PHAROAH SANDERS AND IDRIS MUHAMMAD – Africa – 2LP – 180g Vinyl

2LP – 180g Black Vinyl

Renowned agent and jazz pioneer Wim Wigt founded Timeless Records in 1975. This Dutch record label has specialized in bebop, although it also did a sub-series of releases of Dixieland, Swing and Classical recordings. As of today, Timeless Records has, together with its three sub-labels, released over 900 albums. Notable releases include Dizzy Gillespie Meets Phil Woods Quintet, McCoy Tyners Bon Voyage, Lou Donaldsons Forgotten Man, Eastern Rebellion and albums by the George Adams-Don Pullen Quartet, Chet Baker, Bill Evans, Art Blakeys Jazz Messengers and many more.

To celebrate the legacy of Wim Wigts Timeless Records, Music On Vinyl is releasing a 45th anniversary jazz series. The series features albums that are part of the Timeless Records legacy and will be released throughout 2021/2022. Pharoah Sanders Africa kicks off the series.

Pharoah Sanders possesses one of the most distinctive tenor saxophone sounds in jazz, which has earned him royal status amongst free jazz players, critics and collectors. Harmonically rich and heavy with overtones, his sound can be as raw and abrasive as it is possible for a saxophonist to produce. His 1987 album Africa is soulful but also searching for a strong groove at the same time. The album is recorded with John Hicks, Curtis Lundy and Idris Muhammad and was an explicit tribute to his late mentor John Coltrane, another giant of jazz.

Muhammad brings his trademark tight sense of timekeeping, but with a looseness that we love and Lundys warm soulful bass does more than enough to give the set a sound bottom- all this while Hicks free lyrical piano works nicely with Sanders spiritual horn.

The brilliant Africa sessions features the quartet at their bestsoulful but also searching for a strong groove at the same time. The music here is less ornamented than on most of Sanders studio recordings, where sextets, septets or larger lineups have been the norm, but this brilliant effort here remains every bit as compelling. Pharoah and his crew play with the utmost sensitivity and give a demonstration that shows us the full extent of their skills.

Africa by Pharoah Sanders is available on black vinyl. The album includes an insert with upcoming Timeless Records titles from the Timeless Records 45th Anniversary Jazz series. The sleeve contains liner notes by Kevin Whitehead.

Tracklisting:

SIDE A
1. YOUVE GOT TO HAVE FREEDOM
2. NAIMA

SIDE B
1. ORIGIN
2. SPEAK LOW

SIDE C
1. AFTER THE MORNING
2. AFRICA

SIDE D
1. HEART TO HEART
2. DUO