/European free jazz rarities, pulling from a rich well of out-of-print records that voiced unique indentities but may have gotten lost in the shadow of others, until now. The CJQ formed in Denmark in the late 1950's playing hard-bop until the doors blew open all over Europe with the advent of Ornette Coleman's records and all the American heavies who took up residencies on the Continent (and in particular Albert Ayler who came through Scandinavia). These 1966-67 recordings show a fiery unit in total harmony with what was going on not only in the formative FMP camp in Germany (where trumpeter Hugh Steinmetz would later wind up to record with Manfred Schoof) but with the rest of the free jazz revolution happening in the USA on labels like ESP. This reissue remains a stunning lost gem on par with much of both those labels' high point moments, and is especially fantastic due to the presence of a bonafide musical saw courtesy of Niels Harrit. Here's one track featuring Harrit prominently,