Silky Denims: Pharoah Sanders

Showing posts with label Pharoah Sanders. Show all posts

Friday, June 23, 2023

Pharoah Sanders - Live at Fabrik Hamburg 1980

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:20
Size: 161,4 MB
Art: Front

(18:04) 1. You Gotta Have Freedom
(12:57) 2. It's Easy To Remember
(20:20) 3. Dr Pitt
( 8:35) 4. The Creator Has A Masterplan
(10:22) 5. Greetings To Idris

Stunning live work from the great Pharoah Sanders a set that's right up there with his best for the Teresa label in the 80s, but which also has some of the bite of his later Impulse material too!

Tracks are long and modal that groove that always seems to unlock the most soulful, mystical currents in Sanders' tenor and the group is superb, with this beautiful work on bass from the young Curtis Lundy, plus John Hicks on piano and Idris Muhammad on drums the latter of whom is in that looser mode he reopened in the 80s, and very different than his 70s funk years.

Tracks are all nice and long and titles include "Dr Pitt", "Greetings To Idris", "You Gotta Have Freedom", "It's Easy To Remember", and "The Creator Has A Masterplan". © 1996-2023, Dusty Groove, Inc.https://www.dustygroove.com/item/134602/Pharoah-Sanders:Pharoah-Sanders-Live-At-Fabrik-Hamburg-1980

Personnel: Pharoah Sanders (ts), John Hicks (p), Curtis Lundy (b), and Idris Muhammad (d)

Live at Fabrik Hamburg 1980

Saturday, April 29, 2023

Pharoah Sanders - Great Moments with Pharoah Sanders

Styles: Jazz, Hard Bop
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 99:44
Size: 229,2 MB
Art: Front

( 7:53) 1. Times Past (This Is For You, John)
( 6:54) 2. Origin
( 5:31) 3. Naima
( 8:25) 4. Africa
( 4:57) 5. You Don't Know What Love Is
(12:19) 6. The Night Has A Thousand Eyes
( 7:22) 7. Polka Dots And Moonbeams
(10:43) 8. Moniebah
( 9:24) 9. Soul Eyes
(10:06) 10. You've Got To Have Freedom
( 8:10) 11. Moon Child
( 7:55) 12. Central Park West

"The double-LP Great Moments With Pharoah Sanders documents the music of Pharoah Sanders from 1983 to 1990, showcasing both the raw energy and tender nature of his music. It contains 12 of his recordings, including 'Africa', 'Naima', 'You've Got To Have Freedom' and also the previously unreleased version of 'Central Park West'.

Featured guest musicians are John Hicks, Idris Muhammad, Curtis Lundy, Benny Golson, Cedar Walton, Ron Carter and more jazz masters. For this compilation, Bret Primack has written new liner notes and Timeless Records founders Ria and Wim Wigt here share additional great moments from Sanders's sublime work.Great Moments Withis available as a limited edition of 1500 individually numbered copies on translucent blue color vinyl, housed in a gatefold sleeve."
https://www.inneroceanrecords.com/products/pharoah-sanders-great-moments-with-pharoah-sanders

Great Moments with Pharoah Sanders

Monday, March 27, 2023

Pharoah Sanders - Pharoah Sanders' Finest

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:23
Size: 163.4 MB
Styles: Soul jazz, Bop
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[ 3:22] 1. Moniebah
[10:06] 2. You've Got To Have Freedom
[ 5:29] 3. Naima
[ 8:06] 4. Moon Child
[ 6:10] 5. Moon Rays
[ 6:51] 6. Origin
[ 8:23] 7. Africa
[ 4:34] 8. Duo
[ 6:18] 9. Lament
[ 4:57] 10. You Don't Know What Love Is
[ 7:00] 11. The Bird Song

Bass – Curtis Lundy, Stafford James; Drums – Eccleston W. Wainwright, Eddie Moore, Idris Muhammed; Percussion – Cheikh Tidiane Fale; Piano – John Hicks, William Henderson; Saxophone – Pharoah Sanders.

After Pharoah Sanders recorded as a leader for Impulse in 1973 (Love in Us All) he recorded a number of records for different labels; his self-titled album for India Navigation stands as a high point in his development as not only a saxophonist, but as a player who sought ways of moving to a more reflective approach. These included recordings for Arista/Novus, Theresa, Dr. Jazz, and the Netherlands-based Timeless imprints, as well as co-led and other sessions as a prominent sideman. Sanders spent increasing amounts of time in Europe and Japan because he could work regularly. The period he spent on Timeless is the subject of this wonderful compilation assembled by the excellent Dopeness Galore label in Amsterdam. For starters, Dopeness Galore is not strictly a jazz label; they are just as closely allied with hip-hop and dance music culture, and issue fine 12" singles as well as compilations, in addition to supporting a number of visual artists. Definitely a label to watch in the 21st century.

Sanders recorded three albums for Timeless, a label associated with fine jazz from the U.S., the European continent, and Asia: Africa, released in 1987, Moonchild issued in 1989, and Welcome to Love, a ballads collection. The tracks compiled on Finest are not arranged chronologically (thankfully); maximum attention was given to aesthetics and dynamics as well as showing the wide range of Sanders musicality and interests in world music as well as the jazz tradition, his own forward thinking, and his relentless pursuit of a spiritual muse in his music. ~Thom Jurek

Pharoah Sanders'Finest

Sunday, February 12, 2023

John Coltrane - Live at the Village Vanguard And Live At The Village Vanguard Again!

Album: Live at the Village Vanguard

Styles: Hard Bop, Avant-Garde Jazz
Year: 1966
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:37
Size: 84,0 MB
Art: Front

(13:48) 1. Spiritual
( 6:40) 2. Softly as in a Morning Sunrise
(16:09) 3. Chasin' the Trane

Review: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coltrane_%22Live%22_at_the_Village_Vanguard

Personnel: John Coltrane — soprano and tenor saxophone; Eric Dolphy — bass clarinet on "Spiritual"; McCoy Tyner — piano on side one; Reggie Workman — bass on side one; Jimmy Garrison — bass on side two; Elvin Jones — drums

Live at the Village Vanguard

Album: Live At The Village Vanguard Again!

