Legendary composer and trumpeter Charles Tolliver, who also launched and ran the now groundbreaking Strata-East label with pianist and longtime collaborator Stanley Cowell during the seventies, has just released his first studio album in 13 years, titled Connect on Gearbox Records.

This superb recording, which captures the fiery post-bop spirit that was found on those classic seventies-era Strata-East sessions, features four great original compositions by Tolliver, all except for one, are over nine minutes each. If you weren’t aware, you might think you’d be listening to an unreleased session of Tolliver and Cowell’s Music Inc. band, playing a late night session at Slugs in Manhattan’s East Village circa 1972.

On Connect, Tolliver is backed by an incredible cast of musicians, including two other jazz legends in bassist Buster Williams (Herbie Hancock’s Mwandishi Sextet, Sphere, Nancy Wilson, Kenny Barron, among others), saxophonist Jesse Davis (Jack McDuff, Illinois Jacquet), and drummer Lenny White (notably of Return to Forever), as well virtuosic pianist Keith Brown. Tenor saxophonist Binker Golding, who’s is one of the most breakthrough musicians among the current London jazz scene, performing with Moses Boyd and Zara McFarlane, guests on “Emperor March” and “Copasetic”.

Overall, this is an incredible new recording from Tolliver, who captures the rawness and passion that was found in those brilliant seventies-era post-bop and loft jazz recordings, while still pushing the music forward. Something he has been doing for over 50 years.

Charles Tolliver — ‘Connect’
(Gearbox Records)

1. Blue Soul
2. Emperor March
3. Copasetic
4. Suspicion

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