Oynsemble Melbourne - Ascension Live

Special Price. Was $30, Now $20 

" If you've ever stood in a tropical storm and simply relished the deluge rather than trying to escape it, you already know something of the pleasure contained in the torrential power of these 64 minutes of Ascension.

The stimulus was the two molten pieces of music recorded under this name by John Coltrane in 1965. Exuberant Melbourne drummer Ted Vining has taken Coltrane's simple theme and collective fervour and not just run with it but bolted.

The originals 11 players has become a gargantuan 19 ...it is an exhilarting experience, as surging solos and duets are punctuated with collective squalls. Among those to have ascended the storm clouds to this particular firmament are saxophonists Andy Sugg and Adam Simmons, trombonist Adrian Sheriff and the late bassist Barry Buckley. Helmets - or at least a strong umbrella - should be dispensed with every purchase." John Shand SMH

40 years after Coltrane's Ascension was first recorded comes Ted Vining's very large band doing a much longer and bigger (in terms of players) version John Coltrane's seminal jazz composition "Ascension" . Recorded by PBS FM in Melbourne this is 64 minutes of trancendental music . WHY ASCENSION? One of the greatest disappointments of my life was to not have seen and heard John Coltrane ‘live’... Another disappointment was never to have met and spent time with the man who was to have such a huge influence on my approach to music. However, I did meet and spend time with four great musicians who performed with him ... Elvin Jones, McCoy Tyner, Reggie Workman and Roy Haynes. Amongst other things, the great respect and love they had for Trane rang so true to my own personal feelings, and the effect his recorded performances had on me. Those feelings reached an incredible height when I first experienced the album Ascension. The daring, the power, the adventure and the spontaneity completely overwhelmed me. In fact, it set a course of ‘no compromise’ for me from then on ... And so to Oynsemble Melbourne’s Ascension... A collective of nineteen hand picked, like minded, very gifted Jazz musicians with full understanding of the spirit of the music, and it’s reason for being! The theme was as written, but from then on ???? I think that’s just about what Coltrane would want, don’t you? Thank you PBS-FM and Gerry Koster. You had the balls to do it. Thank you Adrian Sherriff. You’re a genius. Thank you Oynsemble. What an incredible day. Thank you John Coltrane. For everything... Ted Vining OYNSEMBLE MELBOURNE The Musicians Saxophones: Andy Sugg tenor, Kris Wanders tenor, Phil Bywater tenor/ keyboard, Adam Simmons baritone, Lachy McLean alto, Phil Noy alto Trumpets: Chris Skepper, Eamon McNelis, Peter Knight Trombones: Adrian Sherriff arranger/coleader, Simon Kent, Kynan Robinson, Alistair Parsons French Horn: Steve Morley Bass: Barry Buckley, Michael Meagher Guitar: Tom Fryer Drums: Joe Talia, Ted Vining co-leader/ manager Recorded @ PBS 106.7 FM live October 23, 2005 Engineers: Ruari Currin, Jim Walter Producer: Gerry Koster Photographer: Kiron Robinson proudly released by Birdland Records.