Customer Reviews

Black Woman

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A record so rare it's almost mythical finally gets the reissue treatment... and of course it took the Japanese to do it (why no American release! ). Anyway, originally released in 1969 to utter befuddlement from the jazz community, the 31 minutes of screaming, wailing and general vocal/guitar torture on this disc have found a safe, loving home within the "out-rock" community over the last 30 years, mostly amongst those with a weakness for some no-wave/skronk/industrio/punk action, if you know where I'm coming from. Produced by none other than Herbie Mann, honky flute-player extraordinaire (Sharrock was playing guitar in his band at the time for "money reasons"), "Black Woman" is - musically speaking - a real tough disc to pin down. Featuring a stellar line-up that includes free-jazz legends Milford Graves and Dave Burrell on drums and piano, respectively, and Linda Sharrock (Sonny's wife) on "vocals", the music is a curious mix of free-jazz thump, psychotic gospel vocalese, flamenco/calypso guitar stylings and a serious dose of proto-No Wave screech. Most of all, it works, and works well. The two best tracks, the title song and the scorching "Portrait of Linda in Three Colours, All Black", reach thunderous ascensions in sound, where all the player whollop and wail in unison to various ecstatic peaks, leaving one drained yet craving more. Talking of more, what about a reissue of Sharrock's similarly classic "Monkey Pockie Boo" LP from '70? Imagine, if you a will, a mix between Hendrix, Yoko Ono and Cecil Taylor, and that's somewhere near "Black Woman"'s universe. Such beautiful noise...

this was my first sonny sharrock album and i was very pleasently surprised. yes, it's supposed to be a challenging avant garde record, but i found it very easy to listen to (great background music). sonny's wife (on the vocals) adds a very soothing quality to the sometimes chaotic music (and vice versa, she can sound pretty crazy at times). i would highly recommended this one, even for those who don't like avant garde and free jazz (and it's well packaged, the cd booklet is made of plastic not paper! great linear notes too)

A lot of free jazz, no matter what spiritual context the players were intending, dwells in the dark depths of human emotion, and the altissimo screams of saxophone and cacophonus piano pounding seem to burst forth with anguish and pain. Not so this album, which, while very challenging musically, appears to be an expression of pure love and joy-- even ectasy. "Black woman" is also incredibally soulful, something lost in a lot of "free music." Sharrock's playing casts him as the forefather of skronk-- but it's also surprising melodic. At one point during "portrait of linda in three colors, all black" i found myself moved to the point of vocalizing a loud "yeah!," with no one around to hear. a moving experience, and a must for fans of cecil taylor, ornette, shepp (especially, who's music seems to have a similar joyous tone to it) and heck, even modern noisemongers like sonic youth (who undoubtedly owe a debt to sonny.) Stunning and beautiful.

Warm up.... Warm up to the concepts of Black Woman, because you will have to. Sonny Sharrock is not for everybody, and none wrings more true to that statment than, Black Woman. If you like Sonny's late 1980's albums you will say, "Where's he at?, I don't hear him." I found listening harder as a Sharrocker, because the distorted waves of brutel, in-your- face terror, were just not there.

And, Linda's voice was not helping me out any. As time goes on, you warm up to different kinds of music, and that's what I had to do. So, with that being said, if you like Sonny, go for "Blind Wille." If you like deep artsy; experimental music, then go for the whole album.

I am a huge sharrock fan, all of his other solo work(especially ask the ages)and the stuff he has done with pharoah and other groups is some of my favorite music, and I'm also not predjudiced against "free-jazz" as the critics label it(eric dolphy is my hero, and I love ornette coleman)but I just dont get this album, the songs seem like they are going to come together and start really jamming at one point or another in pretty much every track, but they just continue noodling around with no solid rythm or melody or solos or anything, the whole album just sounds like the five people noodling around aimlessly in the same key while they drummer just plays random rythms on the toms, maybe there is something really great or worthwhile on this album that I havent picked up on, but I just dont get the point of any of this music, plus its not enjoyable or energetic, get ask the ages instead is my advice.

Sonny Sharrock has made some legendary records, like "Ask The Ages" and "Guitar" that feature his brilliant skronky playing. My favorite, though, is this record "Black Woman". It's like no wave soul music. Sharrock's playing is the seed for no wave and skronk (Thurston Moore, Arto Lindsay owe Sonny a debt of gratitude). On "Black Woman" Sonny's guitarwork is coupled with his wife Linda's sexy/scary/spiritual voice. At times, the songs are like eavesdropping on lover's getting their groove on. Milford Graves playes drums judiciously, but not tentatively.

This great record will freak you out the first time you play it, I promise. And isn't that the best recommendation of all? "Black Woman" is intimate, timeless, and above all, out there in adventureland waiting to be rediscovered.