Herbie Mann • The Wailing Dervishes

Review by Richard S. Ginell

One of Herbie Mann's more esoteric excursions, The Wailing Dervishes chases after a fusion that is extremely rare even today - jazz and the Middle East. Believe it or not, it works -- and there are no commercial or ethnic compromises. Mann does not alter his familiar flute improvisational manner one whit, and he enlists the help of an Armenian-descended oud virtuoso, Chick Ganimian, whose folk-like solos on his stringed instrument blend in with, but derive hardly anything rhythmic from, jazz. Mann's regular sidekick Roy Ayers sounds comfortable on vibes and Moulay "Ali" Hafid contributes the ethnic rhythms of his bongo-like dümbek to the percussion section. We also get a ringer in the form of bagpipes player Rufus Harley, whose guest solo on the blues "Flute Bag" is like the old saw of a dog walking on its hind legs; one applauds that it can be done at all. Recorded live, this LP is definitely worth hunting for if you want to hear something really different.

Biography by Scott Yanow

Herbie Mann played a wide variety of music throughout his career. He became quite popular in the 1960s, but in the '70s became so immersed in pop and various types of world music that he seemed lost to jazz. However, Mann never lost his ability to improvise creatively as his later recordings attest.

Herbie Mann began on clarinet when he was nine but was soon also playing flute and tenor. After serving in the Army, he was with Mat Mathews' Quintet (1953-1954) and then started working and recording as a leader. During 1954-1958 Mann stuck mostly to playing bop, sometimes collaborating with such players as Phil Woods, Buddy Collette, Sam Most, Bobby Jaspar, and Charlie Rouse. He doubled on cool-toned tenor and was one of the few jazz musicians in the '50s who recorded on bass clarinet; he also recorded a full album in 1957 (for Savoy) of unaccompanied flute.

After spending time playing and writing music for television, Mann formed his Afro-Jazz Sextet, in 1959, a group using several percussionists, vibes (either Johnny Rae, Hagood Hardy, or Dave Pike) and the leader's flute. He toured Africa (1960) and Brazil (1961), had a hit with "Comin' Home Baby," and recorded with Bill Evans. The most popular jazz flutist during the era, Mann explored bossa nova (even recording in Brazil in 1962), incorporated music from many cultures (plus current pop tunes) into his repertoire, and had among his sidemen such top young musicians as Willie Bobo, Chick Corea (1965), Attila Zoller, and Roy Ayers; at the 1972 Newport Festival his sextet included David Newman and Sonny Sharrock. By then Mann had been a producer at Embroyo (a subsidiary of Atlantic) for three years and was frequently stretching his music outside of jazz. As the '70s advanced, Mann became much more involved in rock, pop, reggae, and even disco. After leaving Atlantic at the end of the '70s, Mann had his own label for awhile and gradually came back to jazz. He recorded for Chesky, made a record with Dave Valentin, and in the '90s founded the Kokopelli label on which before breaking away in 1996, he was free to pursue his wide range of musical interests. Through the years, he recorded as a leader for Bethlehem, Prestige, Epic, Riverside, Savoy, Mode, New Jazz, Chesky, Kokopelli, and most significantly Atlantic. He passed away on July 1, 2003, following an extended battle with prostate cancer. His last record was 2004's posthumously released Beyond Brooklyn for Telarc.

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Reseña de Richard S. Ginell
Una de las excursiones más esotéricas de Herbie Mann, The Wailing Dervishes, persigue una fusión que es extremadamente rara incluso hoy en día: el jazz y Oriente Medio. Lo creas o no, funciona, y no hay compromisos comerciales o étnicos. Mann no altera su familiar manera de improvisar flauta, y cuenta con la ayuda de un virtuoso del oud de ascendencia armenia, Chick Ganimian, cuyos solos folclóricos en su instrumento de cuerdas se mezclan con el jazz, pero apenas derivan de él. El compañero habitual de Mann, Roy Ayers, se siente cómodo con las vibraciones y Moulay "Ali" Hafid aporta a la sección de percusión los ritmos étnicos de su dümbek de bongó. También tenemos un timbre en forma de gaitero Rufus Harley, cuyo solo de invitado en el blues "Flute Bag" es como la vieja sierra de un perro que camina sobre sus patas traseras; uno aplaude que se puede hacer en absoluto. Grabado en vivo, este LP definitivamente vale la pena si quieres escuchar algo realmente diferente.


