SONNY SHARROCK — Space Ghost : Coast To Coast (1994) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Electric guitarist Sharrock recorded these seven short pieces about six months before he passed away. They comprise the theme for the cartoon talk show Space Ghost Coast to Coast, an adaptation of the theme, and five free-form jams, rock oriented, with drummer Lance Carter and Sharrock. Vocalist Alfreda Gerald adds oohs and ahhs on the "Hit Single" theme and "Ghost Planet National Anthem" remix. Sharrock is on fire for this brief but tasty excursion. He's more melodic on the anthems, free and loose, responding to Carter's solid rhythms. "Cinnamon Ghost" is the theme adaptation, Sharrock's guitar cutting in and out while he darts and flashes with gargantuan chordal and single-line handfuls of raw power on the completely improvised "Out to Launch," "Fear of a Ghost Planet," and "Rocket #99." Michael G. Nastos
Tracklist :
1    Hit Single    1:23
2    Cinnamon Ghost    1:43
3    Out To Launch    4:08
4    Fear Of A Ghost Planet    1:54
5    Rocket #99    1:45
6    Ghost Planet National Anthem    3:31
Credits :
Bass, Horns – Eddie Horst
Drums – Lance Carter
Guitar – Sonny Sharrock
Vocals – Alfreda Gerald

PHAROAH SANDERS — The Impulse Story (2006) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Like the Archie Shepp and Alice Coltrane volumes in the Impulse Story series, the Pharoah Sanders issue is one of the flawless ones -- despite the fact that it only contains four tracks. Ashley Kahn, author of the book the series is named after, wisely chose tracks with Sanders as a leader rather than as a sideman with John Coltrane (those were documented quite well on the John and Alice volumes). The set begins with "Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt," recorded in 1966 while he was still a member of the Coltrane band. Featuring Sanders on tenor, piccolo, percussion, and vocals, it also contains a who's who of the vanguard: pianist Dave Burrell, guitarist Sonny Sharrock, bassist Henry Grimes, percussionist Nat Bettis, and drummer Roger Blank. Sanders could take a disparate group of players like this one and wind them into his sound world. Burrell is the most automatically sympathetic, and lends a hand in creating a series of call-and-response exchanges with Sanders so Sharrock and Grimes follow suit -- not the other way around. This is also the place where the listener really encounters Sharrock's unique (even iconoclastic) playing -- he performed on Miles Davis' seminal Jack Johnson album but was mixed out. At over 16 minutes, it is barely a hint of what is to come. This cut is followed by Sanders' magnum opus, "The Creator Has a Master Plan." Based on a simple vamp, it unravels into an almost 33-minute textured improvisation that sounds like it could move heaven and earth because it almost literally explodes. Recorded for the Karma album in 1969, "The Creator" also features the late great Leon Thomas on vocals, providing his eerie, deep, and soulful "voice as improvisational instrument" approach that sends the tune soaring. Other sidemen here are bassists Richard Davis and Reggie Workman, James Spaulding, Julius Watkins, pianist Lonnie Liston Smith, Bettis, and drummer Billy Hart. This is where this track belongs, not on the box where it took time and space away from other artists. "Astral Traveling," from the 1970 platter Thembi, follows, with the great violinist Michael White serving as foil to the lyric Pharoah. The last two tracks really chart Sanders' development not just as an improviser and composer but as a bandleader and in his mastery of the soprano saxophone -- only Steve Lacy and Coltrane did it better. The sprawl is tightened -- this cut is less than six minutes long -- but mainly in the way he leads the band with his approach to the saxophone and its dynamics. Cecil McBee plays bass here and Clifford Jarvis is on drums, and Smith uses an electric piano to fantastic effect. The final cut here, "Spiritual Blessing" from the Elevation album in 1973, is widely regarded as another Sanders classic with the man himself on soprano. He is accompanied by a group of percussionists, including Michael Carvin, Jimmy Hopps, John Blue, and Lawrence Killian. Sanders uses the percussionists as a counter to the featured drone instruments (with Joe Bonner on harmonium and Calvin Hill on tamboura). At just under six minutes, it's a song that perfectly fuses Eastern and Western musical improvisational traditions. Listening to this volume of the course of an hour is literally an aurally expansive and spiritually enlightening experience. If you can only have one of the CDs in this series, this may be the one to snag -- along with Alice Coltrane's chapter, this is spiritual jazz at its very best.
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <-
Tracklist :
1    Upper Egypt And Lower Egypt 16:16
Bass – Henry Grimes
Drums – Roger Blank
Electric Guitar – Sonny Sharrock
Percussion – Nat Bettis
Piano – Dave Burrell
Tenor Saxophone, Piccolo Flute, Percussion, Vocals, Composed By – Pharoah Sanders
2    The Creator Has A Master Plan 32:45
Bass – Richard Davis
Composed By – Leon Thomas, Pharoah Sanders
Drums – Billy Hart
Flute – James Spaulding
French Horn – Julius Watkins
Percussion – Nat Bettis
Piano – Lonnie Liston Smith
Tenor Saxophone – Pharoah Sanders
Vocals, Percussion – Leon Thomas
3    Astral Traveling 5:48
Bass – Cecil McBee
Electric Piano, Composed By – Lonnie Liston Smith
Soprano Saxophone, Percussion – Pharoah Sanders
Violin – Michael White
4    Spiritual Blessing 5:40
Bells [Bell Tree] – Lawrence Killian
Drums – Michael Carvin
Harmonium – Joe Bonner
Percussion – Jimmy Hopps, John Blue
Soprano Saxophone, Composed By – Pharoah Sanders
Tambura – Calvin Hill

