Live in Greenfield, Massachusetts (2000)

About

Recorded in Greenfield, Massachusetts, on November 20th, 1999, this classic recording of the Untempered Ensemble is a sprawling 2-CD set that "represents a virtuosic synthesis of composition and improvisation, and of conventional and unconventional timbres," writes Michael A. Parker for All About Jazz. He continues, "I’m willing to claim that this is one of the most important documents of Jazz in the past ten years." 

The album features Bill Cole (Chinese suona, Korean hojok, Korean piri, nagaswaram, shehnai, Tibetan trumpet, didgeridoo and Ghanaian flute), Cooper-Moore (percussion & self-made instruments), Warren Smith (percussion & glockenspiel), Joe Daley (euphonium and tuba), William Parker (acoustic bass), Sam Furnace (tenor sax), and Atticus Cole (percussion).

Reviews

Bill Cole's music comes from jazz, but it embodies so much more. The flutist has become a master in all kinds of exotic woodwinds, from the didjeridoo to the double-reeded sona. His acolytes in the Untempered Ensemble come from different backgrounds and comprise a highly unusual new jazz formation.... Australian, Chinese, and Indian flutes come together with harp, tuba, saxophone, and a lot of percussion to produce music that expresses life itself, from its most exhilarating moments to Zenlike tranquility. Records of this caliber are too rare. Very strongly recommended.”

— François Couture, All Music

I’m willing to claim that this is one of the most important documents of Jazz in the past ten years. It represents a virtuosic synthesis of composition and improvisation, and of conventional and unconventional timbres. Each of the participants is a seasoned improviser comfortable with a range of Jazz aesthetics, from the accessible to the abstract...An exciting and important document.”

— Michael A. Parker, All About Jazz