Biografía de Scott Yanow

Herbie Mann tocó una gran variedad de música a lo largo de su carrera. Se hizo muy popular en la década de 1960, pero en la década de los 70 se sumergió tanto en el pop como en varios tipos de músicas del mundo que parecía perdido en el jazz. Sin embargo, Mann nunca perdió su capacidad de improvisar creativamente como lo atestiguan sus últimas grabaciones.

Herbie Mann comenzó a tocar el clarinete cuando tenía nueve años, pero pronto también tocaba flauta y tenor. Después de servir en el Ejército, estuvo con Mat Mathews 'Quintet (1953-1954) y luego comenzó a trabajar y grabar como líder. Durante 1954-1958, Mann se dedicó principalmente a jugar bop, a veces colaborando con jugadores como Phil Woods, Buddy Collette, Sam Most, Bobby Jaspar y Charlie Rouse. Se dobló con un tenor de tono frío y fue uno de los pocos músicos de jazz en los años 50 que grabaron en el clarinete bajo; también grabó un álbum completo en 1957 (para Savoy) de flauta no acompañada.

Después de pasar el tiempo tocando y escribiendo música para la televisión, Mann formó su Sexteto Afro-Jazz, en 1959, un grupo que utiliza varios percusionistas, vibraciones (ya sea Johnny Rae, Hagood Hardy o Dave Pike) y la flauta del líder. Realizó una gira por África (1960) y Brasil (1961), tuvo un éxito con "Comin 'Home Baby" y grabó con Bill Evans. El flautista de jazz más popular durante la era, Mann exploró la bossa nova (incluso grabando en Brasil en 1962), incorporó música de muchas culturas (más las melodías pop actuales) en su repertorio, y tuvo entre sus dirigentes a músicos jóvenes tan importantes como Willie Bobo. Chick Corea (1965), Attila Zoller y Roy Ayers; en el Festival de Newport de 1972, su sexteto incluía a David Newman y Sonny Sharrock. Para entonces, Mann había sido productor en Embroyo (una subsidiaria de Atlantic) durante tres años y frecuentemente estaba extendiendo su música fuera del jazz. A medida que avanzaban los años 70, Mann se involucró mucho más en el rock, el pop, el reggae e incluso la discoteca. Después de dejar Atlantic a finales de los años 70, Mann tuvo su propio sello por un tiempo y gradualmente volvió al jazz. Grabó para Chesky, grabó un disco con Dave Valentin, y en los años 90 fundó el sello Kokopelli, en el cual, antes de separarse en 1996, tenía libertad para dedicarse a su amplia gama de intereses musicales. A través de los años, grabó como líder para Belén, Prestige, Epic, Riverside, Savoy, Mode, New Jazz, Chesky, Kokopelli y, lo más importante, Atlantic. Falleció el 1 de julio de 2003, luego de una prolongada batalla contra el cáncer de próstata. Su último disco fue 2004, lanzado póstumamente Beyond Brooklyn para Telarc.

Tracklist
A1 The Wailing Dervishes
Bass – Reggie Workman
Drums – Bruno Carr
Dümbek – Moulay "Ali" Hafid
Oud – Chick Ganimian
Vibraphone [Vibraharp] – Roy Ayers
Written-By – Herbie Mann 8:30

A2 Norwegian Wood
Bass – Reggie Workman
Bass [Fender] – Steve Knight (2)
Clarinet – Hachig T. Kazarian
Drums – Bruno Carr
Dümbek – Moulay "Ali" Hafid
Oud – Chick Ganimian
Vibraphone [Vibraharp] – Roy Ayers
Written-By – Lennon-McCartney
Zither – Esber Köprücü 10:38

B1 Flute Bag
Bagpipes, Written-By – Rufus Harley
Bass – James Glenn
Drums – Billy Abner
Piano – Oliver Collins
Vibraphone [Vibraharp] – Roy Ayers 3:55

B2 In The Medina
Bass – Reggie Workman
Drums – Bruno Carr
Dümbek – Moulay "Ali" Hafid
Oud – Chick Ganimian
Vibraphone [Vibraharp] – Roy Ayers
Written-By – Herbie Mann 9:30

B3 Armenian Lullaby
Bass [Fender] – Steve Knight (2)
Clarinet – Hachig T. Kazarian
Dümbek – Moulay "Ali" Hafid
Oud, Written-By – Chick Ganimian
Zither – Esber Köprücü Bass

Recorded live at The Village Theater





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