Cannonball Plays Zawinul
represents the exquisite fruits of the musical relationship between saxophonist
Cannonball Adderley
and pianist/composer
Joe Zawinul
. Recorded between 1961 and 1971, all cuts were either written or co-written by
Zawinul
, and, except for one piece (
"Dr. Honorus Causa"
), he also serves as part of the various combos. All of the work here remains loose but nonetheless retains a sparkling intensity. The longer cuts, in particular, show a group of musicians searching out the free parameters of
post-bop
without ever drifting off into space. Both
"74 Miles Away"
and
"Money in the Pocket,"
14 and ten minutes respectively, maintain strong central themes, filled with rhythm and melody, while allowing
Adderley
,
, drummer
Roy McCurdy
, bassist
Victor Gaskin
, and cornetist
Nat Adderley
lots of elasticity to develop their ideas. While most of these pieces were recorded in the mid-'60s and provide the album with a certain unity, a wide aesthetic gap exists between 1961's straightforward
"One Man's Dream"
and 1971's adventurous
"Dr. Honorus Causa."
So in one way,
provides a portrait of two artists who kept reaching beyond the obvious to find their muse. The album is an adventurous and thrilling document, sure to please fans of both players and anyone who enjoys challenging
. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford Jr.