PHAROAH SANDERS レコード& CD

Review: Deeper into Alice Coltrane's catalogue - beyond 'Journey In Satchidananda' or 'Lord Of Lords' - comes this classic bit with cosmic bandleader Pharoah Sanders and saxophonist visionary Joe Henderson. 'Ptah The El Daoud' was initially recorded and released in 1970, and now gets a reissue via Audio Clarity, whose aim with this one is to bring the listener a perfect replica of the original. Made in the basement of her then house in Long Island, New York, this is a light, clarinetting affair; with the track 'Turiya & Ramakrishna' sonically opining Coltrane's Vedantic Hindu views on consciousness, and the seminal 'Blue Nile' nailing sinister serialist moods in their trilling, dark saxophone bits. Of note is that Joe Henderson was recorded on the left channel throughout, while Sanders was on the right; Coltrane noted this decision was intentional, with the two artists' disciplines being so different as to represent the opposing sides of the brain.

Review: Last October, acclaimed saxophonist Pharoah Sanders turned 80 years young, and his input on this album is testimony to the fact he has clearly aged like a fine wine. Not that this is to suggest preceding outings were anything less worthy than this collaborative project, which sees Sam Shepherd, the British electronic artist better known to most as Floating Points, write nine spectacular arrangements which are then performed by said brass legend, alongside The London Symphony Orchestra.

The results are spectacular, and wildly far-reaching, albeit firmly rooted in jazz with classical undertones. From the movements that made this final cut, some are whisper quiet and delicate to the point of risking breaking off if you were handling haphazardly. Others are booming loud, musical jumbo jets landing at the end of another great crescendo. Whether hushed or monumental, though, we can feel every note and bar of this masterpiece.

Review: RECOMMENDED
Last October, acclaimed saxophonist Pharoah Sanders turned 80 years young, and his input on this album is testimony to the fact he has clearly aged like a fine wine. Not that this is to suggest preceding outings were anything less worthy than this collaborative project, which sees Sam Shepherd, the British electronic artist better known to most as Floating Points, write nine spectacular arrangements which are then performed by said brass legend, alongside The London Symphony Orchestra.

The results are spectacular, and wildly far-reaching, albeit firmly rooted in jazz with classical undertones. From the movements that made this final cut, some are whisper quiet and delicate to the point of risking breaking off if you were handling haphazardly. Others are booming loud, musical jumbo jets landing at the end of another great crescendo. Whether hushed or monumental, though, we can feel every note and bar of this masterpiece.

Review: Over the years, Sam Shepheard's work as Floating Points has become increasingly ambitious, moving further away from his dancefloor roots and closer to spiritual jazz, new age and neo-classical. Even so, it was still a surprise when Shepheard announced Promises, a 46-minute piece in 10 "movements" featuring the London Symphony Orchestra and legendary saxophonist Pharoah Sanders. It's an undeniably remarkable piece all told; a constantly evolving fusion of neo-classical ambience, spiritual jazz and starry, synthesizer-laden soundscapes notable not only for Sanders' sublime sax-playing and Shepheard's memorable melodic themes, but also the intricate, detailed nature of the musical arrangements. It's a stunningly beautiful and life-affirming piece all told, and one that deserves your full attention.

Review: A true icon of jazz saxophone, Pharoah Sanders' 1969 album, Karma, is central to the artist's impressive oeuvre. A key player in the growth of the spiritual and free jazz movements through his involvement in John Coltrane's groups of the mid-1960s, Audio Clarity have ensured Sander's treasured work is granted a much-needed re-release. Featuring two gloriously layered twenty minute pieces - 'The Creator Has A Master Plan' on the A-side and 'Colors' on B -, these tracks showcase the distinctive sound that came to define Pharoah Sanders, crafted from an array of inventive technique such as overblowing, harmonic, and multiphonic methods, as well as his use of 'sheets of sound' and non-Western percussion. Described by fellow saxophonist Ornette Coleman as "probably the best tenor player in the world", this is undoubtedly a keystone record for any jazz-lover's collection.

Review: The latest title in Impulse's 180-gram audiophile reissue series is the 1969 Pharoah Sanders classic Karma. The record has been newly mastered by Ryan K. Smith at Sterling Sound from the original analogue tapes and comes in a deluxe gatefold jacket. The album was the tenor sax master's third record for the label and has since taken on the mantle of being a milestone in the spiritual jazz movement. The A-side is taken up by one track that in particular defines that sound, while the flipside builds on the mood with 'Light of Love' and 'Colors.'

Review: As recently as this year with his Floating Points collaboration, Pharoah Sanders has proven to be in excellent form. Which is all the more remarkable given the length of his career. Oe of the early highlights was the 1981 classic, Rejoice, which explored a more mellow sound than previous works. The record is rife with superb improvs a la late 50s John Coltrane as well as fine turns from top players including pianists Joe Bonner and John Hicks, bassist Art Davis and drummers Elvin Jones and Billy Higgins. Bobby Hutcherson adds some start vibes work and that helps the album to hold your attention closely throughout.

Review: We write this just a few days after the sad passing of Pharoah Sanders, one of the great jazz musicians of his generation. It lends the music an extra air of potency, not that it really needed it. This one is an album that is noted for being the one that reunited Sanders with vocalist Leon Thomas, who in years previous appeared on some of Sanders' most endearing tunes. Many tunes here are defined by the use of Henderson's synthesizer but for opener 'Shukuru' and closing funereal piece 'For Big George'. Both are some of the album's highlights.