Styles: Hard Bop, Avant-Garde Jazz
Year: 1966
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:41
Size: 97,1 MB
Art: Front

(15:11) 1. Naima
( 6:08) 2. Introduction To My Favorite Things
(20:21) 3. My Favorite Things

Live at the Village Vanguard Again! is one of the more hotly contested albums in John Coltrane's catalog. Released less than a year before his death, the original recording showcased his new quintet with Alice Coltrane, piano; Pharoah Sanders, tenor saxophone; Jimmy Garrison, bass; and Rashied Ali, drums. Additional percussion on the date was provided by Emanuel Rahim. The three selections here are what survive from a much longer tape. Coltrane's signature ballad "Naima" opens the album and goes on for over 15 minutes.

One of the most iconic tunes in his repertoire, the treatment it is given here is radical. While the melody is referenced in the beginning, Coltrane moves it aside fairly quickly to concentrate on improvisation. His tenor solo (heard in the left channel) begins in earnest a minute-and-a-half in. He gradually deconstructs the various phrases in the lyric to blow passionately through them. By the time Sanders begins his (overly long) tenor solo (right channel), the abstraction becomes total. His intensity and ferocity are simply more than the ballad calls for. Even when Coltrane returns to solo again, and gradually winds it down, he has to begin at that hot peak. "Naima" is a different tune when all is said and done. "My Favorite Things" is in two parts. The first six minutes belong to a gorgeous, imaginative solo by Garrison.

The tune's familiar theme is not stated by Coltrane until after the mode is introduced; then bits and pieces of the melody are brought in until they become however briefly the whole head line. It disappears quickly even though referenced occasionally throughout Coltrane's solos. His soprano solos are intense but utterly beautiful. His playing is pure passion and creative imagination, ever aware of the shimmering block chords played by Alice.

Ali skitters propulsively around them, driving insistently until he's allowed to let loose when Sanders and his tenor begin their violent wail that simply disregards the entire tune save for one quote near the end to bring Coltrane back in. Sanders screams through his horn throughout his solo, and when Coltrane rejoins him, it's to meet him and try to rein him in; it leaves the listener exhausted after its 25-minute run. Live at the Village Vanguard Again! is certainly not for Coltrane newcomers, and may indeed only hold value for his most ardent followers despite its many qualities.By Thom Jurek
https://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-the-village-vanguard-again%21-mw0000652602

Personnel: John Coltrane – soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone, bass clarinet, flute; Pharoah Sanders – tenor saxophone, flute; Alice Coltrane – piano; Jimmy Garrison – bass; Rashied Ali – drums; Emanuel Rahim – percussion

Live At The Village Vanguard Again!

Friday, October 7, 2022

John Coltrane - A Love Supreme: Live in Seattle

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:31
Size: 173,2 MB
Art: Front

(21:53) 1. A Love Supreme, Pt.I: Acknowledgement
( 2:28) 2. Interlude 1
(11:05) 3. A Love Supreme, Pt.II: Resolution
( 6:23) 4. Interlude 2
(15:27) 5. A Love Supreme, Pt.III: Pursuance
( 6:32) 6. Interlude 3
( 4:20) 7. Interlude 4
( 7:21) 8. A Love Supreme, Pt.IV: Psalm

John Coltrane was moving faster than the speed of sound in 1965. Besides divining his place within the music, the world, his God, he was touring; a two week gig with Thelonious Monk at the Village Gate led to Newport then into a frenetic week in Europe. With the classic quartet plus Archie Shepp, Art Davis and Freddie Hubbard he had just completed the mind-bending sonic assault Ascension (Impulse!, 1966). That anyone could keep up with him or think one step ahead of him was Herculean. Few did. That is why we are still fascinated to listen when they do. To discover. To be some small part of something larger.

A Love Supreme: Live In Seattle memorialises for only the second known time; the first full performance of this holy suite was in Antibes, France, on July 26, 1965 released masterfully after decades of bootlegs, variations, and augmentations galore as part of A Love Supreme: The Complete Masters (Impulse, 2013).

Discovered in the private collection of Seattle saxophonist and educator Joe Brazil, this blistering October 2, '65 performance culminated a week's residency at The Penthouse, where the fiercely difficult and unapologetically atonal Live In Seattle (Impulse, 1971) was also recorded. Here, we find Coltrane moving singularly beyond the structures and strictures of the summer, expanding the live sound to include not only McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones and Jimmy Garrison but also fellow rogue sax visionary Pharoah Sanders, second bassist Donald Raphael Garrett and also on sax Carlos Ward.

Despite the lack of contemporaneous fanfare, and given the fact that the night was recorded with two microphones, A Love Supreme Live In Seattle is not only a performance for the ages but a marvelous sounding one as well. Intensely immersive, the music builds upon the original template until it becomes something startlingly original yet again: A revived prayer, a bold logistic, a howling tribute to the soul. Each man is a force of indisputable nature (check out Tyner and Jones especially on "Pursuance: Part III," Coltrane and Sanders free, shrieking energy throughout.) Wheeling, keening, pleading, the music implores the higher power to reveal himself/herself/itself to the club's capacity crowd (275 very lucky souls) and now it implores us, compels us, to pay reverent attention to every moment. To every breath. And pray. By Mike Jurkovic https://www.allaboutjazz.com/a-love-supreme-live-in-seattle-john-coltrane-impulse-records__25172

Personnel: John Coltrane: saxophone; Pharoah Sanders: saxophone, tenor; Carlos Ward: saxophone, alto; McCoy Tyner: piano; Jimmy Garrison: bass, acoustic; Donald Garrett: bass, acoustic; Elvin Jones: drums.

