Elisha, Ehran / Campbell, Roy – “Watching Cartoons With Eddie” – [Out Now Recordings]

Another thorough jazz exploration from Ehran Elisha and Roy Campbell teaming up for a free-jazz duet in the tradition of Don Cherry and Ed Blackwell’s collaborations from the past. And acutally, the title track and album title are a reference to Elisha’s history with Blackwell, being forced to watch cartoons before drum lessons together. This album is full of tributes to free jazz greats: For BD is an improvised sound poem dedicated to Bill Dixon (written right before his death) and The Dizzy Roach is a reference the Dizzy Gillespie/Max Roach duet album. The influence of Cherry and Blackwell is very apparent throughout the album though they do stray from the freewheeling hard-bop feel to delve into more subdued, meditative and introspective pieces (Side B/C). Contained here are the aforementioned lyrical jazz licks but also all sorts of African polyrhythmic techniques, Middle Eastern modalities, and all sorts of textural experimentation. One of the first releases from new label Out Now Recordings.