Play Free or Die

About this title: The title and accompanying artwork of this double-CD set, while amusingly dramatic, is nonetheless an honest indicator of the frame of mind of many of the musicians dedicated to performing modern jazz improvisation in all its glory. To some listeners the idea of "freedom" suggests nothing more than unbridled anarchy -- as described by no less a master of the genre than Anthony Braxton, something like the sounds of what happens when the teacher leaves the classroom. To Charlie Kohlhase and the talented members of his quintet, it is a freedom to work in areas of their own choosing and interest, ... read more

Tracks:

1. Pig Pile [Kohlhase]
2. Grasping at Straws [Kohlhase]
3. Doom Is Yours [Kohlhase]
4. Doom Is Mine [Kohlhase]
5. It's Just the Tip of the Icebox [Kohlhase]
6. Super Bronze [Sun Ra]
7. Crepescule With Nellie [Monk]
8. "The 'Mad' Suite" [Kohlhase]
9. Framework [Kohlhase]
10. Play Free or Die [Kohlhase]
11. The Brink [Kohlhase]

Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is further described below.