7 UP

CHARLIE MARIANO – OCTOBER (Inner City, 1977)

 Here is another album that has not been re-issued so far.  It was recorded between Helen 12 Trees and Crystal Bells, (posted a few weeks ago).  Typical Seventies Mariano, part Jazz Fusion – part South Indian. 

AMG is pretty laconic and not especially informative on this one (not that I expect much from AMG):

A '77 session with onetime Charlie Parker imitator Charlie Mariano now as immersed in Asian and Indian music as he ever was in bop. He's working with a European rhythm section that includes keyboardist Rainer Bruninghaus and bassist Barre Phillips. There are some compositions that reflect Mariano's jazz background, while others have everything from classical strains to Asian scales and instruments

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Personnel:

• Charlie Mariano – alto & soprano saxophones, flute, nagaswaram
• Rainer Brüninghaus – acoustic & electric pianos, synthesizer
• Barre Phillips – acoustic bass
• Hansgeorg Meuser – electric bass
• Udo Dahmen – drums, percussion
• Trilok Gurtu – tabla, percussion, drums (7)

Titles:

1. Aszù (Rainer Brüninghaus) 8:06
2. Nagaswarup (Charlie Mariano) 7:47
3. Earth (Rainer Brüninghaus) 2:47
4. Out of the Jungle (Udo Dahmen) 4:16
5. To an Elfin Princess (Charlie Mariano) 7:24
6. 7 Up (Hansgeorg Meuser) 5:27
7. Back of J. (Barre Phillips) 2:55
8. Down the Kaveri (Charlie Mariano) 4:45

Recorded October 5-7, 1977 at Cornet Studios, Cologne, Germany

Mixed October 19-21, 1977 by Wolfgang Hirschmann at Cornet Studios, Cologne, Germany.

Produced by Kurt Renker, supervised by Vera Brandes Released by Contemp (Germany) 2 Stereo | Inner City 1024

 Although not as good as Helen 12 Trees – which rates among Mariano’s best works ever, it’s nevertheless a very enjoyable and varied album.  There’s a bit of everything: fusion, South Indian, ECM-type ballads (Barre Philips'Back of J) and even a solid slab of funk (7 Up).

Ripped by JC from the original album.

Recommended website on Charlie  Mariano: Charlie Mariano Tribute