A Love Supreme: Live in Seattle

Monday, June 17, 2019

Joey DeFrancesco - In the Key of the Universe

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:28
Size: 134,9 MB
Art: Front

( 5:18) 1. Inner Being
( 6:42) 2. Vibrations in Blue
( 3:01) 3. Awake and Blissed
( 3:55) 4. It Swung Wide Open
( 5:05) 5. In the Key of the Universe
(11:00) 6. The Creator Has a Master Plan
( 7:52) 7. And So It Is
( 5:30) 8. Soul Perspective
( 4:47) 9. A Path Through the Noise
( 5:15) 10. Easier to Be

This is an important, even historic album. It marks unannounced the return of a great figure of the free jazz era, Pharoah Sanders. Saxophonist Albert Ayler once famously declared, "Trane was the Father, Pharoah was the Son, I am the Holy Ghost." Hammond organist Joey DeFrancesco has orchestrated Sanders' return from oblivion. Without it, the album would be just one more round of Hammond organ tunes that adhere to DeFrancesco's dictum "I just like to swing." Sanders is featured on three numbers: the title track; his own, perhaps best-known song, "The Creator Has A Master Plan"; and "And So It Is." Without in any way disturbing the album's main, happy-go-lucky thrust, these songs provide a glimpse back into another time when brave men sought to expand the music's and their own horizons. Sanders, aged 78, has distanced himself from those free jazz years. His website says: "Although he made his name with expressionistic, nearly anarchic free jazz in John Coltrane's late ensembles of the mid-60s, Sanders' later music is guided by more graceful concerns. The hallmarks of Sanders' playing at that time were naked aggression and unrestrained passion. In the years after Coltrane's death, however, Sanders explored other, somewhat gentler and perhaps more cerebral avenues without, it should be added, sacrificing any of the intensity that defined his work as an apprentice to Coltrane." Hats off to Joey DeFrancesco for this chance to re-evaluate Sanders' work. DeFrancesco's own numbers are executed with his customary panache. "Inner Being" and "Vibrations In Blue" test the limits of the instrumentation to emerge by and large unscathed. "Soul Perspective" is gentle and melodic, with Troy Roberts putting in some good work on tenor and soprano saxophones. "A Path Through The Noise" speaks for itself it's meditative and calm with DeFrancesco taking a solo on trumpet, which he took up after gigging with Miles Davis as a very young man. ~ Chris Mosey https://www.allaboutjazz.com/in-the-key-of-the-universe-joey-defrancesco-mack-avenue-records-review-by-chris-mosey.php

Personnel: Joey DeFrancesco: organ, trumpet; Pharoah Sanders: tenor saxophone, vocal; Troy Roberts: soprano, alto and tenor saxophone, bass; Sammy Figueroa: percussion; Billy Hart: drums.

In the Key of the Universe

Sunday, March 10, 2019

Pharoah Sanders - Love Will Find A Way

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:30
Size: 89,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:13) 1. Love Will Find A Way
(4:33) 2. Pharomba
(4:43) 3. Love Is Here
(6:04) 4. Got To Give It Up
(5:10) 5. As You Are
(6:44) 6. Answer Me My Love
(6:00) 7. Everything I Have Is Good

Once you’ve heard the sound of Pharoah Sanders’ tenor saxophone, you never forget it; impossibly rich and full of overtones, it wrings every bit of emotion out of each note. Pharoah has gained a devoted following since his days with John Coltrane, and his work for Impulse during the early ’70s in particular has been lovingly reissued; however, his albums for Arista in the late '70s have been out of print for years. One big reason for that is that they are the most controversial of his career; that same devoted fan base could not believe its ears when this free jazz icon went the jazz-funk "quiet storm" route! But the blend some would say collision of the two aesthetics produced, on Love Will Find a Way, a unique album that has gained quite the cult following over the years; that it features two other legends in their own right, drummer/producer/singer Norman Connors and vocalist Phyllis Hyman, certainly doesn’t hurt! We’re reissuing this lost classic with original art and new liner notes with quotes from Pharoah. ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Love-Will-Find-Pharoah-Sanders/dp/B000A7BB9C

Personnel: Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Percussion – Pharoah Sanders; Backing Vocals – The Water Family;Bass – Alex Blake , Donny Beck ; Concertmaster [Strings] – Sidney Sharp; Congas, Bongos, Cymbal [Paiste Cymbals], Gong [Gongs], Percussion [Miscellaneous] – Kenneth Nash; Drums – James Gadson, Lenny White, Raymond Pounds ; Electric Guitar – David T. Walker, Wah Wah Watson; French Horn – Sidney Muldrow, Vincent De Rosa; Keyboards – Hubert Eaves, Khalid Moss; Keyboards [Keyboard Solos] – Bobby Lyle; Reeds – Ernest Watts; Saxophone – Terry Harrington, William Green ; Timpani, Drums, Percussion, Gong [Gongs] – Norman Connors; Trombone – George Bohanon, Lew McCreary; Trumpet – Charles Findley, Oscar Brashear; Vocals – Phyllis Hyman

Love Will Find A Way

Saturday, September 29, 2018

Pharoah Sanders - Ballads with Love

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:01
Size: 94,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:58) 1. Too Young to Go Steady
(7:15) 2. Feelin' Good
(6:23) 3. Light at the Edge of the World
(9:02) 4. Body and Soul
(5:46) 5. Misty
(6:35) 6. In a Sentimental Mood

