Four Quarters FQT-CD-1820 | Cindy Blackman (d, v), Joe Lovano (ts), Doug Carn (org), Patrice Rushen (kys), Mike Stern, Vernon Reid, Fionn O’Lochlainn (g), Benny Rietveld, David Santos (b) and Carlton Holmes (syn). Rec. 9-11 October 2005, 23-24 March 2007, 8 January 2008, and 29 August 2009

A CD spliced together with four bands over four dates and five years including a track arbitrarily hacked short because the tape ran out may not sound too propitious, yet oddly it works. It’s the spirit of Tony Williams’ Lifetime that holds the whole shebang together, be it through Blackman’s sound, drenched as it is in Williams vocabulary (though Blackman’s no slavish emulator), or even more vitally united by Williams’ vision of jazz and rock seared together like a double fisted boxer’s attack. The different bands contribute varying colours and differing tones of light and shade that a superficial take on Lifetime might not immediately suggest.

From the full on rock of ‘Vashkar’, to the lyrical tide swells of the duet with Lovano on ‘Love Song’, to the out-there visioning of ‘Vashkar – The Alternate Dimension Theory’, to the valedictory vocals of ‘40 Years Of Innovation’ and the final pop glory of ‘Wildlife’ (cut short too soon, just as Williams’ life was), there is a variety and freshness in the playing that, at last, will bring Williams (and Blackman) the credit they richly deserve. Another Lifetime is not only a fine tribute to Miles’ “little genius”, but a coherent and singing achievement in its own right.

Andy Robson