Old Friends, New Friends - Cathexis

Welcome back Dear Friends,

Dear Readers.

A million years ago,

or so it seems today,

I picked up yet another brilliant 

ECM recording,

and discovered 

a new talent.

When I saw that Charlie Haden 

was playing duo 

with a pianist,

I knew I had to have a copy. 

It was in 1983 

on 

Time Remembers One Time Once 

that I discovered

Denny Zeitlin. 

Loved the album,

and loved the find.

Denny played beautifully,

but honestly,

and uncharacteristic of me,

I lost track of him for all these years.

How is it possible 

that I didn't seek out 

everything this fascinating

artist created?!

After all,

we both grew up in Highland Park Il.

And Denny went on to duel careers,

as a clinical professor of psychiatry,

and as jazz pianist 

with many fine recordings to his name. 

Bill Evans 

recorded

Zeitlin's tune

Quiet Now.

Leonard Feather 

called Zeitlin

"the most versatile young pianist to come to prominence in the early 1960s".

Zeitlin wrote and performed the music for 

Sesame Streets

Jazzy Spies

series.

And he wrote the score 

for the 1978 

remake of 

Invasion of the Body Snatchers!

Denny wrote all this great stuff,

and twice won

The Down Beat International Jazz Critics Award,

and I lost track of him anyway?!

As they say...

My bad. 

My loss. 

Well I'm back!

I stumbled upon 

Cathexis

a few weeks ago 

and I am glad I did!

I am hooked!

You will be too.

Denny plays with 

Cecil McBee & Frederick Waits 

on this fine recording. 

Repeat,

the opening track,

 is a rollicking,

Bud Powell -esque

romp.

I-Thou

is a cool, crisp, breeze of a tune

that will remind you of 

Bill Evans. 

And 

Stonehenge

brought a young and only slightly less thunderous

McCoy Tyner 

to mind. 

Cathexis 

is a treasure chest

packed to the gills

with glimmering gems.

Gems 

that you 

will want to take out

and show off

as often as you can.