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Alice Coltrane/Pharoah Sanders


jpmosu

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I've got the chance to pick up a few used Alice Coltrane/Pharoah Sanders titles (Impulse reissues), but I've heard very little by either artist. Does anybody have thoughts they can share before I take the plunge. Any favorites? Musts to avoid?

Thanks

john

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I like these collaborations more and more as I learn more and more what these artists are about. On the surface they're great, and they have depth too (the recordings.) I've liked all the Impulses I've heard by these two alone and separately.

Expect some adventurous music with real spirit (however you define that.)

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"Ptah el Dahoud" and "Journey to Satchidananda" are in my view the best albums of their collaborations. Complex but accessible.

I'd have to give Ptah the El Daoud the nod over Journey to Howthehelldoyouspellit simply for the presence of Joe Henderson. The latter is in general a mellower session.

When I first heard Ptah, I was really surprised by how conservative it was in comparison to the stuff she and Pharoah were doing with Trane just three years earlier.

Guy

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Thanks to everyone for the replies so far. If anyone has thoughts on other Pharoah Sanders titles on Impulse (i.e., without Alice C.), I'd be happy to hear 'em. (But maybe that's a subject for another posting.)

I like all of Pharoah Sanders albums on Impulse!

My favorites are probably Karma, Tauhid, and Summun Bukmun Umyum. Black Unity is also quite good.

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Alice Coltrane - Ptah the El Daoud is IMO the better date, purely for the tunes, and the LP hangs together better as a statement. Also look for Universal Conciousness.

Pharoah - the masterpiece is Jewels Of Thought. Thembi is excellent, Elevation is a killer, and Live At The east is outstanding. Tauhid is difficult, Black Unity I never liked, some of the later stuff gets cheesy and new-age-y like Love In Us All, Wisdom Through Music.

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Pharoah - the masterpiece is Jewels Of Thought.

Interesting.

I picked up *Jewels* over the weekend and find it to be as strong as some of the others on Impulse. But yet, the *Penguin Guide* dismisses it completely, and I don't quite understand why.

Edited by jpmosu
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Yeah, I think a lot of critics don't get, never have gotten this music. I don't claim to myself yet, but I really don't even find cheeziness in some of the ones that are claimed to be cheezy. . .and I wish all the Impulses were in print on domestic cd. . . .

It's pretty amazing stuff as a body of work!

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Pharoah - the masterpiece is Jewels Of Thought.

Interesting.

I picked up *Jewels* over the weekend and find it to be as strong as some of the others on Impulse. But yet, the *Penguin Guide* dismisses it completely, and I don't quite understand why.

There is a magazine review Richard Cook did of the Olantunji (sp?) concert where he basically disses the hell out of Sanders' style. Cook is one of the Penguin Guide authors and I think there may be unacknowledged sensibility issues behind some of the reviews therein.

I think a lot of people have problems with Sanders' scathing spiritual energy style.

Simon Weil

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  • 4 months later...

Up for renewed reading and interest.

Ptah, the El Daoud seemed the perfect album this morning to usher in the new year. Something about that march (to purgatory) in the title tune, and the freshly fallen half foot of snow outside — it just made sense.

Have any of you tried Alice's work recently reissued on Sepia Tone? Reviews?

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It looks like almost all of Coltrane's work has been reissued on disc —

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— with Huntington Ashram Monastery and Lord of Lords the only (?) titles not yet reissued, though some of the tracks from the former can be found on this disc:

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Does anyone know why Coltrane stopped recording? (Or did she stop recording?) Another question — How many children did John and Alice Coltrane have together?

(Also would like to hear what your favorites are from the above.)

Edited by Late
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I think it's all organ trio, no overdubbed strings. Haven't pulled it out in a while and went to look at it and it isn't where I thought it was . . . story of my life! It's good, some of it really fierce, but I like her orchestral and her more overtly spiritual work for Warners a tad more.

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