Song for Someone

A 1973 project combining normal big-band music with the avant-garde. Interesting mix -- it's got very good, swinging tunes in very organized format, next to some joyous free-jazz chaos. In addition to some rollicking big-band work and spacey '60s sounds, the disk includes some mellow, drifting segments, precursors to the mellow outside-jazz work Wheeler would later do on the ECM label.

Great document of the colliding musical styles in the guy's mind. If (like me) you only know Wheeler for his ECM stuff, this is enlightening.

1- Big band overture: Fast, loud, swingin'
2- Slow ECM-like intro, then the band joins in for a midtempo, spaceous jam. Includes wordless female vocals and lots of electric piano,
and a loose, free sax solo with spare accompanyment
3- Soft interlude w/fem. vocal
4- Some cool swing, some free spazz-outs, some spacey electric piano. Goes through quiet and loud phases.
5- Multiple disjoint phases. Squiggly fast abstract start, then a drifty ECM- like segment and some laid-back jamming.
6- Straight song w/female vocs.