Basra (album)
{{Infobox album|
| name = Basra
| type = Album
| artist = Pete La Roca
| cover = Basra (album).jpg
| alt =
| released = October 1965[https://books.google.com/books?id=ISkEAAAAMBAJ&dq=Basra+la+roca&pg=PA42 Billboard Oct 2, 1965]
| recorded = May 19, 1965
| venue =
| studio = Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ
| genre = Jazz
| length = 40:43
| label = Blue Note
BST 84205
| producer = Alfred Lion
| chronology = Pete La Roca
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title = Turkish Women at the Bath
| next_year = 1967
}}
Basra is the debut album by drummer Pete La Roca, recorded in 1965 and released on the Blue Note label.[http://www.jazzdisco.org/blue-note-records/catalog-4200-series/#blp-4205 Blue Note Records discography] accessed November 23, 2010
Background and recording
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.{{cite magazine |last=Iverson |first=Ethan |author-link=Ethan Iverson |date=April 7, 2021 |title=Chronology: Steve Swallow Remembers Pete La Roca |url=https://jazztimes.com/features/columns/steve-swallow-pete-la-roca/ |magazine=JazzTimes |access-date=April 24, 2021}} He also said that Van Gelder threatened to end the session after pianist Steve Kuhn started manually plucking the piano strings.
Reception
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".Yanow, S. [{{AllMusic|class=album|id=basra-r142392|pure_url=yes}} Allmusic Review] accessed November 23, 2010
{{Album ratings
| rev1 = Allmusic
| rev1Score = {{rating|4.5|5}}
|rev2 = The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings
|rev2score = {{Rating|3.5|4}}{{cite book |last1=Cook |first1=Richard |authorlink1=Richard Cook (journalist) |last2=Morton |first2=Brian |authorlink2=Brian Morton (Scottish writer) |title=The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings |year=2008 |edition=9th |publisher=Penguin |isbn=978-0-141-03401-0 |page=1302}}
|rev3 = Down Beat
|rev3score = {{Rating|3|5}}Down Beat: December 30, 1965 vol. 32, no. 27}}
Track listing
All compositions by Pete La Roca except as noted
- "Malagueña" (Ernesto Lecuona) - 9:01
- "Candu" - 6:45
- "Tears Come from Heaven" - 5:00
- "Basra" - 9:58
- "Lazy Afternoon" (John La Touche, Jerome Moross) - 5:31
- "Eiderdown" (Steve Swallow) - 4:28
Personnel
- Pete La Roca - drums
- Joe Henderson - tenor saxophone
- Steve Kuhn - piano
- Steve Swallow - bass