Down Beat review: “Friends”

Down Beat Magazine review: “Friends” June 5, 1975

Before “fusion” became a dirty jazz word, Down Beat writer Bob Rusch was one of the few who could hear the difference between a commercial extreme and Marc Cohen Copland’s thoroughly original, musical approach.

FRIENDS — Oblivion Records (New Music Distribution) od 3: ⅝ Tune; Black Vibrations; Nursery Rhyme; Loose Tune.
Personnel: Cohen, electric alto sax; Jeff WIlliams, drums; Clint Houston, fretted bass, acoustic bass; John Abercrombie, S4 & 12-string guitars.

***** (5 stars)

It has been my contention for some time that although independent and co-operative record companies account for an absurdly small percentage, in sales, of the total records moved in the jazz market, their musical and historical level of importance is of a far greater percentage.

The “indies” for the most part stand out as enigmas aside the commercially-oriented giants, usually pushing a favorite idiom/era or style of jazzed sounds, with a particular artist as the focal point. Set into this pattern comes the enigma of enigmas, Oblivion Records, which over the past 3 or 4 years has managed to push out a total of 4 LPs and one 45 record. The material has ranged from rural field blues to urban blues to mainstream jazz to electronic jazz/rock. Their one constant quality of music along with the humor and personal approach to production and packaging.

The Marc Cohen Friends album was recorded in Dec. 1972, and apparently has been met, since its release, by a wall of silence from the media. Cohen, a Philadelphian who has worked with Chico Hamilton, does not merely utilize the electric alto sax with octave divider, tape echo, wah-wah and fuzz tone, he innovates with it. It is a direction in which Eddie Harris has been moving, but Cohen is there! Cohen has transformed the electric sax from a gimmick to a concept in instrumentation with its own identity and horizons.

With the exception of Nursery Rhyme (a very lyrical Three Blind Mice), the tempo ranges from uptempo to absurd. Fortunately all the musicians are up to it; Jeff WIlliams’ speed is often electrifying in itself. Cohen and Abercrombie seem particularly inventive and in harmony with and of each other. Clint Houston is left with the most traditional role of pushing out a relatively tame bass line. Very electronic, very stimulating, very inventive and innovative, and very much worth your attention and investment.

—Bob Rusch

Down Beat Magazine June 5, 1975