Inspired by John Coltrane, Vinny Golia began playing saxophone in the early 1970’s in New York City before moving to Los Angeles. Settling in with west coast based musicians he began to perform regularly and set up his own independent record label. This particular album features Golia on alto, soprano and tenor saxophone, Bobby Bradford on trumpet, Ken Filiano on bass and Alex Cline on drums. Opening with “That Was for Albert 10” presumably dedicated to Albert Ayler, the music has a nice front line of saxophone and trumpet accompanied by the loose feel of rolling drums. Prodded by elastic bass and drums, Golia and Bradford both solo with rich ideas. Droning bowed bass with saxophone and trumpet swirling overhead usher in “Otolith” with the dignified bowed bass and raw saxophone casting a
Spiritual Unity vibe over the proceedings. Saxophone and bowed bass increase the tempo, each taking energy from the other. Trumpet and drums rejoin for a full on onslaught finish. Switching to soprano saxophone for "On the Steel", Golia and Bradford experiment with a choppy melody before breaking out into an improvised duet. All the band members are deeply engaged in the music and both Bradford and Golia get individual solos backed by articulate bass and drums. Bradford’s strong trumpet heralds “Welcome Home” where the band engages in a taut collective improvisation twisting and turning like a choreographed dance. A feeling of Ornette Coleman’s piano-less quartets pervades “Parambulist” with Golia’s flush tenor saxophone full of ideas and notions of space and time. Subtle drumming begins the lengthy performance “A Guy We All Used to Know” building to press the saxophonist and trumpeter to greater improvisatory heights. There is a strong collective feel to this performance filled with nervous and edgy energy. Golia’s tenor is set to broil with a lengthy blowout, well controlled and exciting. This was a very well done recording of an exciting band. All of the musicians are veterans with a lot of experience playing together and it shows in the thoughtful and mindful presentation.
Take Your Time - amazon.com
