Synthesis (Reggie Workman album)

Synthesis is a live album by bassist/composer Reggie Workman. It was recorded on June 15, 1986, in Philadelphia and was released by Leo Records later that year.^[1] On the album, Workman is joined by multi-instrumentalist Oliver Lake, pianist Marilyn Crispell, and drummer Andrew Cyrille. Workman, Lake, and Cyrille would later go on to form the group known as Trio 3.^[2]

Synthesis
Live album by Reggie Workman
Released	1986
Recorded	June 15, 1986
Venue	Painted Bride Art Center, Philadelphia
Genre	Jazz
Length	1:07:35
Label	Leo Records LR 131
Producer	Leo Feigin
Reggie Workman chronology
The Standard (1980) Synthesis (1986) Images (1989)

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz	[3]

In an article for The New York Times, Robert Palmer wrote: "The group is an all-star unit... But they don't play like all-stars here; they play like a unit... the music is very free structurally, with a soaring spirit and incantatory qualities that link it to some of the better small-band sessions from the early days of the mid-60's ESP label. But while he leaves plenty of room for each player, Mr. Workman deploys his forces ingeniously... This is stunning music, with a deeply felt intensity and a purity of intent that haven't been finding their way onto jazz records as often as one would like."^[4]

The authors of the Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings awarded the album 3 stars and praised Crispell's playing, stating that she gives "the performance its undoubted sense of coherence."^[3]

Writing for AllMusic, Thom Jurek remarked: "As a quartet, this band has some interesting things to say. There is a fire in the group interplay, and Lake's playing is very inspired... Workman gets considerable credit for putting this ensemble together."^[1]

Track listing

All compositions by Reggie Workman unless otherwise noted.

1. "Jus' Ole Mae" - 8:00
2. "Ogun's Ardor" - 9:27
3. "Martyrs Hymn" - 6:19
4. "Earthly Garden" - 15:08
5. "Chant" (Marilyn Crispell) - 8:35
6. "Synapse II" - 9:07
7. "Fabula" - 6:49

Personnel

• Reggie Workman – bass
• Oliver Lake – reeds
• Marilyn Crispell – piano
• Andrew Cyrille – drums

Production

• Leo Feigin – producer
• Kazunori Sugiyama – recording engineer