Recorded on May 14, 1976
From a music history point of view, Archie Shepp's most important records of the 1970s are likely his "populist" Impulse recordings Attica Blues (1972) and The Cry of My People (1973). Sadly, the political and cultural themes that inform these records are still relevant today. The LPs remain benchmarks of the era.
That said, I've chosen Steam because it's a record that I've always loved, ever since I first heard it. It's marvelous to hear Shepp in a trio format, where he can blow freely. In some ways, I feel like Steam is a half-way point, with one foot in Shepp's earlier, "fire music" years and other foot in the more traditional -- and not necessarily less interesting -- approach that he would focus on subsequently.
Cameron Brown and Beaver Harris are terrific too.
I agree with the choice of "Steam" wholeheartedly. There is a CD version released in 1987 that includes two additional long tracks. It helps to have the full concert (still on one disc) because the excellence is prolonged and never falters.
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