Misterioso (Paul Motian album)

Misterioso is the third album by Paul Motian on the Italian Soul Note label. It was released in 1987 and features performances by Motian with Bill Frisell and Joe Lovano, along with Ed Schuller and Jim Pepper.

Reception

The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow awarded the album 4½ stars stating "Although often overlooked, drummer Paul Motian led one of the most inventive jazz bands of the mid-1980s. His quintet, which featured the tenors of Joe Lovano and Jim Pepper, guitarist Bill Frisell and bassist Ed Schuller, could play anything from swinging advanced hard bop and Ornette Coleman-type free bop to spacier improvising. An underrated composer, Motian contributed seven of the nine numbers for this date; the quintet also performs Thelonious Monk's "Misterioso" and "Pannonica." Frisell is featured on "Byablue" (which had earlier been recorded by Keith Jarrett); the two tenors (Pepper doubled on soprano) work together quite well, and the band definitely had its own sound. Of its three recordings, this is a strong one to start with.".^[1]

Track listing

1. "Misterioso" (Monk) - 6:50
2. "Abacus" - 3:30
3. "Once Around the Park" - 6:48
4. "Gang of Five" - 4:28
5. "Pannonica" (Monk) - 3:45
6. "Folk Song for Rosie" - 5:08
7. "Byablue" - 2:20
8. "Dance" - 10:14
9. "Johnny Broken Wing" - 2:12

All compositions by Paul Motian except as indicated

Personnel

• Paul Motian - drums
• Bill Frisell - electric guitar
• Joe Lovano - tenor saxophone
• Jim Pepper - tenor and soprano saxophones
• Ed Schuller - bass

References