are these impulse! titles worth buying?

[Guest akanalog]

i see dustygroove now has archie shepp's "for losers" and pharaoh sanders "village of the pharaohs" on CD. are they worth a purchase? how do they compare to other albums by these two? thank you.

[JSngry]

For Losers is my favorite Shepp sire, period. Which is not the same as saying that I think it's his "best". It's a concept album of sorts, and the title says it all. There's a lot of diverse material on this record, and a great cameo by Clarence Sharpe that serves as the focal point for the album's concept.. I've been moved to tears by it any number of times, but I gotta warn you - there's pain on this record, and it ain't an "easy" listen.

Village Of The Pharoahs I heard back in the day, and it left me puzzled and cold, mostly the latter. Heard it again recently, and was fascinated. Lots of "world music" stuff, especially vocally, on there that I don't have the background to accurately classify. But I dug it.

[jazzbo]

I'm with Jim on both of these. Really good Impulses.

[Chuck Nessa]

I say leave 'em for someone who wants 'em.

[Guest akanalog]

thanks chuck!

well shepps actuel stuff and his impulse! is just about my favorite body of work of any jazz musician.

and i like most every sanders impulse! i have heard.

[jazzbo]

You'll like these.

I see they have the Shepp "Juju" too which if you don't have. . . you might want to consider.

[Guest akanalog]

i do like the ju ju shepp. i got it. but thank you for the heads up.

the only shepp impulse! i don't really care for is the attica blues one because it has too many shorter vocal and string heavy songs.

[jazzbo]

Cool!

I like Attica Blues a lot. . . it really brings back a period of my life to me vividly!

[felser]

Cool! 

I like Attica Blues a lot. . . it really brings back a period of my life to me vividly!

←

Thumbs up on 'For Losers'. Thumbs even higher up for "The Magic of Juju'. 'Village of the Pharoahs' is pretty good if you like Sanders' rhythmic stuff with Joe Bonner and aren't worried about there not being much sax on it.

[ep1str0phy]

Cool! 

I like Attica Blues a lot. . . it really brings back a period of my life to me vividly!

←

Thumbs up on 'For Losers'. Thumbs even higher up for "The Magic of Juju'. 'Village of the Pharoahs' is pretty good if you like Sanders' rhythmic stuff with Joe Bonner and aren't worried about there not being much sax on it.

←

Haven't heard "For Losers", but I agree with you on "The Magic of Juju". "Juju" is just about the most high octane, heavy churn Shepp on record (although it's matched by some of the BYGs). The only real problem is that it's a little uneven--the sax/African percussion romp on Side I just dominates. That being said, the other cuts are excellent (for what they are)--a little truncated, but beautiful. The charts are lovely.

Edited November 3, 2005 by ep1str0phy