CiTR

Brian Barley was a great Canadian musician who died very young at age 28 as a result of a severe car accident. He only made one recording under his name for CBC Records in Montreal in June 1970. Barley died a year later on June 28,1971. Barley was a fine classical clarinettist who for years played Jazz on the side. He took up the saxophone at age 13. After playing in The National Youth Orchestra and The Vancouver Symphony and some Jazz gigs on saxophone. Barley moved in 1966 to Montreal where he embarked full time into Jazz and the tenor and soprano saxophone. Tonight as part of The Jazz Show's obscure musician series, we give you Barley's only recording with his band that he called "Aquarius Rising" (aka The Brian Barley Trio). Barley is on tenor saxophone and plays soprano on one tune. He's accompanied by electric bassist Daniel Lessard and drum legend Claude Ranger. This is a rather amazing and very adventurous date and definitely has a "New York feel" to it. Barley's influences are Sonny Rollins, Archie Shepp and Ornette Coleman but he really is his own man. It's too bad his life ended so early as he could have given so much more. Four of the compositions are by Barley and one is by drummer Claude Ranger. This is a superb and challenging document and a great listen.