Don Friedman Quartet featuring Attila Zoller: Dreams and Explorations

This 1964 date is of interest both because of two under-appreciated principal players and as an example of the music that resulted when mainstream modern players incorporated aspects of free jazz and third-stream playing. The guitar and piano do a good job staying off each other’s toes without getting near the overly cute sound of Shearing groups. The standard part of the program is solid, the experimental tracks intriguing, and the fact that both things are happening is itself a healthy sign.

Originally Published October 1, 1998