Jon Hassell: Dressing For Pleasure

When I was much younger, I recall Jon Hassell classified as a "new age" recording artist. From what I knew of new age music, after hearing Hassell I had to wonder what the critics and marketing folks were smoking. With this album, Jon Hassell got about as close as he ever would to acid jazz. If I were to use one word to describe Dressing For Pleasure, that word would be "sultry." The opening track ("G-Spot") is a personal favorite - part of what makes it work is Flea's bass playing. Also of note was the track ("Club Zombie") that would become the theme for the hit TV series The Practice. Overall the album was the most risque of Hassell's career. There was always a sensuality to his music, but this album from the song titles to the the instrumentation are nothing short of raw sexuality. Several of these tracks could serve as background music for raps ("Zeitgeist" comes to mind). Something tells me the suits at Warner Bros. had no idea how to even begin to market this one, and of course the recording went out of print. I'm not sure if this is the album I'd use to introduce Hassell's work, but it's definitely worth seeking out for those already initiated. Newbies should check some of Hassell's earlier work like Earthquake Island, or Fourth World Vol. 1: Possible Musics (with Brian Eno).

Some info:


Credits:

Bass [Electric, Keyboard] - Pete Scaturro (tracks: 3, 4, 8, 9, 11)
Drums, Percussion - Brain* (tracks: 1, 2, 4 to 12)
Engineer, Mixed By - Pete Scaturro
Executive Producer - Kevin Laffey
Guitar - Joe Gore (tracks: 2, 5, 7 to 10, 12, 13)
Keyboards - Jon Hassell (tracks: 5 to 9, 12)
Mastered By - Stephen Marcussen
Producer - Jon Hassell , Pete Scaturro
Sampler, Programmed By - Blk Lion (tracks: 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12)
Sampler, Synthesizer - Jamie Muhoberac (tracks: 1, 2, 12)
Trumpet - Jon Hassell (tracks: 1, 2, 5 to 7, 9 to 13)
Written-By - Jon Hassell
Notes: Recorded July-December 1993 except track 13 recorded live in rehearsal, november 1989.

Tracks (includes credits for guest artists):

1 G-Spot (5:03)
Bass - Flea
Organ - Pete Scaturro
Saxophone - Kenny Garrett
2 Villa Narco (4:32)
Bass - Trevor Dunn
Piano - Pete Scaturro
3 Kolo X (3:48)
Programmed By [Drum Programming] - Pete Scaturro
Saxophone - Kenny Garrett
4 Personals (4:13)
Scratches - DJ Grand Shogun KB
Voice - Leslie Winer
Written-By - Leslie Winer
5 Club Zombie (3:28)
6 Zeitgeist (3:51)
Guitar - Gregg Arreguin
7 Steppin' Thru Time (4:08)
Bass, Voice - Islam Shabazz
Producer - Blk Lion , Lee Curreri
Programmed By, Organ - Lee Curreri
Voice - Jon Hassell
Written-By - Pete Scaturro
8 Destination: Bakiff (4:16)
9 Sex Goddess (4:30)
Bass - Islam Shabazz
10 Buzzworld (4:28)
Bass - Buckethead
Written-By - Brain* , Buckethead , Joe Gore , Pete Scaturro
11 The Gods, They Must Be Crazy (5:42)
Piano - Greg Kurstin
Vocals - Zoe Ellis
Voice - Jon Hassell
Written-By - Pete Scaturro
12 Mati (4:21)
Bass - Trevor Dunn
13 Blue Night (Live) (7:42)
Bass - Peter Freeman (2)
Drums, Percussion - Adam Rudolph

Download Dressing for Pleasure

Arthur Doyle: Live in Japan Doing the Breakdown

By this point, you should know what you're getting into whenever you download and play an Arthur Doyle joint. This recording features Doyle performing solo during his late 1990s tour of Japan. Doyle is credited with playing tenor sax, piano, and vocals; and of course all compositions and words are credited to Doyle. The album was released in 1998 on Yokoto Music Entertainment. Other credits:

