Khaliq Al-Rouf Salaam’s “The Elephant Trot Dance” released on Nilvia Records in 1979. Ashley, a site visitor and now contributor from across the pond sent this gem to me. Here we have a later iteration of “The Ensemble Al-Salaam”, whose Strata East record can be find in the archives. Upon listening it’s immediately satisfying to hear that the Al-Salaam outfit seems to have continued along their spiritual jazz path. I know very little about this LP and can only offer you this little bit that Ashley provided: “libra and title track recorded 18th june 1975 @minot studio, the other 3 were recorded at platinum factory, brooklyn, march 8 1979. it’s all good, but “malcom, the call” is a bitch”, and a bitch it is 
. Top notch, I say! Thanks again Ashley.
Enjoy!
Category Archives: jazz
Marcus Belgrave’s “Gemini” released on Gem Eye/Tribe Records in 1974. One of Detroit’s finest and accompanied by other label heavyweights such as, Wendell Harrison and Phil Ranelin. Here’s some words from Freefrom.org:
“The sound picks up in the same domain as the better Art Ensemble Of Chicago records of the late 60s and early 70s — with the rubbery funk electric bass lines and celestial groove. Trumpeter Marcus Belgrave plays in a beautiful ensemble, packed with Tribe labelmates — Wendell Harrison on tenor sax & percussion, Phil Ranelin on trombone, and Harold McKinney on electric piano. Roy Brooks and Billy Turner are on drums and percussion, and the expansive vibe is fleshed out with the help of Lorenzo Brown on bongos and Daryl Dybka on mini Moog. The record includes Belgrave’s beautiful epic “Space Odyssey”, which has a long flowing cosmic groove, nice electronics, and haunting trumpet solos. Other cuts include “Gemini II”, “Marcia’s Opal”, “Glue Fingers (Parts I & II)”, and “Odoms Cave”. A focused, but still wonderfully loose set of spacey 70s soul jazz!”
I’ve pulled this link as it’s been pointed out to me that this record has be rereleased. So go support Marcus and buy this sh#t!
Chico Freeman’s “The Outside Within” on India Navigation in 1978. I promised more India Navigation LP’s long ago. Well here’s one of the first in many to ‘eventually’ come. On this outing we have Chico Freeman, tenor saxophonist (doubling here on bass clarinet) performing a 19-and-a-half-minute “Undercurrent” (an original by bassist Cecil McBee) and three shorter compositions with McBee, pianist John Hicks, and drummer Jack DeJohnette. Like many of Freeman’s late 70’s to early 80’s releases the music is tinged with a far east flavor. There’s no stinkers on this one. The dynamics between the members and what I’d consider a great recording make this a ‘heater’.
Enjoy
Roland Young’s “Isophonic Boogie Woogie” lp release in 1980. I’d say more but WFMU’s write-up is proper.
WFMU’s words on Young and this release: “Roland P. Young was a huge advocate of underground music, culture, politics and radio, DJing in the Bay Area in the 1960’s and 70’s before creating the amazing Isophonic Boogie Woogie LP in 1980. Here, an entire realm of free sound gets channeled through Young’s mind into what can best be described as “afro-minimal-free-electronic-drone music” (according to the site of Em, the Japanese label that just reissued this). It’s a stunning statement indeed, with Young crafting his out sound with kalimba, sax, clarinet, bells, electronics and assorted other instruments, all flowing in their own space to amazing result. Like Larry Young’s Lawrence of Newark, Philip Cohran’s On the Beach or Love Cry Want’s live 72 record, this is a highly cosmic sound experience rooted in the earth itself.”
Enjoy!
