By Any Means Necessary is the third album by saxophonist Gary Thomas recorded in 1989 and released on the JMT label.Peabody Institute Staff Profile: Gary Thomas , accessed November 17, 2014Shimada, T., JMT label discography, accessed November 14, 2014
Reception The AllMusic review by Scott Yanow states, "The music features dense ensembles, simultaneous improvisations, eccentric funk rhythms, and rhythmic but very dissonant horn solos that have a logic of their own. One can think of this noisy date as being an updated extension of Ornette Coleman's Prime Time and is recommended to open-minded listeners who think that nothing new has been played in jazz since the mid-'70s."Yanow, S., Allmusic Review accessed November 17, 2014
Track listing All compositions by Gary Thomas except as indicated "By Any Means Necessary" - 7:44 "Continuum" - 6:52 "You're Under Arrest" (John Scofield) - 7:17 "Potential Hazard" - 6:23 "To the Vanishing Point" - 4:37 "Screen Gem" - 5:02 "Janala" (Geri Allen, Greg Osby, Gary Thomas, Naná Vasconcelos) - 2:39 "At Risk" - 7:12 "Out of Harm's Way" - 6:12
Personnel Gary Thomas - tenor saxophone, flute synthesizer Greg Osby - alto saxophone, synthesizer (tracks 7 & 9) Mick Goodrick (tracks 6 & 8), John Scofield (tracks 1, 3 & 8) - guitar Geri Allen, (tracks 4, 5 & 7), Tim Murphy (tracks 1–6, 8 & 9) - piano, synthesizer Anthony Cox - bass (tracks 1–6, 8 & 9) Dennis Chambers - drums (tracks 1–6, 8 & 9) Naná Vasconcelos - percussion (tracks 1, 2, 4-6 & 8)
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