Produced by Yokoto Shigeru

Master Engineer: Hashimoto Yoei
Photography (cover and back): Wakui Hiromi
Designer: Akiyama Shin

Tracks:
1. African Queen
2. Ozy Lady Dozy Lady
3. Noah Black Ark
4. Goverey
5. Doing the Breakdown
6. Just Get the Funkspot

Tracks 1-3 recorded at Modern Art Museum Sendai (11-5-1997)
Track 4 recorded at Barber Fuji (11-10-1997)
Tracks 5-6 recorded at Shuyukan (11-8-1997)

I'm not sure this recording will necessarily win over any new fans, but for those of us who are Arthur Doyle completists, it's a must.

Download Live in Japan Doing the Breakdown

Pharoah Sanders: Message From Home

Pharoah Sanders came back in a big way during the mid 1990s, proving that he was still quite capable of the fiery playing that made his reputation in the 1960s and early 1970s. AMG reviewer Richard Ginelli remarked:

The world music-minded producer Bill Laswell gets a hold of Pharoah Sanders here and lo, the sleeping volcano erupts with one of his most fulfilling albums in many a year. Message From Home is rooted in, but not exclusively devoted to, African idioms, as the overpowering hip-hop groove of "Our Roots (Began In Africa)" points out. But the record really develops into something special when Sanders pits his mighty tenor sound against the pan-African beats, like the ecstatically joyful rhythms of "Tomoki" and the poised, percolating fusion of American country & western drums and Nigerian juju guitar riffs on "Country Mile." In addition, "Nozipho" is a concentrated dose of the old Pharoah, heavily spiritual and painfully passionate, with a generous supply of the tenor player's famous screeching rhetoric, and kora virtuoso Foday Musa Suso shows up on "Kumba" with a touch of village Gambian music. This resurrection will quicken the pulse of many an old Pharoah fan.

Pharoah was working a bit with Bill Laswell at the time, appearing on such Laswell-produced joints as Jah Wobble's Heaven and Earth for a couple tracks, as well as performing with and composing music on Maleem Mahmoud Ghania's Trance of Seven Colors. The album does offer a healthy dose of what, for lack of a better term, can be called the Bill Laswell sound - depending on one's perspective that might be a turn-on or a turn-off. Sanders fans will be pleased that the sax legend comes across as firmly in control with the end result an album of world fusion with teeth. A shame it's out of print.

Tracks:

1. Our Roots (Began in Africa) (10:21)
2. Nozipho (9:43)
3. Tomoki (6:26)
4. Ocean Song (8:49)
5. Kumba (7:50)
6. Country Mile (6:03)

Personnel:
Bass - Charnett Moffett , Steve Neil
Drums - Hamid Drake
Guitar - Dominic Kanza
Keyboards - Bernie Worrell , Jeff Bova , William Henderson
Kora - Foday Musa Suso
Percussion - Aiyb Dieng
Producer - Bill Laswell
Saxophone - Pharoah Sanders
Violin - Michael White

Download Message From Home

Jah Wobble: Heaven and Earth

This is an interesting album in part because of Pharoah Sanders' appearance on a couple tracks. An AMG review which seems reasonably fair and accurate:

Fusing Eastern and Western classical influences with elements of ambient, dub and hip-hop, Jah Wobble has created a truly brilliant pancultural concept album. The title track opens the LP with a near-orchestral range of dynamic emotions centered around Zi Lan Liao's vocals and violin, Kui Hsuing Li's soaring bamboo flute, and Wobble's percolating tribal drums. "A Love Song" is a hypnotic dub track showcasing the vocal talents of Natacha Atlas, whose Middle Eastern melody lends a sultry feel perfectly matched by the sensual bassline. Bill Laswell lends his distinctive touch "Gone to Croatan" and "Hit Me," which perfectly match hip-hop beats and turntable wizardry provided by DJs DXT and Rob Swift with Pharoah Sanders' mind-bending flute and horn solos and Bernie Worrell's synth textures. But the piece de resistance is "Om Namah Shiva," which combines Najma Akhtar's nimble vocal calisthenics and Inder Matharu's dazzling tabla rhythms with programmed percussion and Wobble's botton-end bass wallop to create highly effective world/dance track. Laswell himself calls Heaven & Earth "the best thing Jah Wobble has ever recorded. Who are we to argue?

