Woody Shaw – Blackstone Legacy (2xLP)

This one's bound to get you all very excited. Craft Recording's Jazz Dispensary series is honored to announce a vinyl reissue of Blackstone Legacy, the 1971 debut from influential trumpeter Woody Shaw. An elusive grail for many cratediggers, this 2LP release marks the first reissue of the album in more than 50 years. Showcasing the musician's virtuosic talents as a bandleader, composer and improviser, this politically charged, postmodern classic also boasts impeccable performances by Gary Bartz, Lenny White, Ron Carter, Bernie Maupin, Clint Houston and George Cables.

A pioneering figure in modern jazz, Woody Shaw (1944-1989) was revered for his unique harmonic approach and innovative technical abilities on the trumpet. Raised in Newark, NJ, Shaw began performing as a teenager, gaining formative experience as a sideman for the legendary saxophonist Eric Dolphy and spending over a year in Paris, where he honed his craft in clubs across Europe. In the mid-'60s, Shaw returned to the US, where he worked alongside such greats as Horace Silver, McCoy Tyner, Chick Corea, Andrew Hill, Max Roach and Art Blakey. By the turn of the decade, however, Shaw was eager to branch out on his own.

Balancing the past with the future, Shaw sought to honor his bebop roots, while embracing the avant-garde. His debut as a leader, Blackstone Legacy, embodied that stylistic bridge. Recorded in December 1970 and released the following year on Contemporary Records, the album featured some of the era's most exciting talents, including funk-jazz icon Gary Bartz (alto and soprano saxophone), veteran bassist Ron Carter and fusion pioneer Lenny White (drums), plus such innovators as Bernie Maupin (tenor saxophone, bass clarinet) and Clint Houston (electric bass), as well as the esteemed keyboardist George Cables, whose work as a composer is also highlighted on two of the LP's tracks ("Think On Me" and "New World").

In the album's liner notes, Shaw spoke to Hentoff about his intentions behind the record.

"We're trying to express what's happening in the world today as we — a new breed of young musicians — feel it. I mean the different tensions in the world, the ridiculous war in Vietnam, the oppression of poor people in this, a country of such wealth. . . . We're all also trying to reach a state of spiritual enlightenment in which we're continually aware of what's happening but react in a positive way. The music in this album, you see, expresses strength — confidence that we'll overcome these things."

Shaw added that the album was dedicated to the era's youth, as well as to "the freedom of Black people all over the world." He continued, "The ‘stone' in the title is the image of strength. I grew up in a ghetto . . . I've seen all of that, and I've seen people overcome all of that. This music is meant to be a light of hope, a sound of strength and of coming through."

• Woody Shaw's groundbreaking free jazz album reissued!
• Blackstone Legacy, 1971 debut from the influential jazz trumpeter!
• AAA mastered from the original tape by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio
• 180-gram LP pressed at RTI
• Gatefold tip-on jacket
• Includes Nat Hentoff's original liner notes, which include commentary by Shaw