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REISSUES : In Brief

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* * 1/2 Paul Bley/John Gilmore/Paul Motian/Gary Peacock, “Turning Point,” Improvising Artists. This ‘60s quartet session steps beyond the bop world into more abstract music--a little too coldly abstract. Bley’s spare, ruminative piano negotiates intricate rhythmic changes supplied by principal writer Carla Bley (Paul’s ex-wife) and ably delivered by Motian and Peacock. Sun Ra mainstay Gilmore maintains a limber, even fluid tenor sax tone and generally supplies what measure of warmth and emotion informs the music.

New albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor) to four (excellent). A rating of five stars is reserved for classic reissues or retrospectives.

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