PHAROAH SANDERS - The Impulse Story (2006) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Like the Archie Shepp and Alice Coltrane volumes in the Impulse Story series, the Pharoah Sanders issue is one of the flawless ones -- despite the fact that it only contains four tracks. Ashley Kahn, author of the book the series is named after, wisely chose tracks with Sanders as a leader rather than as a sideman with John Coltrane (those were documented quite well on the John and Alice volumes). The set begins with "Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt," recorded in 1966 while he was still a member of the Coltrane band. Featuring Sanders on tenor, piccolo, percussion, and vocals, it also contains a who's who of the vanguard: pianist Dave Burrell, guitarist Sonny Sharrock, bassist Henry Grimes, percussionist Nat Bettis, and drummer Roger Blank. Sanders could take a disparate group of players like this one and wind them into his sound world. Burrell is the most automatically sympathetic, and lends a hand in creating a series of call-and-response exchanges with Sanders so Sharrock and Grimes follow suit -- not the other way around. This is also the place where the listener really encounters Sharrock's unique (even iconoclastic) playing -- he performed on Miles Davis' seminal Jack Johnson album but was mixed out. At over 16 minutes, it is barely a hint of what is to come. This cut is followed by Sanders' magnum opus, "The Creator Has a Master Plan." Based on a simple vamp, it unravels into an almost 33-minute textured improvisation that sounds like it could move heaven and earth because it almost literally explodes. Recorded for the Karma album in 1969, "The Creator" also features the late great Leon Thomas on vocals, providing his eerie, deep, and soulful "voice as improvisational instrument" approach that sends the tune soaring. Other sidemen here are bassists Richard Davis and Reggie Workman, James Spaulding, Julius Watkins, pianist Lonnie Liston Smith, Bettis, and drummer Billy Hart. This is where this track belongs, not on the box where it took time and space away from other artists. "Astral Traveling," from the 1970 platter Thembi, follows, with the great violinist Michael White serving as foil to the lyric Pharoah. The last two tracks really chart Sanders' development not just as an improviser and composer but as a bandleader and in his mastery of the soprano saxophone -- only Steve Lacy and Coltrane did it better. The sprawl is tightened -- this cut is less than six minutes long -- but mainly in the way he leads the band with his approach to the saxophone and its dynamics. Cecil McBee plays bass here and Clifford Jarvis is on drums, and Smith uses an electric piano to fantastic effect. The final cut here, "Spiritual Blessing" from the Elevation album in 1973, is widely regarded as another Sanders classic with the man himself on soprano. He is accompanied by a group of percussionists, including Michael Carvin, Jimmy Hopps, John Blue, and Lawrence Killian. Sanders uses the percussionists as a counter to the featured drone instruments (with Joe Bonner on harmonium and Calvin Hill on tamboura). At just under six minutes, it's a song that perfectly fuses Eastern and Western musical improvisational traditions. Listening to this volume of the course of an hour is literally an aurally expansive and spiritually enlightening experience. If you can only have one of the CDs in this series, this may be the one to snag -- along with Alice Coltrane's chapter, this is spiritual jazz at its very best.
|> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <|
Tracklist :
1    Upper Egypt And Lower Egypt 16:16
Bass – Henry Grimes
Drums – Roger Blank
Electric Guitar – Sonny Sharrock
Percussion – Nat Bettis
Piano – Dave Burrell
Tenor Saxophone, Piccolo Flute, Percussion, Vocals, Composed By – Pharoah Sanders
2    The Creator Has A Master Plan 32:45
Bass – Richard Davis
Composed By – Leon Thomas, Pharoah Sanders
Drums – Billy Hart
Flute – James Spaulding
French Horn – Julius Watkins
Percussion – Nat Bettis
Piano – Lonnie Liston Smith
Tenor Saxophone – Pharoah Sanders
Vocals, Percussion – Leon Thomas
3    Astral Traveling 5:48
Bass – Cecil McBee
Electric Piano, Composed By – Lonnie Liston Smith
Soprano Saxophone, Percussion – Pharoah Sanders
Violin – Michael White
4    Spiritual Blessing 5:40
Bells [Bell Tree] – Lawrence Killian
Drums – Michael Carvin
Harmonium – Joe Bonner
Percussion – Jimmy Hopps, John Blue
Soprano Saxophone, Composed By – Pharoah Sanders
Tambura – Calvin Hill

