John Tchicai and Strange Brothers/Put Up the Fight

Liner Note Author: Andrey Henkin.
Recording information: Club Montmartre (03/15/1977); Rosenberg Studio (03/15/1977); Studio 39, Copenhagen, Denmark (03/15/1977); Club Montmartre (03/29/1977); Rosenberg Studio (03/29/1977); Studio 39, Copenhagen, Denmark (03/29/1977); Club Montmartre (11/10/1987-11/14/1987); Rosenberg Studio (11/10/1987-11/14/1987); Studio 39, Copenhagen, Denmark (11/10/1987-11/14/1987).
Photographer: Jan Persson.
This reissue from Storyville features a pair of LPs by Danish saxophonist John Tchicai, the FMP release John Tchicai and Strange Brothers and Put Up the Fight, originally issued in 1977 and 1978. These two dates find Tchicai coming out of semi-retirement equipped with a new group of musicians dubbed the Strange Brothers. While the first disc utilizes acoustic instruments, which is what you expect from Tchicai, the second session includes various electric instruments, and is unlike any other album in the saxophonist's discography. The 23 tracks are relatively short considering Tchicai and associates' involvement with the avant-garde and the need to stretch out and improvise freely, which they do here, but within the structure of the shorter compositions. Fans of Tchicai and free jazz should add this to their collections. ~ Al Campbell