Known for his harsh excursions into the avant-garde with John Coltrane in the late '60s, Pharoah Sanders is at his most appealing interpreting ballads, such as these 2002 sessions. Well accompanied by pianist William Henderson, bassist Charles Fambrough, and drummer Sherman Ferguson, Sanders offers a fluid interpretation of the nearly forgotten gem "Too Young to Go Steady," showcasing his warm tenor sax and Henderson's lush touch as well. His take of Anthony Newley's "Feelin' Good" shows Coltrane's influence on him, while Sanders gives this show tune a gospel flavor. One fascinating choice is Piero Piccioni's "Light at the Edge of the World," written for the film of the same name, a big-budget 1971 film starring Kirk Douglas that flopped at the box office; Sanders' decision to look for obscurities such as this gem pays off huge dividends, with his robust playing in a soft bossa nova setting and Henderson's shimmering piano glistening like the sun on the ocean. The arrangements of favorites like "Body and Soul," "In a Sentimental Mood," and "Misty" are also among Pharoah Sanders' best recorded performances. Recommended. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/ballads-with-love-mw0000551448

Personnel: Tenor Saxophone – Pharoah Sanders; Bass – Charles Fambrough; Drums – Sherman Ferguson; Piano – William Henderson

Ballads with Love

Saturday, September 22, 2018

Pharoah Sanders & William Henderson - A Prayer Before Dawn

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1987
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:05
Size: 128,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:11) 1. The Light at the Edge of the World
(5:18) 2. Dedication to James W. Clark
(5:22) 3. Softy for Shyla
(8:27) 4. The Greatest Love of All
(5:58) 5. Midnight at Yoshi's
(4:35) 6. Living Space
(6:37) 7. After the Rain
(7:09) 8. In Your Own Sweet Way
(7:24) 9. Christmas Song

Recorded in 1987, A Prayer Before Dawn is one of Pharoah Sanders' gentle, reflective dates. Some jazz fans may cringe at his versions of "Christmas Song" and Whitney Houston's "The Greatest Love of All," but the music displays a heartfelt spirituality as opposed to financial slickness. It is the opposite of Sanders' characteristic fire-breathing tenor of his Impulse days, but there is nobility in taking this tranquil direction; Sanders refuses to repeat himself. He demands you listen with open ears, dropping preconceived notions. For instance, unlike the adult contemporary direction taken by one-time free jazz tenor titan Gato Barbieri, this date doesn't sound like a polished commercial venture as much as a quiet, meditative one. The use of tabla, sarod, and chandrasarang adds to the session's spiritual nature. ~ Al Campbell https://www.allmusic.com/album/a-prayer-before-dawn-mw0000273356

Personnel: Pharoah Sanders - tenor saxophone, miscellaneous instruments; William Henderson - piano, synthesizer; John Hicks - piano (track 7); Lynn Taussig - sarod, chandrasarang (track 5); Alvin Queen - drums (track 5)

A Prayer Before Dawn

Monday, September 10, 2018

Randy Weston - The Spirits of Our Ancestors Disc 1 And Disc 2

Album: The Spirits of Our Ancestors Disc 1

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:21
Size: 101,8 MB
Art: Front

( 3:21) 1. African Village Bedford-Stuyvesant 1
(10:48) 2. The Healers
(17:16) 3. African Cookbook
( 6:43) 4. La Elaha-Ella Allah/Morad Allah
( 6:12) 5. The Call

Pianist Randy Weston and arranger Melba Liston had a musical reunion on this special double-CD, their first joint project since 1973's Tanjah. Liston's charts for the pianist's ten originals perfectly fit Weston's adventurous style and the twelve-piece group (which includes three percussionists) is filled with highly individual voices including the tenors of Billy Harper and Dewey Redman. With trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie and tenor-saxophonist Pharoah Sanders making guest appearances and Randy Weston heard at the peak of his powers, this is a highly recommended set. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-spirits-of-our-ancestors-mw0000276414

Personnel: Randy Weston - piano (not on 4); Idrees Sulieman - trumpet (on 2,3,5,6,7,9); Dizzy Gillespie - trumpet (on 9); Benny Powell - trombone (on 2,3,5,6,7,9); Talib Kibwe - flute, alt sax (on 2,5,6,7,9); Billy Harper - tenor sax (on 2,3,5,6,7,9); Dewey Redman - tenor sax (on 2,3,5,6,7,9); Pharoah Sanders - tenor sax, gaita (on 3 >8); Alex Blake - bass (on 2,3,5,6,7,8,9); Jamil Nasser - bass (on 2,3,4,5,6,8,9); Idris Muhammad - drums (on 2,3,5,6,7,8,9); Azzedin Weston - percussion (on 2,3,4,6,9); Big Black - percussion (on 3,5,6,7,8,9); Yassir Chadly - percussion, karkaba, vocal (on 4 >8)

The Spirits of Our Ancestors Disc 1

Album: The Spirits of Our Ancestors Disc 2

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 62:11

Size: 142,6 MB

( 8:30) 1. African Village Bedford-Stuyvesant 2

(16:28) 2. The Seventh Queen

(12:01) 3. Blue Moses

(19:54) 4. African Sunrise

( 5:16) 5. A Prayer for Us All

R.I.P.

Born: April 6, 1926

Died: September 1, 2018

The Spirits of Our Ancestors Disc 2

Friday, August 17, 2018

Pharoah Sanders - Rejoice

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1988
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:28
Size: 148,3 MB
Art: Front

(12:47) 1. Rejoice
( 7:42) 2. Highlife
(10:02) 3. Nigerian Juju Highlife
( 5:45) 4. Origin
( 6:28) 5. When Lights Are Low
( 5:20) 6. Moments Notice
( 5:47) 7. Central Park West
( 4:06) 8. Ntjilo Ntjilo/Bird Song
( 5:29) 9. Farah

A two-LP set on Theresa, Rejoice features Pharoah Sanders in excellent form in 1981. Sanders sounds much more mellow than he had a decade earlier, often improvising in a style similar to late-'50s John Coltrane, particularly on "When Lights Are Low," "Moments Notice," and "Central Park West." The personnel changes on many of the selections and includes such top players as pianists Joe Bonner and John Hicks, bassist Art Davis, drummers Elvin Jones and Billy Higgins, vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, trombonist Steve Turre, trumpeter Danny Moore, a harpist, and (on "Origin" and "Central Park West") five vocalists. The music always holds one's interest, making this one of Sanders' better later recordings. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/rejoice-mw0000196812