PHAROAH SANDERS - Tauhid (1967-2007) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tauhid marks the 1966 Impulse debut of tenor saxophonist Pharoah Sanders, who had already gained fame as a flame-throwing saxophonist of the "new thing" playing with John Coltrane. However, Sanders' tenor appearance doesn't saturate the atmosphere on this session; far from it. Sanders is content to patiently let the moods of these three pieces develop, whether it be through the percussion of Roger Blank and Nat Bettis, guitarist Sonny Sharrock, or his own piccolo. For those looking for Sanders' patented screeching tenor throughout, Tauhid will disappoint. Al Campbell
Tracklist :
1    Upper Egypt & Lower Egypt    16:16
2    Japan    3:22
3    Aum / Venus / Capricorn Rising    14:46
Credits :
Bass – Henry Grimes
Drums – Roger Blank
Engineer – Rudy Van Gelder
Guitar – Sonny Sharrock
Percussion – Nat Bettis
Piano – Dave Burrell
Tenor Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Piccolo Flute, Voice, Composed By – Pharoah Sanders

PHAROAH SANDERS — Izipho Zam (1973-2006) RM | Serie 70年代ジャズを味わう!! – 11 | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

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.
> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <
Tracklist :
1     Prince of Peace 8:50
Pharoah Sanders    
2     Balance 12:43
Pharoah Sanders    
3     Izipho Zam 28:50
Pharoah Sanders    
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Sonny Fortune
Bass – Cecil McBee, Sirone (Norris Jones)
Drums – Billy Hart, Majeed Shabazz
Drums [African] – Chief Bey
Guitar – Sonny Sharrock
Percussion – Nat Bettis, Tony Wylie
Piano – Lonnie Liston Smith
Saxophone, Percussion, Composed By – Pharoah Sanders
Tuba – Howard Johnson
Vocals, Percussion – Leon Thomas

