I have been (and will be) performing with several drummerless groups over the next six weeks, and wanted to share some of my favourite recordings.
Jimmy Giuffre 3 – Fusion and Thesis (re-released in 1992 as 1961 on ECM). I’ve put these two together, because I originally knew the compilation, 1961, as the entire work. I can’t deny a little recency bias – I just performed a tribute to Jimmy Giuffre’s music with Sage Reynolds, and Ali Berkok a few days ago (November 25, 2023), and dug into this music.
The music is fresh – it could have been recorded yesterday, and I find that with most of the music from this iteration of the Jimmy Giuffre 3 (with Paul Bley and Steve Swallow).
Kenny Wheeler – What Now? (2006) Since listening, and performing Music For Large and Small Ensembles, I have been a Kenny Wheeler fan. There are several drummerless offerings from Kenny Wheeler, but this is the one that has stuck with me. I heard this in college, and Chris Potter seemed to be THE influence for many tenor saxophonists at the time (this is also some of my favourite Chris Potter).
The melodies are singable, and every composition has a twist that makes each track memorable, and interesting to me.
Adrean Farrugia and Joel Frahm – Blued Dharma (2018) I just love the interplay between Adrean and Joel on every track on this recording. I was fortunate to have spent time in Adrean Farrugia’s ensemble in college, and then to perform with him in Ottawa with a tribute to Thelonious Monk. Joel’s control of the saxophone is something that I marvel at.
This is a recording that I love to listen to post-gig when I want to cleanse my ears – pure musicality!
Do you have any favourite drummerless recordings? Maybe recordings with two drummers?
Low Eh! 
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