Cassandranite

AMG Review of Cassandranite

Scott Yanow
All Music Guide

Originally titled In The Beginning, the music on this set was not released for the first time until 1983 (titled In The Beginning) and has since been reissued under the Cassandranite title on CD. Trumpeter Woody Shaw's debut as a leader (cut five years before his second session) has its strong moments. Shaw was not yet as distinctive as he would become, but on the set of group originals (best known is Joe Henderson's "Tetragon"), Shaw keeps up with his illustrious sidemen which include tenorman Henderson, either Larry Young or Herbie Hancock on piano (this was one of organist Young's very few sessions on that instrument), either Ron Carter or Paul Chambers on bass and drummer Joe Chambers. Excellent advanced hard bop music and particularly interesting from a historical standpoint.