DEREK BAILEY | FRED FRITH | SONNY SHARROCK | JOHN ZORN | BILL LASWELL | CHARLES K. NOYES - Improvised Music : New York 1981 (1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This is a live recording of a performance by the New York avant-garde group Material. Due to legal complications, the name "Material" was not allowed to be used on this release, as well as there being no song titles. It's an early performance (Sep. 18, 1981) only for the most open-minded listeners, for the group sticks to aggressive experimental noise which follows no musical conventions at all. Sometimes the group creates some fascinating moments (especially on track 2), but otherwise this is largely enerving, though occasionally amusing (Noyes' percussion intro on track 7). This features interesting abstract cover art by Thi-Linh Le. Christian Genzel
Credits :
Bass – Bill Laswell
Cover – Thi-Linh Le
Guitar – Derek Bailey, Fred Frith, Sonny Sharrock
Horns – John Zorn
Percussion – Charles K. Noyes

HERBIE MANN - Memphis Underground (1969-2002) RM / Atlantic Masters / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Herbie Mann has always been open to new trends in his music. For this 1969 studio session, he and three other top soloists (vibraphonist Roy Ayers and guitarists Larry Coryell and Sonny Sharrock) went down to Memphis and combined their talents with a topnotch local rhythm section. The music effectively mixes R&B and country rhythms with the lead jazz voices, although the material, which includes "Memphis Underground," "Hold On! I'm Comin'," and "Chain of Fools," is rather weak. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Memphis Underground 7:09
Herbie Mann
2     New Orleans 2:07
Frank Guida / Joseph Royster
3     Hold on, I'm Comin' 8:57
Isaac Hayes / David Porter
Bass [Fender] – Miroslav Vitous
4     Chain of Fools 10:43
Don Covay
5     Battle Hymn of the Republic 7:14
Traditional
Arranged By – Herbie Mann
Congas – Roy Ayers
Credits :
Bass [Fender Bass] – Mike Leech, Tommy Cogbill
Drums – Gene Christman
Electric Piano, Piano [Acoustic Piano] – Bobby Wood
Flute – Herbie Mann
Guitar – Larry Coryell, Reggie Young, Sonny Sharrock
Organ – Bobby Emmons
Vibraphone [Vibes] – Roy Ayers

HERBIE MANN – Stone Flute (1970-2013) RM | Jazz Best Collection 1000 - 10 | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The 1970 record buyer who came across Stone Flute expecting a typical Herbie Mann album in the Memphis Underground vein was in for a big surprise. Instead of funk, there was moodiness. Instead of a groove, there were violins, viola and cello. The feeling was one of floating in space, with the flute sailing freely over the William Fischer arrangements, like a Miles Davis trumpet solo of this, the Bitches Brew era. This is a totally atypical Herbie Mann recording, but one which rewards repeated listening. Jim Newsom
Tracklist :
1     In Tangier 10:35
David Mills
2     Paradise Beach 4:59
Herbie Mann
3     Flying 5:21
George Harrison / John Lennon / Paul McCartney / Ringo Starr
4     Miss Free Spirit 12:40
Herbie Mann
5     Waltz for My Son 4:23
Herbie Mann
6     Pendulum 2:35
Herbie Mann
Credits :
Arranged By – William Fischer
Bass – Miroslav Vitous (faixas: 3, 4, 5), Ron Carter (faixas: 1, 2, 6)
Cello – George Ricci (faixas: 1, 2, 6), Kermit Moore (faixas: 3, 4, 5)
Drums – Bruno Carr (faixas: 1, 2, 4), Mickey Rocca (faixas: 3, 4, 5)
Flute, Producer, Photography [Backliner Photo] – Herbie Mann
Guitar – Sonny Sharrock
Vibraphone [Vibes] – Roy Ayers
Viola – Al Brown (faixas: 3, 4, 5), Selwart Clarke (faixas: 1, 2, 6)
Violin – Manny Green (faixas: 1, 2, 6), Gene Orloff (faixas: 1, 2, 6), Peter Dimitriades (faixas: 3, 4, 5), Selwart Clarke (faixas: 3, 4, 5)

HERBIE MANN - Live At The Whisky A Go Go + Mississippi Gambler (2001) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