Tracks and credits:

1 Heaven & Earth (8:41)
Congas, Bells - Neville Murray
Keyboards - Mark Ferda
Vocals, Zither [Ku Cheng] - Zi Lan Liao

2 A Love Song (7:23)
Guitar - Justin Adams
Vocals - Natacha Atlas

3 Dying Over Europe (3:11)

4 Divine Mother (11:12)

5 Gone To Croatan (15:30)
Drums - Jerome 'Bigfoot' Brailey*
Guitar - Nicky Skopelitis
Keyboards - Bernie Worrell
Percussion - Aiyb Dieng
Producer - Bill Laswell
Saxophone [Soprano], Flute - Pharoah Sanders
Scratches - Rob Swift

6 Hit Me (7:42)
Drums - Jerome 'Bigfoot' Brailey*
Guitar - Nicky Skopelitis
Keyboards, Synthesizer - Bernie Worrell
Percussion - Aiyb Dieng
Producer - Bill Laswell
Saxophone [Tenor] - Pharoah Sanders
Scratches - DXT , Rob Swift

7 Om Namah Shiva (4:47)
Drum Programming, Keyboards - Mark Ferda
Guitar, Backing Vocals - Justin Adams
Tabla [Tablas] - Inder 'Goldfinger' Matharu*
Vocals - Najma Akhtar

Jah Wobble handles production (except tracks 5 and 6), bass, drums, percussion, and keyboards on the various tracks. This isn't the only time that Wobble has played or collaborated with jazz artists. I have another album that I'll share at some point.

Note: Between a busy January interterm teaching load, the start of the Spring Semester, and a school board candidacy (which I ultimately lost), I've been just a bit swamped. There are some recordings in the pipeline, so as always, stay tuned!

Download Heaven and Earth

Steve Williamson: Journey to Truth

There is nothing that could have prepared those who knew of Steve Williamson only from his first album, A Waltz for Grace, for what awaited them upon dropping Journey to Truth into the CD player. The cover photo and CD graphics should be a dead giveaway that this cat was up to something different - from the pix of Williamson that harken back to the early 1970s to the hip-hop flavored graphics - this was not going to be a collection of post bop numbers. The very first track sounds inspired by John Coltrane and Rashied Ali's jams on Interstellar Space (a sound that will be replicated on track 4, "Affirmation"). The second track, with its hard funk rhythm section and inspired vocals by Jhelisa Anderson, should seal it. Williamson was out to make a statement.

In fact, it seems like a concept album. The problem is, as I have mentioned elsewhere, that Journey to Truth SOUNDS like three separate albums - each going in its own direction, which is not healthy for a concept album. There aren't any bad tracks on the album, though the raps on the middle section are probably less inspired than music and vocals found on the rest of the tracks. It's just that Journey to Truth doesn't make for a particularly coherent listening experience.

I'm partial to the first section, The Journey, which is what I imagine Plunky Branch and crew of Oneness of Juju would have sounded like if they had traveled ahead in time a couple decades. From the Coltranesque sax and percussion excursions on "Meditation" and "Affirmation," to the title track, the instrumental "Oh Africa Africa Africa," to the smoking cover of "Celestial Blues," Williamson hits all the right notes. The music is tight, the mood is set, and the listener can groove and meditate at the same time.