Personnel: Pharoah Sanders - tenor saxophone, bells, vocals; Danny Moore - trumpet (tracks 4-7); Steve Turre - trombone (tracks 4-7); Lois Colin - harp (tracks 7 & 8); Bobby Hutcherson - vibraphone (tracks 1, 4, 6 & 7); John Hicks - piano (tracks 4-7); Joe Bonner - piano, vocals (tracks 1-3 8 & 9); Peter Fujii - guitar, vocals (track 2 & 3); Art Davis - bass (tracks 1 & 4-7); Jorge Pomar - bass, vocals (tracks 2 & 3); Elvin Jones (track 1), Billy Higgins (tracks 4-7) - drums; Big Black - congas, vocals (tracks 2 & 3); Babatunde Lea - bells, drums, shekere, vocals (tracks 1-3); George V. Johnson Jr. - vocals (track 6); B. Kazuko Ishida - voice (track 1); Flame Braithwaite, Bobby London, Sakinah Muhammad, Carroll Wilson Scott, Yvette S. Vanterpool - vocals (tracks 4 & 7); William S. Fischer (vocal arranger (tracks 4 & 7).

Rejoice

Sunday, August 6, 2017

Charnett Moffett - Music From Our Soul

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:53
Size: 142,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:56) 1. Music From Our Soul
(5:20) 2. Freedom
(7:05) 3. Mood Indigo
(3:40) 4. So What?
(5:09) 5. Come And Play
(3:39) 6. Love In The Galaxies
(4:38) 7. We Are Here To Play
(4:58) 8. Mediterranean
(5:30) 9. For Those Who Know
(6:55) 10. Just Need Love
(1:02) 11. Celestial Dimensions
(2:53) 12. Sound World Suite
(5:27) 13. Freedom Swing
(0:35) 14. Love For The People Encore

Bassist Charnett Moffett is one of those figures that we tend to take for granted, mostly because it seems like he's simply always been here. The once-upon-a-time child prodigy has been omnipresent on the scene since the mid '80s, holding down the low end for jazz's elite while bringing strength, consistency, and creativity to the fore through his bass work. A short list of Moffett's employers and colleagues reads like a jazz history lesson saxophonists Ornette Coleman and Kenny Garrett, drummers Tony Williams and Art Blakey, pianists McCoy Tyner and Mulgrew Miller, guitarists Kevin Eubanks and Sonny Sharrock, and multiple Marsalis men have all called on the bassist at one time or another but he's not merely a sideman du jour. Moffett has made more than a few splashes on his own, releasing a dozen or so albums as a leader, and he's spent plenty of time headlining at notable venues and events. He's been a musical rock and pillar for the past thirty years, and Music From Our Soul celebrates that fact. For this occasion, Moffett assembled a program of music that capitalizes on his many strengths while also highlighting his varied musical exploits and excursions in the present day. There are performances that were recorded live at New York's Jazz Standard, showcasing the trio of Moffett, pianist Cyrus Chestnut, and drummer Victor Lewis; numbers with guitarist Stanley Jordan and drummer Mike Clark that were captured in a live studio setting; recordings from a run of shows at Seattle's Jazz Alley, where Moffett and Jordan combined forces with iconic saxophonist Pharoah Sanders and drumming powerhouse Jeff "Tain" Watts; and pieces plucked from Moffett's performance at the 40th International Bern Jazz Festival in 2015, featuring a quartet that includes Jordan, Chestnut, and Watts. When taken as a whole, all of it serves as a portrait of an artist in midlife Moffett turned fifty on June 10, 2017 and a statement of dominance from one of the most technically gifted and imaginative bass players on the planet.

The fleet-fingered lines, liquid tone, and harmonic perspicacity that are universally recognized as hallmarks of Moffett's work are all here for the viewing. His massive chops and flexibility are on display on the large majority of these pieces and his rapport with these different groups is evident. He supports Sanders' atavistic wails and exhibits a coiled connection to Jordan on "Freedom Swing," moves from mellow and melodious environs to a bluesy barroom and back again on Duke Ellington's "Mood Indigo," hits the gas pedal with Chestnut and Lewis on the feisty "Come And Play," explores pan-African cool on the title track, and gleefully mixes it up with Watts, Chestnut, and Jordan on the rocketing and explosive "For Those Who Know." Sound quality and balance understandably vary a bit from place to place here you can't source an album from three different live venues and a studio without encountering that issue to some degree but musical quality remains incredibly high throughout. Moffett reached the summit three decades ago and he's still right there, bass in hand and fingers at the ready. He remains a giant on his instrument and a stalwart figure in jazz. ~ Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/music-from-our-soul-charnett-moffett-motema-music-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php

Personnel: Charnett Moffett: acoustic bass, electric bass; Pharoah Sanders: tenor saxophone (1, 7, 13); Stanley Jordan: guitar (1, 2, 4, 5-10, 12, 13), piano and keyboards (1, 7, 13); Cyrus Chestnut: piano and keyboards (2, 3, 5, 8, 10); Jeff "Tain" Watts: drums (1, 2, 7-10, 12, 13); Victor Lewis: drums (3, 5); Mike Clark: drums (4, 6).

