Ezz-thetics

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title: "Ezz-thetics" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1961-albums", "george-russell-(composer)-albums", "avant-garde-jazz-albums", "free-jazz-albums", "post-bop-albums", "riverside-records-albums", "albums-produced-by-orrin-keepnews", "albums-arranged-by-george-russell-(composer)"] topic_path: "arts/music" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ezz-thetics" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox album"]

Field	Value
name	Ezz-thetics
type	Album
artist	George Russell Sextet
cover	GRussell Ezzthetics cover.jpg
released	June or July 1961
recorded	May 1961
genre	Avant-garde jazz, post-bop
length	42:29
label	Riverside
producer	Orrin Keepnews
prev_title	George Russell Sextet in K.C.
prev_year	1961
next_title	The Stratus Seekers
next_year	1962
::

| name = Ezz-thetics | type = Album | artist = George Russell Sextet | cover = GRussell Ezzthetics cover.jpg | alt = | released = June or July 1961 | recorded = May 1961 | venue = | studio = | genre = Avant-garde jazz, post-bop | length = 42:29 | label = Riverside | producer = Orrin Keepnews | prev_title = George Russell Sextet in K.C. | prev_year = 1961 | next_title = The Stratus Seekers | next_year = 1962

Ezz-thetics is a studio album by the George Russell sextet, released on Riverside Records in mid-1961.

Recording and music

The album was recorded in May 1961. In addition to himself on piano, Russell's sextet contained trumpeter Don Ellis, trombonist Dave Baker, Eric Dolphy on alto sax and bass clarinet, Steve Swallow on bass, and Joe Hunt on drums. Three of the tracks were written by Russell. It features a radical reworking of Thelonious Monk's standard "Round Midnight" with an extended solo by Eric Dolphy.

Reception

| rev1 = AllMusic | rev1Score = | rev2 = The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide | rev2Score = {{Cite book |editor-last=Swenson |editor-first=J. | author-link = | year = 1985 | title = The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide | publisher = Random House/Rolling Stone | location = USA | isbn = 0-394-72643-X | pages = 174 | rev3 = The Penguin Guide to Jazz | rev3Score = The AllMusic reviewer described the album as "a true classic", and added that, "although using ideas from avant-garde jazz, it does not fall into any simple category". The Penguin Guide to Jazz suggested that it was a good place in Russell's discography for a listener to start.

Track listing

1. "Ezz-thetic" (Russell) – 8:57
2. "Nardis" (Miles Davis) – 4:34
3. "Lydiot" (Russell) – 8:06
4. "Thoughts" (Russell) – 5:26
5. "Honesty" (David Baker) – 8:55
6. "Round Midnight" (Thelonious Monk) – 6:29
7. "Kige's Tune" (Al Kiger) (take 2) *
8. "Kige's Tune" (Al Kiger) (take 5) *

** Bonus tracks, issued for the first time on 2007 CD remaster:*

Personnel

• George Russell - piano, arranger
• Don Ellis - trumpet
• Dave Baker - trombone
• Eric Dolphy - alto sax, bass clarinet
• Steve Swallow - bass
• Joe Hunt - drums

References

References

1. (24 June 1961). "June Album Releases". The Cash Box, New York.
2. (31 July 1961). "Ezz-thetics". The Billboard Publishing Co..
3. Yanow, Scott. (2011). "George Russell: Ezz-Thetics". allmusic.com.
4. (2008). "[[The Penguin Guide to Jazz". [[Penguin Books.

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