Don Pullen - Solo Piano Record [CD]

Jazz pianist Don Pullen was taken away from us way too soon. He passed at age 53 in 1995. He could play anything from blues to straight ahead to the outer regions of avant garde jazz. This is a re-issue of his 1975 Sackville album originally titled Solo Piano Album. The new title track is a dedication to Muhal Richard Abrams who made his recorded debut on Delmark. "Suite (Sweet) Malcolm (Part 1: Memories and Gunshots)" is for Malcolm X. "Big Alice" is a tour de force embedded with all of Pullen's gospel and soul roots. "Song Played backwards" is a song Pullen decided to play in reverse of the note sequence he had composed! Pullen's music is fierce and joyous and alive, and his presence abides in every note here.