The second section, The Pffat Factor, will probably be mildly reminiscent of Miles Davis' Doo Bop, or perhaps Guru's Jazzmatazz albums. Personally I tend groove much more on Williamson's sax playing than his rapping, and think that Black Thought has had much better moments with his own crew, The Roots (whose albums I strongly recommend). The last track in the section is an instrumental, and seems like it could have had potential for the rotation at a smooth jazz station.

The final section, That Fuss, is comprised of three solid jazzy R&B numbers somewhat focused on social-political concerns. I'm not sure how tuned in Williamson was to Plunky Branch's 1980s work with The Oneness of Juju, but it seems safe to point out that Williamson was mining similar territory. Those last three tracks seem like they could have been quite radio-friendly. Overall, Williamson is communicating a positive message, attempting to incite his listeners to pursue spiritual and social change - and that is the constant in these otherwise very divergent sections making up the finished product. It's all well-produced, Williamson definitely knows how to write and play, and he's surrounded himself with an able crew of musical performers. If you keep an open mind, you certainly won't be bored.

The problem, to the extent that it is a problem, is that Williamson seems like one of those musically and intellectually curious cats who simply is interested in so much that he ends up going off in multiple directions at once. His music is very hard to pigeonhole that way, but it is an approach that isn't conducive to record sales. Hence, this would be his last recording as a leader, so far. The suits at Verve would drop him from the roster, and Williamson would fade into obscurity. Occasionally I read rumors that he's still recording, is involved with two different combos (one that sticks to relatively straight-ahead jazz and one that pursues the funk and hip-hop direction that characterized this album) and apparently continues to be quite impressive on stage.

Since I've already mentioned the involvement of one member of the legendary alternative rap crew The Roots, Black Thought, I would be remiss in my blogging duties if I did not mention the involvement of two other members: Hubb and B.R.O.theR.? (the artist usually known as ?estlove).

As an aside - I'd be curious to hear the album that came in between 1990's A Waltz for Grace and 1995's Journey to Truth: that is 1992's Rhyme Time (That Fuss Was Us!).

Performers:
Steve Williamson - tenor sax (tracks 1, 2, 4, 9, 10, 12), alto sax (tracks 2, 11, 13), soprano sax (track 6, 7, 8, 11), bells (tracks 1, 4), programming (tracks 2, 7, 8, 10, 11), drum programming (track 6), keyboards (tracks 6, 7, 10, 11), EWI (tracks 6, 7), piano (tracks 11, 12), cowbell (track 8), vocal execution (tracks 6, 7), organ licks (track 13)
Sola Akingbola - percussion (tracks 1, 4, 5), djembe drums (tracks 1, 4)
Jhelisa Anderson - vocals (tracks 2, 5, 12)
Anthony Tidd - piano (tracks 2, 3), organ intro (track 6)
Marc Cyril - bass (tracks 2, 9, 11, 12, 13)
Hubb (Leonard Hubbard) - bass (track 5), piano (track 11)
Michael Mondesir - bass (tracks 6, 7, 8)
B.R.O.theR.? (Ahmir Khalib Thompson) - drums (tracks 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 12)
Pete Lewinson - drums (tracks 11, 13)
Henri Jelani Defoe - guitar (tracks 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 13)
Jason Rebello - rhodes (track 5)
Black Thought (Tariq Trotter) - rap (tracks 9, 12)
Dennis Rollins - trombone (tracks 11, 13)
Pamela Anderson - vocals (track 11)
Noel McKoy - vocals (tracks 12, 13)

Tracks:
The Journey
1. Meditation (3:23)
2. Journey to Truth (7:48)
3. Oh Africa Africa Africa (6:08)
4. Affirmation (3:27)
5. Celestial Blues (6:56)
The Pffat Factor
6. Part I: Who Dares (5:56)
7. Part II: They Don't Wanna Hearit! (6:31)
8. Part III: Rough (5:42)
9. Pffat Time (6:02)
10. Antigua (3:53)
That Fuss
11. How Ya Livin? (4:37)
12. Blakk Planets (5:32)
13. Evol Lover (4:57)

All tracks composed and arranged by Steve Williamson, except track 2 (vocal arranged by Jhelisa Anderson), track 5 (written by Andy Bey), track 11 (written by Pamela Anderson and Steve Williamson) and track 13 (written by Noel McKoy).