Music From Our Soul

Saturday, January 21, 2017

Alice Coltrane - A Monastic Trio

Styles: Harp And Piano Jazz
Year: 1968
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:15
Size: 131,5 MB
Art: Front

(7:34) 1. Lord, Help Me to Be (bonus track)
(4:04) 2. The Sun (bonus track)
(7:53) 3. Ohnedaruth
(6:48) 4. Gospel Trane
(6:46) 5. I Want To See You
(6:55) 6. Lovely Sky Boat
(4:21) 7. Oceanic Beloved
(5:56) 8. Atomic Peace
(6:55) 9. Altruvista (previously unreleased bonus track)

Alice Coltrane's 1968 solo debut on Impulse still stands tall in the artist's excellent discography. Coltrane had already gained a considerable education playing in the band of her late husband John during one of his boldest and most exploratory periods. The searching quality underpinning the saxophonist's last albums is also present on A Monastic Trio, as are the Eastern modalities and the balance between density and expansiveness often associated with Trane. But to consider Coltrane's debut a mere offshoot of her late husband's inventions is to do her a great disservice. Coltrane distinguishes herself as a composer (all the tunes on the album are hers), and as an instrumentalist (her harp playing, in particular, is noteworthy). A Monastic Trio also benefits from a superb personnel list, including Rashied Ali on drums, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and the irrepressible Pharoah Sanders on saxophone, flute, and bass clarinet. This recording remains one of the landmark debuts in avant-garde jazz. ~ Rovi Staff http://www.allmusic.com/album/a-monastic-trio-mw0000601109

Personnel: Alice Coltrane (harp, piano); John Coltrane (spoken vocals); Pharoah Sanders (tenor saxophone, flute, bass clarinet); Jimmy Garrison (bass); Ben Riley, Rashied Ali (drums).

A Monastic Trio

Thursday, January 5, 2017

Various - Mack The Knife

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:49
Size: 120.9 MB
Styles: Assorted Jazz styles
Year: 1998
Art: Front

[8:14] 1. Barney Wilen - Mack The Knife
[6:34] 2. Pharoah Sanders - In A Sentimental Mood
[5:24] 3. Lee Konitz - My Funny Valentine
[6:22] 4. Eddie Harris - Georgia On My Mind
[5:56] 5. Carmen Leggio - Street Of Dreams
[7:03] 6. Archie Shepp - The Thrill Is Gone
[6:44] 7. Phil Woods - Souvenir
[6:28] 8. Barney Wilen - I Cover The Waterfront

About the song 'Mack the Knife": "Mack the Knife" was composed on a whim by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill while they were putting the finishing touches on Die Dreigroschenoper in 1928. As the story goes, the diva-esque tenor who was playing the part of Mackie Messer, aka Macheath or Mack the Knife, suggested that a whole song should be written to introduce his character before he comes on stage. As one columnist recently wrote, "the essence of the song is: Oh, look who's coming onstage, it's Mack the Knife - a thief, murderer, arsonist, and rapist." The song, which became the opening number, was composed in less than 24 hours and added to the show at the final hour. Little did Weill and Brecht know it would be one of their most well-known legacies.

In some ways, The Threepenny Opera, tagged by Brecht and Weill as a show "by and for beggars," revolutionized musical theater. Die Dreigroschenoper was revolutionary because it was a fun musical that doubled as biting satire, throwing stone after stone at the corruption of the German government and its supporters without naming any names. It also integrated contemporary trends like tango and foxtrot. It was also historically fascinating because it was actually a re-write of a musical composed a full two hundred years before, John Gay's Beggar's Opera. In the early 1700s, the Beggar's Opera—which poked light fun at London's bourgeois classes—became wildly popular as the first comic opera. The parody, which featured a Robin Hood-type Macheath who stole from the rich, was later popular in the British colonies in New York and was supposedly enjoyed by George Washington. The Beggar's Opera was translated into German and became a popular play in 1920s Berlin because it spoke to the excesses of post-World War I Germany.

Not surprisingly, Brecht and Weill were pushed out of Germany by the Nazis in 1933, and their works were banned. They both ended up in the U.S. after seeking refuge in several European countries. Given that his life as a writer was devoted to calling out corruption and that he spent about a decade hiding from the Nazis, it is ironic that Brecht, who emigrated to the U.S. in the 1940s, was called before the House Un-American Activities Committee in 1947 and fled the U.S. for fear of political persecution.

Brecht and Weill's interpretation of the John Gay play is more sinister and intense than the amusing Robin Hood themes that showed up in the original. Macheath, the show's anti-hero, goes from being a bit of a crook to being a pretty serious one: he is portrayed as a murderer, rapist, and arsonist who is openly frightening but butters up the people around him, especially women, to keep on their good side. In The Threepenny Opera, he is known as Mackie Messer (Messer is German for knife).

Mack The Knife

Monday, August 1, 2016

Pharoah Sanders - With a Heartbeat

Styles: Flute And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:43
Size: 113,9 MB
Art: Front

(17:06) 1. Across Time
( 7:45) 2. Morning Tala
( 8:58) 3. Alankara (Beats of the Heart)
(15:52) 4. Gamaka

OK, this sounds like a pretty hokey concept: Pharoah Sanders and some of Bill Laswell's Material crew perform along with recordings of a heartbeat, supplied by Dr. Jean-Louis Zink. Fortunately, it comes off far better in execution than one might expect. First off, the heartbeat itself is sonically treated to be more of a bass pulse, which Laswell then elaborates on when his bass is in the picture. As might be expected with Laswell, there are strong elements of dub throughout, from the sound of the basslines to the way the instruments fade in and out. Besides the heartbeat, which is always present to varying degrees, the main sounds are the guitar and electric sitar of Nicky Skopelitis and keyboards either by Jeff Bova or Laswell. Pharoah Sanders' playing is excellent, and the album is enjoyable, but one gets the sense that this is Laswell's project, and Pharoah just plays on it. If you're looking to start a Pharoah Sanders collection, begin with something from the Impulse catalog, like Karma or Thembi. As a Pharoah Sanders record, With a Heartbeat makes a fine Bill Laswell album. ~ Sean Westergaard http://www.allmusic.com/album/with-a-heartbeat-mw0000028192

Personnel: Pharoah Sanders (flute, tenor saxophone); Nicky Skopelitis (guitar, electric sitar); Bill Laswell (flute, keyboards); Graham Haynes (cornet, electronics); Jeff Bova (keyboards); Trilok Gurtu (tabla).

