George Adams Quintet - Paradise Space Shuttle

This was my first George Adams record, and from the first needle drop, I hated it. I wouldn't even give it a second chance. Then my father played it on his system and I heard it for the first time. Half the record is quirky to fair; half is outstanding. Adams fiery tenor receives admirable support from the highly underrated and under appreciated Rahn Burton (credited here as Ron Burton). Don Pate is on bass, and Al Foster has the same zing he carries on Abbey Lincoln's People In Me. Azzedin Weston rounds out the band with miscellaneous percussion. The opening track is a burner, and Adams sets the tone for the rest of the record. Track 2, Send in the Clowns, is one of the prettiest ballads I've ever heard Adams do. Track 3 is the first version of this tune I ever heard, it may be the first recorded version. Adams and Foster do the Coltrane and Elvin thing. The title track aims for Interstellar Space, but misses. City of Peace is Burton's contribution, and but for a few moments, seems to fill out the album's time requirements. The album's funky closer would be okay, but just lasts too damned long.

1. Intentions
2. Send In The Clowns
3. Metamorphosis For Mingus
4. Paradise Space Shuttle
5. Invisible Funk-a-Roonie-Peacock

George Adams - tenor sax, flute, vocals
Rahn Burton - piano
Don Pate - bass, electric bass
Al Foster - drums
Azzedin Weston - percussion

Recorded December 21, 1979