Dowload Journey to Truth

Steve Williamson: A Waltz For Grace

Steve Williamson was part of a late 1980s-early 1990s British Invasion of jazzers, that also included Courtney Pine (both of whom played together with the UK's Jazz Warriors). The impression I get is that both musicians were initially considered part of the so-called "young lions" who had endeavored to return jazz to its pre-fusion and pre-free jazz roots, but both as time went on, had other ideas. This particular album, A Waltz for Grace (dedicated to his grandmother), is Steve William's first as a band leader. It's basically a post bop recording with some interesting funk and Latin flourishes throughout. It's also the more coherent of the two albums of his that I have in my possession, and one that I enjoy listening to in its entirety from start to finish whenever I have the time. Whether the album had enough going for it to stand out from the rest of the early 1990s post bop field is debatable, and I get the feeling that its critical reception was fairly mixed. Still, I think it's quite nice and certainly worth a listen. We'll just add it to the list of woulda-coulda-shoulda recordings that now languish in some corporate conglomerate's vaults.

Personnel:
Steve Williamson - All Saxophones plus Additional Percussion (on UK Sessions)
Mark Mondesir - Drums
Lonnie Plaxico - Bass (US Sessions)
Gary Crosby - Bass (UK Sessions)
Dave Gilmore - Guitar (US Sessions)
Julian Joseph - Guitar (UK Sessions)
Abbey Lincoln - Vocals (track 4)
Kevin Haynes - Additional Percussion (on UK Sessions)

Tracks:
1. Down (Slang) (3:18)
2. Awakening (4:35)
3. Visions (4:29)
4. A Waltz For Grace (4:15)
5. Mandy's Mood (5:49)
6. Soon Come (4:14)
7. Straight Ahead (4:45)
8. Mandela (4:29)
9. Groove Thang (1:42)
10. Synthesis (4:59)
11. Hummingbird (5:41)
12. How High The Bird (4:22)
13. Words Within Words (5:01)

Download A Waltz For Grace

Maleem Mahmoud Ghania with Pharoah Sanders: The Trance of Seven Colors

This was my first album of Gnawa trance music, and what led me to pick it up in the first place was the mere fact that Pharoah Sanders was on it, and during the late 1990s I was on a Pharoah Sanders binge (much to my wife's chagrin). Once the first few seconds of the first track unfolded, I was hooked, and there was no looking back.

The mid-1990s marked something of a renaissance for Pharoah Sanders, who rediscovered the fierceness of his early years on Sonny Sharrock's last proper studio album Ask the Ages, and subsequently became a highly sought-after sideman on numerous projects (e.g., Franklin Kiermyer's album Solomon's Daughter in which Sanders is part of the quartet, a couple tracks on Jah Wobble's Heaven and Earth, an appearance on a remake of the Last Poets' classic "This is Madness" for the Stolen Moments: Red Hot + Cool compilation CD). Sanders would shortly thereafter record the album Message From Home. Whether it was drawing on the legacy of Trane's classic quartet era, or pushing the envelop with some fierce playing in hip-hop, alternative rock, or world music genres, Pharoah Sanders was proving a force to be reckoned with once more.