With a Heartbeat

Thursday, June 9, 2016

Music Revelation Ensemble & James Blood Ulmer - Cross Fire

Styles: Jazz, Avant-Garde Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 53:08
Size: 99,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:36) 1. Law
(7:10) 2. Suspect
(4:30) 3. Devotion
(5:18) 4. Sweet
(6:36) 5. Proof
(9:14) 6. My Prayer
(7:59) 7. Evidence
(6:40) 8. Backbeat

Pretty good idea to rotate guest saxophonists as a means to keep James Blood Ulmer's Music Revelation Ensemble concept fresh. Pharoah Sanders and John Zorn are on board for Cross Fire, and a change to Calvin "Fuzz" Jones' acoustic bass lowers the frenzy level that marked Knights of Power. Sanders, in particular, sounds inspired by the context, playing hard and pushing Ulmer and the music. His tracks all start out peaceful, go totally outside with high harmonic shrieks and thick, woolly tenor tone, and then bring it back to the serenity base. He plays some kind of flute over Jones' arco bass on the atmospheric "Suspect," before Cornell Rochester's drums (a driving, active force throughout) gradually push things out. Some lingering echoes of Sonny Sharrock's Ask the Ages disc mark the Sanders tracks it is the exact same lineup after all, led by another guitar improviser with some kind of space-bluesman-kinship-connection to Jimi Hendrix that becomes explicit on "Sweet." And damn, "My Prayer" finds Sanders playing over segments with an outright country & western groove (yes, you read that right) before it turns sideways and abstract with a spare Ulmer solo for effective contrast. Zorn is subdued at first he's the weak link on the opening "Law," not connecting with the blues dirge-feel created by Jones' bass drag anchor with octave drops and a solid Ulmersolo. But he hits his stride on "Proof," his sonic sax effects playing dodge 'em games with Ulmer's guitar around a very pretty, classic Ulmer theme over a slow, descending bassline later he comes vomiting back in to spew forth guttural commentary, whoops, and slides near the end of a great track. His playing even picks up on the peace and serenity vibe for the nice closer "Backbeat." Music Revelation Ensemble seems to be the context that Blood Ulmer reserves his strongest melodies for, and he plays with the kind of fire and invention that made him a major figure. Cross Fire probably isn't the best place to plunge in and explore the music, but it's a very worthy addition to the catalog.~Don Snowden http://www.allmusic.com/album/cross-fire-mw0000036120

Personnel: James Blood Ulmer – guitar; Calvin "Hassan Truth" Jones - acoustic bass; Cornell Rochester – drums; John Zorn - alto saxophone (tracks 1, 3, 5 & 8); Pharoah Sanders - tenor saxophone (tracks 2, 4, 6 & 7)

Cross Fire

Saturday, April 16, 2016

Pharoah Sanders - Moon Child

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:26
Size: 120,8 MB
Art: Front

( 8:10) 1. Moon Child
( 6:15) 2. Moon Rays
(12:19) 3. The Night Has A Thousand Eyes
( 9:25) 4. All Or Nothing At All
( 5:31) 5. Soon
(10:44) 6. Moniebah

By this point in his career, Sanders had largely withdrawn from the kind of screeching avant-gardism on which he at first staked his reputation. The opening "Moon Child," with its attractively spacy vocals, is reminiscent of the days of "The Creator Has a Master Plan," but this version sounds too contrived to rival the classic earlier recording. The mood is subdued throughout and the choice of tunes definitely on the conservative side ("All or Nothing at All" and "The Night Has a Thousand Eyes," among the six tracks). William Henderson is lovely on piano, while the drummer (Eddie Moore) and percussionist (Cheikh Tidiane Fale) keep to the quiet side.

The results may have originally disappointed some of Sanders' fans, but with time the saxophonist clearly reinvented himself as a more traditional improviser capable of thoughtful and pensive deliberations.~Steve Loewy http://www.allmusic.com/album/moonchild-mw0000678343

Personnel: Pharoah Sanders (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); William Henderson (piano); Eddie Moore (drums).

Moon Child

Monday, February 22, 2016

Pharoah Sanders - Elevation

Styles: Post-Bop, Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1973
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:22
Size: 108,6 MB
Art: Front

(18:01) 1. Elevation
( 4:10) 2. Gretting To Sauid
( 5:38) 3. Ora-Se-Rere
(13:51) 4. The Gathering
( 5:41) 5. Spiritual Blessing

Elevation, Pharoah Sanders' final album for Impulse!, is a mixed bag. Four of the five cuts were recorded live at the Ash Grove in Los Angeles in September of 1973, and the lone studio track, "Greeting to Saud (Brother McCoy Tyner)," was recorded in the same month at Wally Heider's studio. The live date is fairly cohesive, with beautiful modal piano work from Joe Bonner, Pharoah playing tenor and soprano as well as a myriad of percussion instruments and vocalizing in places, and a percussion and rhythm section that included Michael Carvin on drums, bassist Calvin Hill, and hand drummers John Blue and Lawrence Killian. The standout on the set is the opener. At 18 minutes, it's the longest thing here and gives the band a chance to stretch into African and Latin terrains. Sanders' long, loping, suspended lines create a kind of melodic head that is underscored by Bonner's hypnotically repetitive piano work, playing the same chord progression over and over again as he begins his solos (one on each horn). Somewhere near the five-minute mark, Pharoah enters into a primal wail and the whole thing becomes unhinged, moving into a deep blowing session of free improv.

Honks, squeals, wails, and Bonner pounding the hell out of the piano erase any trace of what came before, and this goes on for four minutes before the theme restates itself and once more the magic begins. It's utterly compelling and engaging. "Saud" finds a host of percussionists (including Sanders) along with Hill on tamboura, Bonner, and violinist Michael White. It's a subtle and droning work, full of a constant hum. The other long track, "The Gathering," clocks in at almost 14 minutes, but instead of being a somber nocturnal work it's a lively South African-inspired work that nods to Dollar Brand for inspiration. A gorgeous, nearly carnival piece, it rolls and chugs and runs along on the steam created by Bonner's beautiful chord work.

