Journey's End

Bassist Miroslav Vitous recorded this quartet session in 1982 with John Surman on soprano and baritone saxophones and bass clarinet, John Taylor on piano, and Jon Christensen on drums. Unavailable in the U.S., the disc includes two remarkable pieces by Surman, the lilting 3/4 "Tess" and the churning, wildly unpredictable "Paragraph Jay." Taylor weighs in with the closing track, "Windfall," another shimmering entry in 3/4 time. Vitous' nine-minute opener, "U Dunaje U Prespurka," inspired by a Czech folk song, is a marvel of gradual development and abstract grooving. "Only One," a rubato meditation that Vitous dedicates to his late father, finds the leader switching from upright to electric fretless bass. Surman's rhythmic clicking of keys on bari sax serves as the foundation for "Carry On, No. 1," a wholly improvised piece; Vitous intuitively sends it into high gear about halfway through with superbly chosen low notes. Journey's End is highly recommended to those willing to search for it. ~ David R. Adler, Rovi