In some respects, this album recalls some of the more world music moments from such Pharoah Sanders albums as Thembi, and his playing is consistently fiery throughout. Not to worry: Sanders does not steal the show, laying out for a couple tracks and ever mindful that the music is the Gnawans' vision. He does get a moment all to himself though - see "Peace in Essaouira (For Sonny Sharrock)" - and his tone is rich and warm as he pays homage to a deceased friend. Bill Laswell produces, but unlike a lot of Laswell joints, this time around Laswell hangs back and simply documents the action. The album feels like some master Gnawa musicians and a jazzer (and friends & family) getting together to party. Somehow I feel physically better whenever I play this recording - that may be merely psychosomatic, but I'd like to believe that this is truly healing music.

Note, I believe this album does tend to circulate around blogtopia. Hopefully I won't be stepping on too many toes, and hopefully the perspective I offer is unique enough to make it worth your while.

Performers:
Maleem Mahmoud Ghania - Guimbri, Lead Vocal, Tbel
Pharoah Sanders - Tenor Saxophone
Maleem Boubker Ghania - Second Guimbri (track 6), Tbel
Maleem Mahmoud Ahkaraz - Tbel (track 8)
Maleem Abdellah Ghania - Krkaba, Vocal Chorus, Handclaps
Abdellah Ahkaraz - Krkaba, Vocal Chorus, Handclaps
El Moktar Ghania - Krkaba, Vocal Chorus, Handclaps
Mohamed Abdellaoui - Krkaba, Vocal Chorus, Handclaps
Mohamad Outanine - Krkaba, Vocal Chorus, Handclaps
Abdellatif Abdellaoui - Krkaba, Vocal Chorus, Handclaps
Hassan Machoure - Krkaba, Vocal Chorus, Handclaps
Mohamed Boujmia - Krkaba, Vocal Chorus, Handclaps
Abdellah Lamsuiger - Handclaps

On "Handouchi" only
Hamadcha of Essaouira:
Maleem Abdelkabir Addabachi - Lead Ghaita
Abdelmalak Ben Hamou - Ghaita
Abderrahman Nimini - Tbel
Abdelmoula Hnikkich - Harrz
Mustapha Bouson - Harraz

Female Vocal Chorus
Zaida Ghania - Leader
Mina Ahkaraz, Saida Battach, Fatna Ifis, Fatima Labied, Hafida Ghania, J'mia Ghania, Khadija Ghania, Malika Ghania

Tracks:
1. La Allah Dayim Moulenah (Ghania, Sanders) 11:10
2. Bala Moussaka (Traditional) 3:54
3. Hamdouchi (Traditional) 9:07
4. Peace in Essaouira [For Sonny Sharrock] (Sanders) 7:23
5. Boulandi Samawi (Traditional) 13:56
6. Moussa Berkiyo/Koubaliy Beriah La'foh (Traditional) 4:34
7. Salat Anbi (Traditional) 8:17
8. Casa Casa Atougra (Traditional) 5:05
9. Mahraba (Traditional) 7:48

All tracks are traditional and arranged by Maleem Mahmoud Ghania except:
Track 1: written by Maleem Mahmoud Ghania & Pharoah Sanders
Track 3: Traditional, arranged by Maleem Abdelkabir Addabachi
Track 4: written by Pharoah Sanders

Recorded in the House of the Caid Khoubane in the Medina of Essaouira, District Chbanat, Morocco on June 1, 1994 - June 3, 1994. Released on Axiom, catalogue # 524047.

Download The Trance of Seven Colors

The Splendid Master Gnawa Musicians of Morocco featuring Randy Weston

I first heard Gnawa trance music around a decade ago, and was immediately hooked. I remember telling a younger friend about the genre, but made the mistake of including the term "trance music" in the description. It became clear in a hurry that each of us held a radically different definition of "trance" - Gnawa trance music is performed exclusively on acoustic instruments. Whether or not my younger friend ever checked into the music of the Gnawa I do not know - I lost touch with him probably six or seven years ago.

