Private Collection [Import]

Two discs 71,75 minutes each approximately. The remastered sound is very good-especially for live recordings from 1987-88. There are no real notes to speak of-except some personal thoughts from Haden concerning each concert. The discs are snapped in,inside the four-fold-out cardboard holder,which is nicely done with a pen-and-ink drawing of Haden and his instrument. There are a number of b&w photos of various members of the group inside the holder,which are nice but small in size.

This is a re-release of two separate recordings that were originally released in very small quantities. The first disc features Haden on double bass,Ernie Watts-saxophones,Alan Broadbent-piano,and the drummer's drummer (the late) Billy Higgins,who Haden has played on and off with for some three decades. The second (recorded near Haden's boyhood home) disc has identical personnel except Higgins is replaced with Paul Motian,another legendary jazz musician.

The first disc (recorded at Haden's 50th birthday) has a slight jam session feel to it (which is fine) but the compositions and the high caliber of musicianship more than compensate for any looseness in the playing. The tunes range from two Pat Metheny songs ("Hermitage" and "Farmer's Trust"),to Miles Davis ("Nardis"),to two Charlie Parker tunes ("Passport","Segment"),to a tune each by Tony Scott ("Misery") and J.S. Bach ("Etudes"),all which the group attacks in equal amounts of subtle fervor and restrained skill-all from many years of playing both together (Haden's QUARTET WEST) and with many other jazz greats.

The second disc comes from a live public concert in 1988. In comparison to the first disc,these tracks have a bit more life in them,thanks in large part to Watt's angular sounding sax. Motian's drumming is also a bit more forceful sounding almost as if this were his group. And Haden's bass playing (especially solo) is truly great-thoughtful yet visceral. The compositions range from Metheny (with "Farmer's Trust" again),to Charlie Parker ("Visa"),to two tracks by Haden ("Bay City" and "Silence"),to Ornette Coleman ("Lonely Woman"),to a standard ("Body and Soul"),all which have a livelier sound to them than the private recordings on disc one.

For anyone who's heard the 1986 album by QUARTET WEST (if you haven't you're missing some great straight ahead jazz),this is more of the same-in other words,well worth seeking out. The warm,intelligent musicianship,the wide-ranging compositions,the arrangements (even on the loose first disc),all make this set something special. This is jazz from the days when melodies mattered,from true group interplay when a solo was something that was played strictly to advance the music-not the musician's ego. The musicians on both these sets come from an age when musicians listened to each other and contributed something of true value. A time when the song was (is) the thing. If you like unpretentious,straight ahead,no nonsense jazz,with great solos out in front of an equally fine rhythm section-this is one of the better releases in a long while. It's to bad it took so long to finally see this music released on a larger scale,but the wait was worth it-listen and you,too, will hear why.

Charlie Haden is one of the few living jazz legends. Every recording that has his participation is worth a listen. However, when he chooses to lead instead of support, it's worth special attention. The 13 tracks contained in this two disc package represent two separate concerts. Disc one celebrates Charlie's 50th birthday. The concert takes place at "At My Place "in Santa Monica, Ca. on Aug. 6, 1987.
Musicians include C.H. (bass), Alan Broadbent (piano), Ernie Watts (sax) and the late great Billy Higgins (drums). Essentially, this band is Quartet West.

The ensemble leads off with Pat Metheny's "Hermitage ".It offers the band an opportunity to slow it down and demonstrate their soulful side. Both this number and the next, "Passport ", will appear on the Studio recording titled, Quartet West.
Charlie Parker's "Passport", gives every member an opportunity to limber up and stretch their chops. Billy's drum solo is one of the standout performances on this selection.
Next up, is Tony Scott's "Misery ". Alan Broadbent, a distinguished U.K. arranger and composer, shines on the piano solo and Ernie Watts matches him note for note on his outing.
Charlie Haden spins an intriguing bass solo on the fourth number, Miles Davis' "Nardis ". This tune is like an old friend to C.H. and, as such, he provides a very rich musical conversation. Ernie Watts seamlessly segues in and takes the tune to its cresting final conclusion.
The band then kicks off Charlie Parker's "Segment ", an 11 minute jazz masterpiece which will appear on the 1992 Quartet West studio release titled "Haunted Heart ". Again, Alan Broadbent digs in and explores this compositions far reaches.

The next to last tune is the old standard "Body and Soul". The band provides a fitting performance and is well rewarded with the audience enthusiasm. The musicians conclude the concert with a 3:30 minute interpretation of Bach's" Etudes". C.H. and Alan's classical credentials are very evident in this rendition.

Disc 2 represents a concert conducted at Webster University in St.Louis on April 4, 1988. The same artists, as Disc 1, are represented with the exception of Paul Motain who commands the drum chair in Billy Higgins absence. The set opens with Charlie Haden's own composition, "Bay City ". This number is a pleasant 13 minute stretch ballad with each artist providing distinctive licks." Farmers Trust" is then revisited from the previous concert. This rendition has a more cerebral arrangement then the track appearing on disc 1. Ernie Watts gives it a bluesier, soulful edge with Paul Motian adding some elegant colors. Next, is Ornette Coleman's "Lonely Lady ". The quartet really captures the essence of this composition. The 22 minutes of this outing are pure jazz bliss. This number will reappear on the Quartet West's 1990 CD titled, "In Angel City Live ". Next, another C.H. composition, "Silence", a beautiful, moody, restless piece. The quartet takes another spot on workout of Body and Soul `and concludes this concert with Charlie Parker's masterpiece, "Visa ". This final number provides the artists an opportunity for a series of soaring solo performances.
Finally, hat's off to Ken Christianson for the recording quality which provides a crystal clear mix. I highly recommend this 2 CD package to any serious jazz aficionado.

"The Private Collection" has become one of my favorite Charlie Haden CD's. The chemistry of these two quartets, played at separate venues almost a year apart, is quite a musical treat. Hearing Billy Higgins' lay down his signature driving pulses on disc one is pure joy for the ears. He and Charlie have always shared a special musical chemistry that dates back to the early 60's. Especially on the Charlie Parker compositions, they engage in several magical moments that provide a great reflection of their long shared friendship. Paul Motian is the rhythm master on disc two and is the perfect catalyst to keep the music simmering at the right creative temperature. Listening to the second disc gave me several chilling flashbacks to the great creative music that he and Haden created with Keith Jarrett in the 70's.

But what makes this music so special to these ears is the sweet and lyrical playing of Ernie Watts (Saxophone) and Alan Broardbent (Piano). These two share a highly evolved creative connection that absolutely soars on the open ended pieces like "Lonely Woman" and rips the heart out of the beautiful melodies on the slower pieces like Pat Metheny's "Farmer's Trust". Haden plays some great bass throughout and really lays down a passionate solo on the heart wrenching "Silence". He deserves extra credit for having the foresight to assemble such a stellar group of friends to help him celebrate these two special occasions. I feel very fortunate that he decided to release these performances from his personal collection to share with the rest of the world. This music is special and I will cherish it for a long time. Peace!