Basra is the debut album by drummer Pete La Roca, recorded in 1965 and released on the Blue Note label.[2]

Basra
Studio album by
ReleasedOctober 1965[1]
RecordedMay 19, 1965
StudioVan Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ
GenreJazz
Length40:43
LabelBlue Note
BST 84205
ProducerAlfred Lion
Pete La Roca chronology
Basra
(1965)
Turkish Women at the Bath
(1967)

Background and recording

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Bassist Steve Swallow recounted that he and La Roca had taken LSD prior to traveling to recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder's New Jersey studio for the session.[3] He also said that Van Gelder threatened to end the session after pianist Steve Kuhn started manually plucking the piano strings.[3]

Reception

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The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow stated: "It is strange to realize that drummer Pete La Roca only led two albums during the prime years of his career, for this CD reissue of his initial date is a classic".[4]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic     [4]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings    [5]
Down Beat     [6]

Track listing

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All compositions by Pete La Roca except as noted

  1. "Malagueña" (Ernesto Lecuona) - 9:01
  2. "Candu" - 6:45
  3. "Tears Come from Heaven" - 5:00
  4. "Basra" - 9:58
  5. "Lazy Afternoon" (John La Touche, Jerome Moross) - 5:31
  6. "Eiderdown" (Steve Swallow) - 4:28

Personnel

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References

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  1. ^ Billboard Oct 2, 1965
  2. ^ Blue Note Records discography accessed November 23, 2010
  3. ^ a b Iverson, Ethan (April 7, 2021). "Chronology: Steve Swallow Remembers Pete La Roca". JazzTimes. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
  4. ^ a b Yanow, S. Allmusic Review accessed November 23, 2010
  5. ^ Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 1302. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.
  6. ^ Down Beat: December 30, 1965 vol. 32, no. 27