This particular album was actually the second Gnawa trance CD that I picked up (the first was The Trance of Seven Colors), and part of the appeal was Randy Weston's involvement in the project. Weston mainly takes a back seat, save for some brief piano accompaniment on the final track, "Chalabati" and handling the production chores. In the wrong hands, this could have been an exercise in exotica for the sake of exotica. Not so here. Weston's interest in the music is quite genuine and deep-seated - going back a few decades (his first stint residing in Morocco was from 1968-1973), and a Gnawa influence can be found in much of his recorded jazz output since the 1970s. Since about the late 1990s (if not before), Weston has been performing in concert with master Gnawa musicians - occasionally dropping a live CD every now and then. A great deal of care went into the production and packaging of this particular album - including a fair amount of material in the liner notes regarding the context of the Gnawa tribe, their history, and some information about the selections included on the finished product. Needless to say, since a traditional Gnawa healing ceremony would last for hours, we're merely being treated to a portion of what would be experienced. If I ever get the opportunity to travel to Morocco, the music of the Gnawa is definitely on the list of experiences to savor. The music and the information on the CD are themselves to be savored as both a sensuous and educational experience.

Performers:
Hag'houge, clapping, vocals
The M'Alems (The Masters):
Ali El Mansoum
Molay Abdelaziz
Mohamed Zourhba
Boubker Gania
Mohamed El Ghorfi
Ahmed Boussou
Abdelouahid Berrady
Mahmoud Gania

Karkaba, backing vocals, clapping
M'Barek Ben Outman
Abdemebi Oubella

Hag'houge, clapping, vocals
Abdellah El Gourd

Piano
Randy Weston

Tracks:
1. La Voix Errrante: Sorie/Folinho Rejale/Ahayana Wayi/Bokarli Ana (18:58)
2. Sound Playing: Bermaryo/Fanyro/Merkadi/Yobady/Ya la la/Concoba/Tembara (43:26)
3.Chalabati (8:31)

Recorded September 17, 1992 in the ballroom of the La Mamounia Hotel, Marrakech, Morocco. Released on Verve-Antilles in 1994 (catalogue # 314 521 587-2).

Download The Splendid Master Gnawa Musicians of Morocco

Arthur Doyle Quartet: Live @ The Cooler

Live @ The Cooler is a nice follow-up to the Blue Humans album I posted previously. This time around, Arthur Doyle is in charge. The tunes are ones that are among Doyle's standards (to the extent that someone as obscure as Doyle can have songs considered standards) - especially "Flue Song" and "Noah Black Ark". The former features Doyle playing the flute; the latter is a homage to Noah Howard, who gave Doyle his first big break in the free-jazz realm on The Black Arc (the piece builds on that album's tune "Mount Fuji"). On the opening track, Doyle sounds like he's playing multiple reeds at once. For his part, Rudolph Grey's playing is as loud as ever, but the sound is more atmospheric. To these ears, 15 years allowed Doyle and Grey to become wiser, more skillful collaborators. It doesn't hurt that the rhythm section is up to the task of keeping up with those two.

Personnel:
Arthur Doyle (tenor sax, flute)
Rudolph Grey (electric guitar)
Wilbur Morris (bass)
Tom Surgal (drums)

Tracks:
1. Spiritual Healing
2. Flue Song
3. Noah Black Ark

All compositions by Arthur Doyle (BMI)
Photos: Simon Badger
Liner Notes: Sumner Crane
Recorded March 15, 1995

Released on The Lotus Sound in 1996

Download Live @ The Cooler

Arthur Doyle - More Alabama Feeling

There's quite a bit of Arthur Doyle material floating around if one is willing to look. This recording marked a resurgence in interest in Doyle's music in the early 1990s.

Performer:
Arthur Doyle (Tenor Sax, Voice)

Tracks:
1. Hao
2. Nature Boy

Year recorded: 1990

Released on Forced Exposure in 1993.

His recordings tend to go out of print fairly quickly, although thankfully there are a few albums still in print. Qbico and Carbon have been releasing quite a bit of his work this decade - usually in extremely limited editions.


Get More Alabama Feeling