Eleven Ghosts


Eleven Ghosts is an album of duets by pianist Myra Melford and drummer/percussionist Han Bennink which was recorded in Switzerland in 1994 and released on the HatOLOGY label in 1997.

Reception

The Allmusic review by Joslyn Layne stated "Supreme musicians Myra Melford and Han Bennink join together for a duo recording as blues progressions, boogie-woogie, and Harlem stride become the trampoline from which they jump. It's free, free, but far less cryptic -- and more accessible -- than one might expect.... Eleven Ghosts won't scare the audience off. Even people who stiffen at the words "outside jazz" will relax their shoulders while listening to this album".
In JazzTimes, Bill Shoemaker wrote "On Eleven Ghosts, pianist Myra Melford and percussionist Han Bennink bring complementary assets to a free-ranging duo program. Melford’s affinity for the blues and her compositional skills give the album a subtle structural underpinning. Bennink continually pushes the music to the brink with his patented combination of cyclonic energy and loony humor".

Track listing

All compositions by Myra Melford except where noted
  1. "The First Mess" – 2:33
  2. "How Long, [How Long Blues|How Long Blues]" – 5:31
  3. "Frank Goes To" – 7:23
  4. "Another Mess" – 4:48
  5. "Which Way Is That?" – 9:24
  6. "Three Ghosts" – 5:11
  7. "Some Relief" – 1:12
  8. "And Now Some Blues" – 4:43
  9. "Now" – 2:05
  10. "And Now" – 2:51
  11. "The Maple Leaf Rag" – 3:01

    Personnel