Recorded in March 1979
Reissued as part of a 4-CD box set in 2012 containing the albums Special Edition, Tin Can Alley, Inflation Blues, and Album Album (ECM).
Jack DeJohnette came to full maturity as a composer and bandleader in the second half of the 1970s, beginning with his band New Directions and reaching an early-career high point with the inaugural album by his 1979 group, Special Edition.
More by Jack DeJohnette
- New Rags (ECM, 1977)
- New Directions (ECM, 1978)
- Special Edition (ECM, 1979 [1980])
- New Directions in Europe (ECM, 1979 [1980])
One obscurity worth investigating: In the early-70s, DeJohnette co-led the short-lived band Compost with Bob Moses, Harold Vick, Jack Gregg, and Jumma Santos. Life Is Round (Columbia/Wounded Bird, 1973) was their second and final release. In many regards, tenorist Harold Vick leaves the most lasting impression, but it's also a hidden gem in the Jack DeJohnette discography.
Special Edition is one of the great groups to emerge from the 70s. Anybody who likes this album should check out "Album Album" and "Tin Can Alley" from the early 80s. I love the way the surprising compositions are crafted, and the 2-horn line up creates the most beautiful timbres and voicings, all enhanced by ECM's great sound.
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