FIFTH FLOOR WALK-UP

Tracks: Cheesecake - Dexter. Gordon, Chelsea Bridge - Billy Strayhorn, Minotaur - Lockwood, Fifth Floor Walkup - Purpura, Pipirapara - Claudio Roditi, Virgin Wood - Lockwood.

Personel: Craig Purpura - saxophones, Steve Lockwood - piano, Bill Conway - bass, Bill Buchen - drums

This album was recorded in New York in 1978, during my work with Craig in New York. Our repertoire consisted of hard-bop to "free" material, punctuated with a strong assortment of originals. Two of my early pieces, "Minotaur", and "Virgin Wood," are included here. The following excerpted review is from Cadence magazine issue of October 1979.

Speaking Their Peace
......The spirit seems infectious and by the records end Lockwood (a very exciting player with a wide range of playing textures) Bill Buchen (dr) and Bill Conway (bass) have all touched on it. This is near perfect listening. I anxiously await more gifts from Purpura and Lockwood and a whole heartly recommend this to Bop and Freebop listeners interested in substance and statement as opposed to mere personality.