Noah Howard: Live in Europe Vol. 1

Here's another one of those extreme hard-to-find albums. I obtained my copy several years ago on one of the p2p networks, and haven't seen it around the internet tubes since (save perhaps for the long-gone Church Number Nine blog). The sound is practically Coltrane-esque. This is music with plenty of fire, yet pleasing to the ears in much the same way that Trane's classic quartet was circa 1965. Noah Howard authored or co-authored three of the tracks. The remaining tracks are covers, including one of 'Trane's standards, "Ole'".

Personnel:
Noah Howard - Alto Sax
Takashi Kako - Piano
Ken Carter - Bass
Muhammad Ali - Drums (except track 4)
Oliver Johnson - Drums (track 4)

Tracks:
1. Creole Girl (N. Howard - N. Dove)
2. New Arrival (N. Howard)
3. Lift Every Voice And Sing (J. R. Johnson)
4. Ole' (J. Coltrane)
5. Kanpai (N. Howard - N. Dove)

Nat Dove is credited with arrangements for all tracks except "New Arrival". All tracks recorded at various European venues during 1975, and released on Sun Records, catalogue # SR 105.

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Plunky & Oneness of Juju: Make a Change

1980's Make a Change marks the completion of the transition Plunky Branch was making from avant-jazz (as was the case on his early 1970s band Juju) to radio-friendly R&B and funk. That's not to say that there aren't some jazzy moments, but the jazz takes a back seat on this outing. The title track even manages to work in some reggae influences. The track "Every Way But Loose" would become a minor hit in the clubs and on the R&B charts in 1982, and sends the message that in addition to becoming more aware, these cats want to make you partay! "Run Away Bay" and "Love's Wonderland" would be considered "smooth jazz" today. Many of the tracks remind me of what bands like Earth Wind & Fire were doing at the time. Jazz purists won't groove on this, but those who don't mind exploring something with an R&B edge will find plenty to love.

Personnel:
Plunky Branch - Horns, Tenor Sax, Soprano Sax, Flute, Lead Vocals, Background Vocals
Muzi Branch - Bass, Background Vocals, Handclaps, Percussion
Ras Mel Glover Jr. - Lead Rhythm Guitars
Virtania "Cookie" Tillery - Lead Vocals, Background Vocals
Kevin Davis - Drums, Conga Drums, Timbales
Weldon Hill - Piano, Fender Rhodes, Synthesizers, Organ
Marcus Macklin - Rhythm Guitar
Eka Ete Jackie Lewis - Lead Vocals, Background Vocals
Okyerema Asante - Talking Drums
Judy Spears - Background Vocals
Veronica "Nilaya" Jones - Background Vocals
William "Bill" Joyner - Piano, Clavinet

Tracks:
1. Make A Change
2. Run Away Bay
3. Love's Wonderland
4. Every Way But Loose
5. Higher
6. Always Have To Say Good-Bye

From the liner notes:

The Oneness of Juju speaks of the unity of our magic, the togetherness of our purpose and the universality of our roots.

This music bridges several groupings who have performed as a family making changes, collectively creating music.

This album is dedicated to all those who have given themselves to make and/or support this music.

Thank you all, Plunky

Recorded at Omega Studios, Kensington, MD. Released on Black Fire Records, catalogue # BF19811).

This album would be re-released two years later on Sutra as Every Way But Loose, with a different track sequence, and an instrumental version of the title track added.

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Oneness of Juju: Bush Brothers & Space Rangers

Bush Brothers & Space Rangers, which is sometimes called Oneness of Juju's "lost" third album, was recorded in between Space Jungle Luv and Make a Change. It's a transitional album, with Plunky and crew continuing to deliver those spiritual and spirited kozmigroov jams, much as they had on 1975's African Rhythms and 1976's Space Jungle Luv. "Bootsie's Lament" is a gorgeous slow moving vocal number that makes me wonder why Ms. Lewis never quite had the fame that such contemporaries as Dee Dee Bridgewater had. The band reprises their signature tune "African Rhythms" with funkier percussion-laden instrumentation, and layers of vocals that make the end result more radical, more out there than the original version. "Rhythms Timelessness" is an instrumental that takes the basic "African Rhythms" theme and slows it down. "West Wind" has that atmospheric feel that would put it right at home with Herbie Hancock's early 1970s sextet, or Bennie Maupin's and Julian Priester's ECM albums from the decade. "Nooky" could have been an outtake from either of the first two Oneness of Juju albums. The band also does a couple covers - something a bit unusual - including a vocal version of Miles Davis classic "All Blues", and a cool version of George Benson's "Breezin'" that could have been radio-friendly (certainly for stations and DJs focused on R&B and Quiet Storm). What sets this particular album truly apart from its predecessors, though, is the presence of several fairly mainstream-sounding R&B numbers that foreshadow the band's minor early 1980s hit "Every Way But Loose." "Plastic" was the probable single, had this album had a proper release around 1978. That tune, along with "Be About the Future", "The Stuff to Make You Move", and "Get Your Head Together" are quite dancefloor friendly and certainly could have made the playlist of R&B stations. Plunky and crew were out to make a statement, and their positive message comes through loud and clear, and just as relevant three decades after their recording.