The chorus of vocals chanting in the foreground and background adds to the party feel, but once again it choogles right off the track into some rather angry and then spooky free improv, with a fine solo by Hill. This may not rate as highly as some of Sanders' other recordings for the label like Thembi or Karma, but there is plenty here for fans, and it is well worth the investigation and the purchase. ~ Thom Jurek http://www.allmusic.com/album/elevation-mw0000172047

Personnel: John Blue: percussion; Joe Bonner: percussion, piano, harmonium, vocals, cowbell, wood flute; Sedatrius Brown: vocals; Michael Carvin: drums, vocals; Calvin Hill: bass, vocals, tamboura; Jimmy Hopps: percussion; Lawrence Killian: percussion, Conga, Vocals, bell tree; Kenneth Nash: percussion; Pharoah Sanders: flute, Percussion, soprano sax; tenor sax; vocals, bells, shaker; Michael White: violin.

Elevation

Friday, January 8, 2016

Tisziji Munoz - Divine Radiance

Styles: Guitar, Straight-ahead/Mainstream
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:20
Size: 142,9 MB
Art: Front

( 1:10) 1. Moment Of Truth
(16:14) 2. Visiting This Planet - Leaving This Planet
(16:17) 3. Initiation By Fire
( 4:26) 4. Fatherhood
(24:12) 5. Divine Radiance

Quick! Name a shredding electric guitarist heavily influenced by late-period John Coltrane... If you said Sonny Sharrock, you're probably not alone; Sharrock built a career out of translating the turbo-charged tenor saxophone sounds of Coltrane, Albert Ayler and other first-generation avant-garde players to the guitar. Few know, however, that Sharrock, who seems peerless, has company in this arena.

When the sextet led by guitarist Tisziji Muñoz, and featuring Coltrane collaborators Pharoah Sanders (who also worked with Sharrock) and Rashied Ali, charged into "Initiation by Fire" at the Village Underground last month, the first thing I thought of was Sharrock's Ask the Ages. Everything from the instrumentation to the highly melodic quality of the written music to the thicket-like counterpoint of Muñoz and Sanders recalled that seminal release. Listening to Divine Radiance, I still think of Sharrock, but I notice that these two players use melody in very different ways. While Sharrock famously tried (very successfully, e.g. on "Devils Doll Baby" from 1986's Guitar ) to "find a way for ... terror and ... beauty to live together in one song," Muñoz' performances tend to be either terrible (in the most ironically positive sense) or beautiful.

The most energetic and effective track, "Divine Radiance," a marathon collective improvisation in the general mold of Trane's "Ascension," undoubtedly falls into the latter category. Here, Sanders and fellow tenor man Ravi Coltrane alternate between hoarse brays and molten runs that clearly evoke the elder Coltrane, while Muñoz matches them shard for shard. The guitarist has an impressive range of sounds at his disposal; he shuffles pyrotechnic upper-register somersaults, blues-metal chunks that recall Vernon Reid, and ambient string scrapes. In total contrast to "Radiance" is "Fatherhood," a gem-like guitar/synth duet featuring Paul Shaffer, who uses a plush, vibraphone-like tone. When Muñoz and Shaffer initiated this piece at the Underground, I was totally taken aback by its unabashed lushness. On record, Muñoz' ringing notes float over the cloud of Shaffer's New Age atmospheres, and if one can abide the considerably dated sound of the synth, the piece is quite affecting.

While the performances on Divine Radiance do seem a bit one-dimensional in comparison with Sonny Sharrock's best work, Tisziji Muñoz's latest is, on its own terms, an extremely well-played (Ali in particular is in fine, bruising form) example of post-Coltrane free jazz that fans of this style will certainly enjoy. This review originally appeared in the July 2003 issue of All About Jazz - New York. ~ Hank Shteamer http://www.allaboutjazz.com/divine-radiance-tisziji-munoz-dreyfus-records-review-by-hank-shteamer.php

Personnel: Rashied Ali - Drums, Cecil McBee - Bass, Paul Shaffer - Organ, Synthesizer, Piano, Don Pate - Bass, Pharoah Sanders - Saxophone, Ravi Coltrane - Saxophone, Tisziji Munoz - Synthesizer, Guitar.

Divine Radiance

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Pharoah Sanders - Welcome To Love

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 70:51

Size: 164.0 MB

Styles: Crossover jazz, Saxophone jazz

Year: 2008

Art: Front

[4:58] 1. You Don't Know What Love Is

[5:21] 2. The Nearness Of You Dedicated To Eddy Moore

[8:09] 3. My One And Only Love

[8:15] 4. I Want To Talk About You

[9:24] 5. Soul Eyes

[6:55] 6. Nancy

[7:23] 7. Polka Dots And Moonbeams

[7:03] 8. Say It (Over & Over Again)

[6:19] 9. Lament

[7:00] 10. The Bird Song

When this was first released, the slow, straight sounds of Pharoah Sanders on a series of mostly famous ballads came as a bit of a surprise to some. Others saw Sanders as following the road of his mentor, John Coltrane, who had recorded most of these tunes himself. In retrospect, the inside playing of Sanders is less of a surprise, the saxophonist having followed that path regularly since at least the '80s. This performance has held up well through the years, and while the thin, reserved approach is reminiscent of Coltrane, it is still marked with Pharoah's print. The competent and thoroughly professional rhythm section of pianist William Henderson, bassist Stafford James, and drummer Eccleston W. Wainwright takes a decidedly reserved cue from the saxophonist, but each song is infused with a subtle emotional quality that simply does not let go. ~ Steven Loewy

Recording information: Gimmick Studios, Yerres, France (07/17/1990-07/19/1990).

Pharoah Sanders (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Bill Henderson (piano); Eccleston W. Wainwright, Jr. (drums).

Welcome To Love