Poem for Malcolm

Poem for Malcolm
Studio album by Archie Shepp
Released	1969
Recorded	August 14, 1969 (Paris, France)
Genre	Free Jazz
Label	BYG Actuel SNAP 162 CD (CD re-issue)
Producer	Jean Georgakarakos, Jean-Luc Young
Archie Shepp chronology
Yasmina, a Black Woman (1969) Poem for Malcolm (1969) Blasé (1969)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]

Poem for Malcolm is a jazz album by Archie Shepp. Recorded in Paris in August 1969 only two days after Yasmina, a Black Woman, it again features musicians from the Art Ensemble of Chicago. This time, the tone is resolutely set to avant garde and free jazz, with a political edge in the all but explicit tribute to Malcolm X. The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow states: "This LP from the English Affinity LP is a mixed bag. Best is 'Rain Forrest' on which tenor saxophonist Archie Shepp, in a collaboration with trombonist Grachan Moncur III, pianist Vince Benedetti, bassist Malachi Favors, and drummer Philly Joe Jones, perform some stirring free jazz; the interplay between Shepp and Jones is particularly exciting. On a four-and-a-half minute 'Oleo,' Shepp "battles" some bebop with fellow tenor Hank Mobley, but the other two tracks, a workout for the leader's erratic soprano on 'Mamarose,' and his emotional recitation on 'Poem for Malcolm,' are much less interesting, making this a less than essential release despite 'Rain Forrest'."^[2] It was originally issued on CD by Affinity (paired with Yasmina, a Black Woman) mastered from a vinyl source and later reissued by Charly (also paired with Yasmina, a Black Woman) from the original master tapes.

Track listing

1. "Mamarose" (Shepp) – 7:12
2. "Poem for Malcolm" (Shepp) – 5:55
3. "Rain Forrest/Oleo" (Shepp/Sonny Rollins) – 19:16

Recorded: Paris, August 14, 1969.

Personnel

On "Rain Forrest/Oleo"

• Archie Shepp – tenor saxophone, piano
• Hank Mobley – tenor saxophone
• Grachan Moncur III – trombone
• Vince Benedetti – piano
• Malachi Favors – bass
• Philly Joe Jones – drums

On "Mamarose" and "Poem for Malcolm"

• Archie Shepp – soprano saxophone, recitation
• Burton Greene – piano
• Alan Silva – bass
• Philly Joe Jones, Claude Delcloo – drums

References