Charlie Mariano

Charlie Mariano - Reflections - 1974 - WEA (UK)

A great set of fusion tunes -- recorded by American saxophonist Charlie Mariano, in the company of a very hip Finnish ensemble! This 1974 gem features some of Charlie's best work of the decade -- freewheeling, but never too out, and with none of the rock flourishes that sometimes mar his other work at the time. The group is all-great too -- with Eero Koivistoinen on tenor and soprano sax, Jukka Tolonen on electric guitar, Olli Ahvenlahti on acoustic and electric piano, and Sabu Martinez on congas and percussion! Tracks have a tight jazzy bounce -- with some choppy funky moments, and other nice modally grooving ones -- and titles include "Spanish Dance No 2", "Brother Muthaiah", "Blue In Green", and "Rambling". © 1996-2009, Dusty Groove America, Inc.

Here's Charlie Mariano's Finnish album from 1974. Pioneering US alto Mariano cut this kaleidoscopic LP in Helsinki with top Finnish jazzmen plus legendary conguero Sabu Martinez. 'Reflections' has original & classic compositions, mixes jazz, funk, latin & Indian influences to electrifying effect! Features Sabu, Eero Koivistoinen & Olli Ahvenlahti , includes versions of 'Naima' & 'Blue In Green' © 2009 Rush Hour

The late Charlie Mariano was a very talented musician who played with the best, including Stan Kenton, his wife,Toshiko Akiyoshi, Charles Mingus, Eberhard Weber, the United Jazz and Rock Ensemble and many other notable musicians. Charlie Parker was a major influence on Charlie Mariano's playing style. Mariano formed the fusion group Osmosis in 1967, where his music developed into a "world" style, that encompassed rock, folk, and "ethno-fusion". "Reflections" , recorded in Helsinki in March, 14th and 15th 1974, is a good example of his mid seventies style. Listen to Embryo's great 1973 "We Keep On" album featuring Charlie Mariano on sax.

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1.Glenford Crescent (Olli Ahvenlahti) 5:40
2.Naima (John Coltrane) 8:48
3.Brother Muthaiah (Charlie Mariano) 7:16
4.Spanish Dance No. 2 (Eero Koivistoinen) 4:26
5.Blue In Green (Miles Davis) 5:52
6.Thiruvarankulam (Charlie Mariano) 4:53
7.Chile (Pentti Hietanen) 6:03
8.Rambling (Jukka Tolonen) 10:57

MUSICIANS

Charlie Mariano – alto & soprano saxophones, nagaswaram
Jukka Tolonen – electric guitar (1, 3, 6, 8)
Heikki Virtanen – electric bass (1, 3, 6, 8)
Pekka Sarmanto – acoustic bass (2, 4-7)
Olli Ahvenlahti – piano, electric piano (1, 3, 4, 6)
Esko Linnavalli – piano (2, 5)
Pentti Hietanen – piano (7)
Esko Rossnell – drums (3, 4, 6-8)
Reino Laine – drums (3, 4, 6-8)
Sabu Martinez – congas, percussion (1, 3, 4, 6, 8)
Eero Koivistoinen – tenor & soprano saxophones

BIO

Born: November 12, 1923, Boston, MA Died: June 16, 2009, Cologne, Germany. Charlie Mariano's career can easliy be divided into two. Early on he was a fixture in Boston, playing with Shorty Sherock (1948), Nat Pierce (1949-50) and his own groups. After gigging with a band co-led by Chubby Jackson and Bill Harris, Mariano toured with Stan Kenton's Orchestra (1953-55) which gave him a strong reputation. He moved to Los Angeles in 1956 (working with Shelly Manne and other West Coast jazz stars), returned to Boston to teach in 1958 at Berklee and the following year had a return stint with Kenton. After marrying Toshiko Akiyoshi, Mariano co-led a group with the pianist on and off up to 1967, living in Japan during part of the time and also working with Charles Mingus (1962-63). The second career began with the formation of his early fusion group Osmosis in 1967. Known at the time as a strong bop altoist with a sound of his own developed out of the Charlie Parker style, Mariano began to open his music up to the influences of folk music from other cultures, pop and rock. He taught again at Berklee, traveled to India and the Far East and in the early '70s settled in Europe. Among the groups Mariano has worked with have been Pork Pie (which also featured Philip Catherine), the United Jazz and Rock Ensemble and Eberhard Weber's Colours. Charlie Mariano's airy tones on soprano and the nagaswaram (an Indian instrument a little like an oboe) fit right in on some new agey ECM sessions and he also recorded as a leader through the years for Imperial, Prestige, Bethlehem, World Pacific, Candid (with Toshiko Akiyoshi in 1960), Regina, Atlantic, Catalyst, MPS, CMP, Leo and Calig among others. © Scott Yanow, All Music Guide