Pharoah Sanders’s “Izipho Zam” released in 1969 on Strata East Records. Pharoah really needs no introduction here. I’ve been a long time fan of Pharoah’s works and have shared another of his choice recordings here before. If your not all that familiar with Pharoah’s works, you’re in for a treat. Also, check Pharoah’s home page HERE. Here’s some words about this release:
”Two years after the death of his mentor and boss, John Coltrane, and just before signing his own contract with Impulse!, Pharoah Sanders finally got around to releasing an album as a leader apart from the Impulse! family. Enlisting a cast of characters no less than 13 in number, Sanders proved that his time with Coltrane and his Impulse! debut, Tauhid, was not a fluke. Though hated by many of the jazz musicians at the time — and more jazz critics who felt Coltrane had lost his way musically the minute he put together the final quintet — Sanders followed his own muse to the edges of Eastern music and sometimes completely outside the borderlines of what could be called jazz. That said, Izipho Zam is a wonderful recording, full of the depth of vision and heartfelt soul that has informed every recording of Sanders since. Guests include Sonny Sharrock, Lonnie Liston Smith, Chief Bey, Cecil McBee, Sirone, Sonny Fortune, Billy Hart, Howard Johnson, and others. The set begins with a gorgeous soul tune in “Prince of Peace,” with Leon Thomas doing his trademark yodel, croon, and wail as Smith, McBee, and Hart back him and Sanders fills the gaps. Next is “Balance,” the first blowing tune on the set, with the African drums, the modal horns, and Sanders’ microtonal investigations of sonic polarity contrasted with Johnson’s tuba, leaving the rhythm section to join him as Sharrock and Smith trade drone lines and Sanders turns it into a Latin dance from outer space about halfway through to the end — it’s astonishing. Finally, on the 28-minute title track, the band members — all of them — begin a slow tonal inquiry, a textured traipse into the abyss of dissonance and harmonic integration, with Thomas as the bridge through which all sounds must travel on their way to the ensemble. From here, percussion, bells, whistles, Sharrock’s heavily chorded guitar — all provide rhythm upon interval upon tonal figure until the horns enter at about 12 minutes. They move slowly at first and gather force until they blast it right open at 20 minutes and the last eight are all free blowing and an endurance ride for the listener because, with four minutes left, Sanders leads the band in a gorgeous lyric ride that brings together all disparate elements in his world and ours, making this track — and album — an exhilarating, indispensable out jazz experience.” ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide
Line-up:
Pharoah Sanders – tenor saxophone
Leon Thomas – vocals
Sonny Sharrock – guitar
Lonnie Liston Smith – keyboards
Cecil McBee – bass
Chief Bey – African drums
Enjoy! (320)
Muhal Richard Abrams’s “Young at Heart/Wise in Time” released in 1969 on Delmark Records. I was very fortunate about a month ago to score this LP sealed from the ‘Bay. Abrams is the founder of legendary AACM in Chicago and has been one of the unsung leaders of the avant-garde ever since the mid-’60s. On this recording we find Abrams in a improvisational solo piece and a explosively dynamic freejazz piece w/ some help from his friends. Here’s some words I found over at Amazon:
“Richard Abrams has never really gotten the attention nor respect he deserves, at least outside of the Chicago jazz scene. Maybe it’s because he’s so difficult to pigeonhole, leaping as he does from numerous camps and mixing everything from late modernism to gospel into one glorious whole. Maybe it’s his steadfast refusal to sell out and dumb down his compositions. Maybe, as critic Gary Giddins has surmised, it’s his somewhat exotic first name that frightens people off. Whatever the case, the man is a giant and deserves the reputation so many contemporary jazz artists grant him. This 1969 album consists of only two tracks, both lengthy explorations of opposite ends of the New Sound in jazz. ‘Young At Heart’ is a thirty minute improvistion on solo piano, in which Abrams touches upon ragtime and stride along with the louder bursts of atonality and lyrical passages of great beauty. It’s an amazing accomplishment. ‘Wise In Time’ is a bit more difficult, a twenty-minute explosion of noise, featuring two players who would go on to become giants in their own right – Wadada Leo Smith on trumpet (here just going as Leo Smith), and Henry Threadgill on alto. A truly wonderful album, blessed with intelligence, energy, beauty and variety. ” – Amazon reviewer Jason Gubbels
Henry Threadgill – Sax (Alto)
Muhal Richard Abrams – Piano, Main Performer
Thurman Barker – Percussion, Drums
Lester Lashley – Bass, Percussion
Wadada Leo Smith – Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Enjoy! (320)
