Misplaced Pages

One for John
Studio album by Frank Wright
Released	1970
Recorded	December 5, 1969
Studio	Studio Saravah, Paris
Genre	Free jazz
Length	42:35
Label	BYG Records 529 336
Producer	Jean Georgakarakos, Jean-Luc Young
Frank Wright chronology
Uhuru na Umoja (1970) One for John (1970) Church Number Nine (1971)

One for John is an album by saxophonist Frank Wright. Dedicated to Wright's mentor, John Coltrane, it was recorded at Studio Saravah in Paris on December 5, 1969, and was released in 1970 by BYG Records as part of their Actuel series. On the album, Wright is joined by saxophonist Noah Howard, pianist Bobby Few, and drummer Muhammad Ali.

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic

The editors of AllMusic awarded the album 4 stars.

In a review for Jazzwise, Daniel Spicer wrote: "Some albums are so much of their time that they serve as historical documents just as much as musical recordings. Following John Coltrane's death in 1967, the promise of his journey into spiritually charged free jazz was enthusiastically taken up by the so-called 'second wave' of free jazz musicians... One For John is the quintessential session."

Bradford Bailey of The Hum stated: "Made with a stellar ensemble... it's hard to imagine these sessions could have ever failed or become anything other than what they are – absolutely stunning... it's one of the definitive effort within the collaborations which unfolded within France at the end of the 60s and the outset of the 70s. Liberation in every sense of the word."

Writing for Burning Ambulance, Phil Freeman noted that the album was recorded while Wright was at his peak, and that, along with his appearances on Uhuru na Umoja and Howard's Space Dimension, it is "his best work."

Track listing

1. "One for John" (Frank Wright) – 16:45
2. "China - Part 1" (Bobby Few) – 5:00
3. "China - Part 2" (Bobby Few) – 20:50

Personnel

• Frank Wright – tenor saxophone
• Noah Howard – alto saxophone
• Bobby Few – piano
• Muhammad Ali – drums

References

1. ^ "Frank Wright: One for John". AllMusic. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
2. "Frank Wright - One for John". Jazz Music Archives. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
3. "One For John - Frank Wright - 1970, BYG". BYG Records. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
4. "BYG Actuel discography". JazzLists. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
5. Delcloo, Claude (1970). One for John (liner notes). Frank Wright. BYG Records. 529 336.
6. Spicer, Daniel. "Frank Wright: One For John". Jazzwise. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
7. Bailey, Bradford (July 24, 2018). "the hum's top ten from the free jazz underground – sixteen masterpieces missed by thurston moore". The Hum. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
8. Freeman, Phil (May 4, 2012). "The Franks". Burning Ambulance. Retrieved January 4, 2023.

• 1970 albums
• Frank Wright (jazz musician) albums
• BYG Actuel albums