In 2001, Collectables released Live at the Whisky A Go Go/Mississippi Gambler, which combined a pair of original Atlantic LPs -- Live at the Whisky A Go Go (1968) and Mississippi Gambler (1972) -- by Herbie Mann on one compact disc. by John Bush
Tracklist :
Live At The Whisky A Go Go (1968)
1    Ooh Baby 15:50
Written-By – Chris Hill, Columbus Baker
2    Philly Dog 14:06
Written-By – Rufus Thomas
Mississippi Gambler (1972)  
3    Swing Low Sweet Chariot 5:27
Arranged By – Herbie Mann
4    Mississippi Gambler 6:50
Written-By – Herbie Mann
5    Dippermouth 8:50
Written-By – Herbie Mann
6    Respect Yourself 5:28
Written-By – Luther Ingram, Mack Rice
7    I've Been Loving You Too Long 5:47
Written-By – Jerry Butler, Otis Redding
8    (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction 6:49
Written-By – Mick Jagger & Keith Richard

HERBIE MANN - Windows Opened + The Inspiration I Feel (2001) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This two-fer from Collectables features a pair of out of print Herbie Mann LPs: Windows Opened and The Inspiration I Feel, both originally issued on Atlantic Records in 1968. These 12 tracks feature jazz versions of popular songs of the period written by Donovan, Tim Hardin, and Jimmy Webb plus six associated with Ray Charles. by Al Campbell
Tracklist :
Windows Opened (1968)
1     There Is a Mountain 6:06
Donovan
2     If I Were a Carpenter 5:41
Tim Hardin
3     Paper Man 6:48
Charles Tolliver
4     Footprints 8:26
Wayne Shorter
5     By the Time I Get to Phoenix 2:16
Jimmy Webb
6     Windows Opened 7:36
Roy Ayers
Credits :
Bass – Miroslav Vitous (faixas: 1-6)
Drums – Bruno Carr (faixas: 1-6)
Flute – Herbie Mann (faixas: 1-6)
Guitar – Sonny Sharrock (faixas: 1-6)
Vibraphone – Roy Ayers (faixas: 1-6)
The Inspiration I Feel (1968)
7     Lonely Avenue 6:25
Doc Pomus
8     Drown in My Own Tears 5:10
Henry Glover
9     Sticks and Stones 5:39
Titus Turner
10     I Got a Woman 6:53
Ray Charles / Renald Richard
11     Come Rain or Come Shine 4:44
Harold Arlen / Johnny Mercer
12     Georgia on My Mind 4:48
Hoagy Carmichael / Stuart Gorrell
Credits :
Arranged By, Conductor – William Fischer
Flute [Uncredited] – Herbie Mann

HERBIE MANN - Live at the Whisky 1969 : The Unreleased Masters (2016) 2CD / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist 1 :
1     Untitled Jam 7:21
Roy Ayers / Bruno Carr / Herbie Mann / Steve Marcus / Sonny Sharrock / Miroslav Vitous
2     Tangier/If I Were a Carpenter 24:21
Tim Hardin / Donovan Leitch
3     Memphis Underground 10:37
Herbie Mann
4     Ooh Baby 21:37
Columbus Baker / Chris Hill
5     Scarborough Fair 4:06
Traditional
Tracklist 2 :    
1     Black Woman 5:47
Sonny Sharrock
2     All Blues 6:01
Miles Davis
3     If I Were a Carpenter 25:49
Tim Hardin
4     Philly Dog 10:45
Rufus Thomas
5     Portrait of Linda in three Colors, All black 7:36
Sonny Sharrock
6     Come Home Baby/Battle Hymn of the Republic/Come Home Baby 5:12
Julia Ward Howe / Ben Tucker
7     Chain of Fools 12:46
Don Covay
Credits :
Bass – Miroslav Vitous
Drums – Bruno Carr
Flute – Herbie Mann
Guitar – Sonny Sharrock
Lead Vocals – Linda Sharrock (faixas: 2-1, 2-5)
Tenor Saxophone – Steve Marcus
Vibraphone – Roy Ayers

DON CHERRY - Eternal Rhythm (1968) FLAC (tracks), lossless