Record Review

Don Pullen, Milford Graves – In Concert At Yale University

Artist Don Pullen, Milford Graves
Label SRP Records (3)
Catalog # PG-286
Year 1966
Format Vinyl - LP
Jazz Avant-garde Jazz Free Improvisation

# Don Pullen & Milford Graves: In Concert At Yale University

Don Pullen and Milford Graves were pioneering figures in the avant-garde jazz movement of the 1960s, both known for their fearless approach to free improvisation and unconventional instrumental techniques. This live recording, captured at Yale University in 1966, documents a crucial moment in their artistic development during the height of the free jazz era.

The album consists of two extended pieces, "P.G. I" and "P.G. II," showcasing the duo's raw, unstructured approach to jazz improvisation. Pullen's avant-garde piano work intertwines with Graves' inventive percussion, creating a dialogue that eschews traditional harmonic structures in favor of textural exploration and rhythmic innovation. Released on the SRP Records label, this concert recording stands as a valuable document of the experimental jazz scene that thrived during the mid-1960s.

The lengthy tracks allow both musicians space to fully develop their ideas, with Pullen's prepared piano techniques and Graves' unconventional drumming creating soundscapes that challenged contemporary jazz conventions. For collectors of avant-garde jazz and free improvisation, this vinyl represents an important artifact of a transformative period in jazz history.

Tracklist

Tracks
  1. A. P.G. I (18:44)
  2. B. P.G. II (23:00)