Customer Reviews

With a Heartbeat

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

 

 

Is there a more enthralling, mesmerizing, glorious sound in jazz than the sound of Pharoah Sanders' tenor saxophone? Not that I know of. I personally am willing to put up with almost any amount of new agey faux world jazz to hear that sound in all its manifest glory. Actually, I have to confess that if it's done right, I really don't mind--even dig--that world jazz vibe that Bill Laswell (often, but not always) brilliantly brings to life. And believe me, it's firing on all cylinders on this disc. Check out esp. Trilok Girtu (tablas and voice) on "Alankara." I don't know about you, but that staccato Indian vocalese, combined with stellar tabla playing, almost always does it for me.

But it's still Sanders' tone that makes it for me on this outing. He has a richness, an authority, a depth, that no other tenor sax player has ever (or will ever) achieve. I believe I read somewhere that he spends hours every just playing long tones, seeking to perfect his tonal quality. Even at the higher registers there's still a burning, burnished quality that others only grasp at and never achieve.

All the musicians (and this is a very fine band) get their moment in the sun. I especially like the electric sitar of Nicky Skopelitis that opens "Gamaka," the last cut. Graham Haynes, featured as co-leader on this disc, also displays some very fine, if somewhat stealth, cornet playing. But he shines on "Gamaka."

To these ears, this is the finest disc Pharoah Sanders has ever made. You'd be insane to miss it.

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.

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.

One of the more bizarre albums in Pharoah Sanders' catalog-- "With a Heartbeat" continues his exploration of ethnic musics (usually alongside producer Bill Laswell) that began to capture Sanders' interest in the mid-90s. Co-credited to trumpeter Graham Haynes (who is also credited with electronics but rarely audible on the disc as a trumpet voice), the album features primarily Laswell regulars in Jeff Bova (keyboards) and Nicky Skopelitis (guitars and electric sitar) with Laswell himself handling bass duties and Trilok Gurtu providing tabla. The hook to this album is that all the tracks feature recordings of heartbeats made by a Dr. Jean-Louis Zink.

Yeah, it sounds pretty hokey to me too, but the results are actually pretty decent.

By and large, the pieces set up a synth-driven haze with the heartbeats, delicate percussion, and atmosphere provided by the Skopelitis-- sometimes driving beats emerge (the second half of "Across Time", tabla feature "Alankara"), but by and large its a pretty tame affair. Sanders is fairly mellow, keeping his fiery playing by and large down and performing in his horn's upper register. His playing is lovely and he stunningly never seems to lose any of that fat tone he has.

But if there's a complaint to be made, it's that this one does seem to drag on a bit-- all four of the tracks are fairly extended (two stretch over 15 minutes), and you sort of wish several of them would end before they do. Nonetheless, its a decent record, worth the investment for fans.

Whenever someone asks me for a description of the music, confuse me very much. Music it is media to listen and not talk about it. Similarly, in the case of such a distinguished team like: Gurtu, Haynes, Skopelitis, Bova, Dr. Zink. They are professionals and technically top-flight music on the album is perfect. It remains to teamwork and harmony. And this is also amazing. Are there disadvantages? Yes they are. The CD should be two times longer. I want to listen to it endlessly ...

The concept may sound a tad bizarre on the surface - a heartbeat (courtesy of Dr. Jean-Louis Zuk) given a studio makeover to act as a bassline - but the flow of the nearly 50 minutes of world music/dub produced and arranged by Bill Laswell has a subtle, yet intense quality.

For listeners hoping for scorching solos on tenor sax and flutes from Pharoah Sanders, there will be great disappointment; but the mystical and textural quality of his playing is accentuated in this unique format. But it is Trilok Gurtu's tabla and voice on Alankara (Beats of the Heart) that nearly steals the show from Sanders, Laswell (bass, flute, keyboard) and Graham Haynes (cornet, electronics). Nicky Skopelitis (guitars, electric sitar) and Jeff Bova (keyboard) complete the impressive roster.

The pair of longer tracks - Across Time (17:09), Gamaka (15:52) - are bookends for Morning Tala (7:48) and Alankara (9:01), but each story sets the stage for a trail that leads straight from the heart to "Beyond the Infinite."

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.