Personnel:
Plunky Branch - Tenor Sax, Soprano Sax, Flute, Shekere, Vocals
Eka Ete Jackie Lewis - Lead Vocals, Hand Percussion
Muzi Branch - Electric Bass, Shekere, Vocals, Arranger
Ras Mel Melvin Glover - Guitar, Shekere
Brian Jackson - Piano
Tony Green - Drums, Percussion
Okyerema Asante - African Drums, Log Drums, Bells, Percussion, Vocals
Judy Spears - Vocals
Peddie Maples - Congas, Vocals, Percussion

Tracks:
1. Breezin'
2. West Wind
3. African Rhythms
4. Be About the Future
5. Plastic (Is Easy to See Thru)
6. Nooky
7. All Blues
8. Afro Beat
9. Bootsie's Lament
10. Rhythms Timelessness
11. The Stuff to Make You Move
12. Get Your Head Together

Recorded September 6 1977 at Arrest Recording Studio, Washington DC.

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Lon Moshe's Southern Freedom Arkestra: Love is Where the Spirit Lies

I just can't get enough of the music created on the Black Fire label during its run in latter half of the 1970s. This particular album credited to Lon Moshe (who was part of James Plunky Branch's bands Juju and Oneness of Juju). The tunes on Love is Where the Spirit Lies are very spiritual kozmigroov jams that are certainly influenced by early Juju (just check those first two Strata East albums), but also draw upon the sound and vision of such cats as Sun Ra, Alice Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders, early to mid 1970s Don Cherry, and early Mtume. Fans of those artists or of the Strata East label will probably groove on this one.

Just a word of warning: the sound files are ones I found via p2p networks a few years ago and the last track is badly messed up (if this were the good old days of analog sound media, I'd swear that half of that particular track had been accidentally taped over). The rest of the album should play just fine. Who knows, perhaps I will have incited someone to hook us up with a better version. Like a lot of the albums from the Black Fire back catalogue, this one goes in and out of print. I've just never had the good fortune to have the coin when it has been commercially available. Some day perhaps.

Personnel:
Lon Moshe - Vibraphone, Marimba
Eka Ete Jackie Lewis - Vocals
Robin Bolling - Vocals
Ngoma Hill - Poetry, Violin
Ras Mel Melvin Glover - Guitar
Nathanel Nat Lee - Acoustic Piano
Timothy A. Hall - Piano
Calvin Craddock - Bass
Tommy Spencer - 6 String Fender Bass
Reggie Brisbaine Jr. - Drums
Ndikho Xaba - Percussion, Conga, Bells
Marvin Daniels - Flugelhorn, Trumpet, Shekere
Ben Wilson - Vibraphone

Tracks:
1. Prayer for Saude
2. Love is Where the Spirit Lies
3. The Hutch
4. Doin' the Carvin' for Thabo
5. Survival Raga #9
6. Low Ghost
7. Ballad for Bobby Hutcherson

Recorded June 3, 1976 and September 14, 1977 at Arrest Recording Studio, Washington DC. Released on Black Fire, catalogue # BF 19804.

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Ginger Baker - Stratavarious

A lost gem from the early 1970s, parts of which ended up on a compilation album (Do What You Like) from Ginger Baker's short-lived Air Force project. Stratavarious is more properly Baker's first post-Air Force recording, and offers a mixed bag of afrojazz and jazz rock. The first two tracks are the more African-leaning tunes: the former Baker's take on a traditional song, the latter a tune penned by Fela Kuti. The next two tracks would appeal to classic rockers yearning for a return to the days of Cream. Throw in a drum duet with Guy Warren (a cat who paved the way for Babatunde Olatunji, and whose 1950s and 1960s recordings are about as hard as hen's teeth to find) and some electronic noodling, and you have the proverbial icing on the cake. A pretty nice description of the players and the album can be found at with comb & razor.

Personnel:
Ginger Baker - Drums
Guy Warren - Drums (track 5 only)
Fela Ransome-Kuti - Organ, Vocals, Piano, Percussion
Bobby Gass - Bass
Sandra Danielle - Vocals
Alhaji Jk Brimar - Percussion

Tracks:
1. Ariwo
2. Tiwa (It's Our Own)
3. Something Nice
4. Ju Ju
5. Blood Brothers 69
6. Coda

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Don Sleet: All Members

How about a little change of pace. All Members was Don Sleet's only recording as a leader. Too bad, as the music and playing are as bad-ass as anything you'd hear on Blue Note during the era. Why Sleet never caught on is one for speculation, though perhaps Derek Taylor's explanation is plausible: he was just one among many highly talented musicians and composers, making the odds of standing out difficult at best.

Personnel:
Don Sleet - Trumpet
Jimmy Heath - Tenor Sax
Wynton Kelly - Piano
Ron Carter - Bass
Jimmy Cobb - Drums

Tracks:
1. Brooklyn Bridge
2. Secret Love
3. Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise
4. Fast Company
5. But Beautiful
6. All Members
7. The Hearing

Recorded March 16, 1961 at Plaza Sound Studios, and released that year by Jazzland, catalogue # JP-945.

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Bobby Few: More Or Less Few

Both Center of the World and Sun Records released some powerful music during their brief runs. Bobby Few, pianist who collaborated with Frank Wright, Alan Silva, and Muhammad Ali during the 1970s recorded a couple albums under his own name (one each for Center of the World and Sun). This particular recording is a piano trio date with Silva and Ali. The title track, "Simone", and "Chasing the Piano" are fiery energy pieces. "Few's Blues" is a free-jazz-blues tune that you can hum to. The boppish "I'll Never Be the Same Again" has Few on vocals, and has that late-night, bar is about to close feel to it. Dig it!

Personnel:
Bobby Few - Piano, Melodica, Voice
Muhammad Ali - Drums
Alan Silva - Bass

Tracks:
1. More Or Less Few
2. Few's Blues
3. Simone
4. I'll Never Be the Same Again
5. Chasing the Piano

Recorded in Paris, November 1973 and subsequently released on Center of the World, catalogue # CW 003.

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