The Fire from Within is an album by the American jazz violinist Billy Bang, recorded in 1984 and released on the Italian Soul Note label.[1]
| The Fire from Within | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Billy Bang Sextet | ||||
| Released | 1984 | |||
| Recorded | September 19 & 29, 1984 | |||
| Genre | Jazz | |||
| Length | 47:04 | |||
| Label | Soul Note | |||
| Producer | Giovanni Bonandrini | |||
| Billy Bang chronology | ||||
| ||||
Reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings | [3] |
| The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide |  [5] |
| The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz | [4] |
The editors of AllMusic awarded the album 4½ stars, and reviewer Stephen Cook stated that it "nicely shows off the violinist's unique approach to post-bop jazz from swingers to ballads, trad to free... A perfect entrée for Billy Bang newcomers".[2]
The authors of The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings wrote: "The combination of trumpet, guitar and percussion makes an effective foil for Bang's grainy lines... The sheer woodiness of the sound... is beguiling, and the melodic and rhythmic language rich."[3]
The Washington Post's Geoffrey Himes called Bang "a remarkable composer," and commented: "One can hear in the music a struggle to reach beyond the obvious for something new."[6]
A writer for the Los Angeles Times praised the album's "appealing, lightly textured sound," and stated that it "stands as a strong blend of tradition and experimentation."[7]
Track listing
edit- All compositions by Billy Bang
- "The Glow of Awareness" - 5:38
- "The Nagual Julian" - 5:46
- "The Shift Below" - 6:24
- "Petty Tyrants" - 5:32
- "The New Seers" - 10:41
- "The Mold of Man" - 7:34
- "Inorganic Beings" - 5:29
- Recorded at Vanguard Studios in New York City on September 19 & 29, 1984
Personnel
edit- Billy Bang - violin
- Ahmed Abdullah - trumpet
- Oscar Sanders - guitar
- William Parker – bass
- Thurman Barker - marimba
- John Betsch – drums, cowbells
- Charles Bobo Shaw - cowbells (track 2)
References
edit- ^ Soul Note discography accessed July 11, 2011
- ^ a b Cook, S. Allmusic Review accessed July 11, 2011
- ^ a b Cook, Richard; Brian Morton (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings. The Penguin Guide to Jazz (9th ed.). London: Penguin. pp. 74–75. ISBN 978-0-14-103401-0.
- ^ Larkin, Colin, ed. (2004). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz. Virgin Books. p. 53.
- ^ Swenson, John, ed. (1999). The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide. Random House. p. 45.
- ^ Himes, Geoffrey (January 26, 1986). "Recordings". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
- ^ "The Fire From Within. Billy Bang Sextet". The Los Angeles Times. December 8, 1985. Retrieved March 27, 2023.