Free Fall

by Lucian Ban / Alex Simu

More a decade since his passing, woodwind master Jimmy Giuffre has remained an inspiration to improvising musicians of many stripes. Giuffre's long career spanned nearly six decades, over wide stylistic varieties, from the swinging big band of Woody Herman and the chamber jazz experiments of the West Coast of the 1950s to the avant-garde flights of his own classic trio with pianist Paul Bley and bassist Steve Swallow. It was the music of this trio that inspired pianist Lucian Ban and clarinetist Alex Simu to partner and release their new album, Free Fall.