egroj world: George Braith • Soul Stream

Wednesday, September 4, 2024

George Braith • Soul Stream

Review
by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Picking up where "Braith-Away," athe final and most successful song on Two Souls in One, left off, Soul Stream finds George Braith coming into his own. Where his debut felt hampered by uneven material and unsure execution of Braith's trademark double-sax attack, Soul Stream is confident and assured. Soul Stream concentrates on mildly adventurous hard bop with soul-jazz overtones, which usually come from organist Billy Gardner and guitarist Grant Green. Braith doesn't rely on the double horn nearly as much as before, using it for harmonic coloring and musical texture. Only on "Billy Told," a languid reworking of "The William Tell Overture," does the technique fall flat -- on the other songs, the double sax sounds bizarre, but it accentuates the way Braith wants to push boundaries. Unfortunately, Braith never truly cuts loose, but there's enough provocative material and cerebral grooves on Soul Stream to make it a worthwhile listen.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/soul-stream-mw0000465074

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Reseña
por Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Retomando lo que dejó "Braith-Away", la última y más exitosa canción de Two Souls in One, Soul Stream encuentra a George Braith en su propio camino. Mientras que su debut se vio obstaculizado por un material desigual y una ejecución insegura del ataque de doble saxo característico de Braith, Soul Stream se muestra confiado y seguro. Soul Stream se concentra en un hard bop ligeramente aventurero con matices de soul-jazz, que suelen venir del organista Billy Gardner y del guitarrista Grant Green. Braith no confía en la doble trompa tanto como antes, utilizándola para dar colorido armónico y textura musical. Sólo en "Billy Told", una lánguida reelaboración de "The William Tell Overture", la técnica se queda corta; en las demás canciones, el doble saxo suena extraño, pero acentúa la forma en que Braith quiere superar los límites. Desgraciadamente, Braith nunca se suelta del todo, pero hay suficiente material provocativo y ritmos cerebrales en Soul Stream para que merezca la pena escucharlo.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/soul-stream-mw0000465074

Tracks:
1 - The Man I Love 5:25
2 - Outside Around The Corner 7:52
3 - Soul Stream 3:12
4 - Boop Bop Bing Bash 6:23
5 - Billy Told 7:51
6 - Jo Anne 5:22

Credits:
    Drums – Hugh Walker
    Guitar – Grant Green
    Organ – Billy Gardner
    Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Saxophone [Stritch] – George Braith

Recorded on December 16, 1963.
Recorded By – Rudy Van Gelder
Recorded At – Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Label: Blue Note – BLP 4161
Released: 1963
Genre: Jazz
Style: Hard Bop
https://www.discogs.com/release/1101030-George-Braith-Soul-Stream