Broadcast on 08-Sep-2008

This band was one of the most innovative and exciting groups of the 1980's. It's beginnings happened in what many consider to be Charles Mingus' last great band. In that band was tenor saxophonist/vocalist George Adams, pianist Don Pullen and of course, drummer Dannie Richmond plus trumpeter Jack Walrath and Mingus. Pullen left the Mingus band after a musical dispute with the leader and Adams left a while later to work with Gil Evans and McCoy Tyner, After Mingus' death in January 1979, Adams, Pullen and Richmond decided to form a band along with bassist Cameron Brown for tours and gigs. This became one of the most sought after bands of the 1980's. They recorded for various small European labels and finally with the release of tonight's Feature: "Breakthrough!" on Blue Note, their first domestically recorded album. One more followed, called "Song Everlasting" and that was it for Blue Note. The recordings were soon deleted and hard to find, yet this band always drew long line-ups at any place that they played. They continued to perform until the untimely death in 1988 of drummer Dannie Richmond. The two Blue Note albums are once again available on a Mosaic set at www.mosaicrecords.com. This recording captures some of the creativity and drive of this amazing band and The Jazz Show is proud to present this important document now that Adams, Pullen and Richmond are no longer with us.