Search - Pharoah Sanders, Bill Laswell :: With a Heartbeat

Superbe

yajdubuddah | cheboygan,michigan usa | 06/26/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"bill laswell fans. this an interesting approach for mr sanders, in this selection he is featured with trilok gurtu [tablas, voice]graham haynes [cornet, electronics] nickey skopelitis [guitar, electric sitar] jeff bova [keyboard]dr. jean-louis sink [heartbeat] laswell [ bass, flute, ketboard] and mr sanders playing tenor sax, and flutes.
the music is very hypnotic, dub style with ambient keyboard tablas beautifle sax and flutes feel. the second song morning tala is a retranslation of laswell and wobbles evil eye on dead slow divination ambient dub 2, with a beautifle sanders and skopelitis randition. the funny thing is that zakir hussain was the original tabla player for evil eye and isnt credited on ambient dub II, here im not sure if trilok retranslated it or not. alankara is a sparse tabla and vocal mainelly track with a beat dipping in and out faintelly. the first song is slower dub style with sanders, and the last it more up tempo dub style with graham on amazing cornet. all songes have a real heartbeat continuelessely throughout. dont be afraid its just the future. not a real funk feel to it. dont be scared fantastic."

Strong as ever, ever expanding

Enrique Torres | San Diegotitlan, Califas | 04/01/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Let's start with my bias; quite simply, Pharoah Sanders is the man. I've followed his stellar career since back in the day when he was a young side man with John Coltrane. Since Trane's departure Sanders releases have indicated his superb talents can stand alone. Throughout the years his sound has evolved from free-jazz to jazz -funk, to soulful meditative and back a few times. This outing finds Sanders in the outer limits within the peaceful framework of his soulful horn in conjunction with a heartbeat and world beat. If you loved his old material like " The Creator Has a Master Plan" and other tangents away from " traditional " jazz than you will probably like this disc. Whether or not you will love it depends on if you feel the sound of his magestic horn has been compromised with his association with Bill Laswell. There is still the freedom of his sound, free blowing with the rich mature depth that can only be achieved with age and wisdom but he never really cuts loose. This "new " Pharoah Sanders is mixed with the production skills of Bill Laswell to create a sort of new age-dub-jazz ambient musical style that is different from your typical computer-geek turned music freak releases that flood the new age music bins. The Middle Eastern elements are a nice touch with sitars and tablas blending accordingly with the master tenor sax man , Pharoah Sanders, to create a spacey, laid back sound that occasionaly reaches out there further than most music is likely to risk going on a commercial release. Admitedly this is one of those discs that takes several listens to get used to because of the textures that are combined; it just isn't something that you might be used to listening to. Once you have warmed up to the fact that Pharoah Sanders has taken his music in another direction on this disc you can than appreciate the serenity, bliss and occasional chaos that is signature Pharoah Sanders. This is not a jazz disc by most standards but rather a further exploration of the world music, with added electronica, that Sanders has always incorporated into his music. It is an updated, rejuvenated jazz technician utilizing technology and preserving and reserving his authoratative voice like a wise man who speaks rarely but who everyone listens to when the jewlels come forth. It is a strong musical statement that reveals the strength and beauty from within. Another in a long line of super discs by Pharoah Sanders who has always been unafraid to walk alone and lead the way without being tied down or restricted by labels. Highly recommended for people who like jazzy world music that fits the downtempo mode of chill out ala Pharoah Sanders/ Bill Laswell. Take a trip with Pharoah Sanders and listen to your own heartbeat and expand your mind."

Pharoah & Laswell's best collaboration

07/11/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Unlike the rather unfocused "Save our Children", this effort melds the best of Pharoah, Laswell & the ever talented tabla phenom Zakir Hussein. The music is poly-rhythmis, pulsating and passionately played. Although not representative of what Pharoah is playing with his own quartet in '04, it is a stellar ecording and not to be missed."