January,
1971
Quintet
Generates Warmth
By
Bob Smith
One
of the warm spots in our city's nightlife during the snowstorm is the Olde Cellar,
where the heat was generated Monday night by the Tim Buckley Quintet.
And
take note, older cats who stayed home from whatever entertainment was aimed at
your age group, the room was full for both sets. Mostly for the young people who
have those questing musical minds I always tell you about.
If
they kept their ears open they got a strong head full Monday night. As the trade
papers phrase it, Buckley is into a different bag. There's a bit of squirming
right now, but I think it is going to fit.
And
some of my perceptions of momentary unease among the group could be partly due
to the wary attitude of this younger generation of players to opening nights,
new room acoustics, and mike setups.
It
is not a new reaction, and I wish they would forget it. Because if the various
categories of North American pop music have one basic ingredient, it is straight
ahead spirit.
Buckley's
new mixture is as personal as the old formula. Rather than categorize it, I prefer
to describe it as the natural growth of a seriously aware musician.
"The
set I heard lasted an hour and included mostly selections from Tim's new Warner
Brothers album. It is reminiscent of how it must feel to hop alternately, right
foot then left atop warm coals -- very interesting, but challenging..." |
And
he has mustered a bright bunch of sidemen to assist, participate, and inspire.
To a man they were adept accompanists. Interesting soloists in their brief moments,
and on occasion providing shouting unison lines. They are good players.
I
speak of the Gardner brothers; Buzz, on trumpet and flugelhorn, and Bunk, on both
the alto and tenor saxes plus occasional flute. Part of their credits include
a stint with Frank Zappa, which is a strong recommendation in itself, let alone
their obvious talents,
Drummer
Maury Baker worked with the late Janis Joplin, and John Balkin, bassist, has paid
dues with the St. Louis Symphony and Boston's Opera Society.
The
set I heard lasted an hour and included mostly selections from Tim's new Warner
Brothers album. It is reminiscent of how it must feel to hop alternately, right
foot then left atop warm coals -- very interesting, but challenging.
Of
the four numbers played, the first was for me the most impressive. It was heavy
for an opener, but its 24 minutes winged by. Tim and his group came to terms early
with the crowd.
There
was a dissonant, out-of-tempo guitar intro by Buckley, followed by his agonized
vowel line vocal sounds, then splotches of solo and unison from the Gardner brothers,
sometimes with a rhythmic pulse behind, sometimes not, but all moving to a logical
climax.
I'm
not sure that the best words on paper can describe this group's musical approach
adequately.
But
I think there's a clue to its aims in Tim's stream of consciousness singing segments,
which were part of every number. My notes read: "Buckley seems determined
to offer a new personal vocal style with his own perceptions of pitch, his own
ideas of intervals."
For
those with statistical minds, this is Buckley's second visit to this area, his
first extended stay. He played here last in September '69.