Lawrence of Newark [Import]

Larry Young | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 9, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Castle Music UK
• ASIN: B00005K2UR
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #327,795 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Sunshine Fly Away

2. Khalid of Space, Pt. 2 Welcome

3. Saudia

4. Alive

5. Hello Your Quietness (Islands)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Real Mind-Blower, August 27, 2003

By 

"slow-burn" (dublin, oh USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lawrence of Newark (Audio CD)

Wow--"Khalid of Space" alone is worth the five stars...an
utterly intense jazz-funk masterpiece. Like Mingus on acid...

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A forgotten gem reissued., May 4, 2005

By 

Michael Stack (North Chelmsford, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lawrence of Newark (Audio CD)

Larry Young's "Lawrence of Newark" is one of those albums you hear about but never see-- this reissue, out for a few years now, may not last forever, but is certainly great to hear. The album features free jazz organist Larry Young having gathered around him members of the New York City avant-garde scene to record an album. Featuring James "Blood" Ulmer (in a rather subdued role) in a mystery guest saxaphonist (who sounds like he could be Pharoah Sanders, although I've also heard Sonny Fortune suggested), Young produced a unique record that, while its not quite up my alley, is a superb record.

The dominant trait of the record is a sort of breezy quality, several of the tracks feature a kind of laid back but aggressive sound to them-- usually the structure is pretty tame but fierce playing (Young and the mystery sax player) on cuts such as "Sunshine Fly Away", "Saudia" and "Hello Your Quietness" propel things to produce powerful performances. The only real exception to this is "Khalid of Space Part Two - Welcome" a sort of overblown organ workout with disjoint soloing.

In the end, I don't think its quite as great as its reputation makes it out to be, but "Lawrence of Newark" is well worth seeking out.

8 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars MAGICAL MUSICAL MOMENT!!!, March 4, 2002

By 

ROBERT L. DAVIS (LAS VEGAS, NEVADA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lawrence of Newark (Audio CD)

DURING THE FUSION ERA, THIS ALBUM WAS A SPIRITUAL BLESSING FOR LARRY YOUNG(KHALID IBIN YASIN). THE MUSIC BY AND LARGE WAS SPONTANEOUS IMPROVISATION. THE MUSIC ON THIS ALBUM VARIES FROM MILD TEMPO SPIRITUALITY TO THE ALL-OUT UPTEMPO SPACEY AVANT-GARDE SPIRITUALITY. LARRY WAS GETTING SYNTHESIZER SOUNDS OUT OF THE HAMMOND B-3 ORGAN YEARS BEFORE SYNTHS BECAME COMMONPLACE. HIS TECHNIQUE WITH THE DRAWBARS IS WHAT CAUSED ARCHIE SHEPP TO REFER TO HIM AS THE JOHN COLTRANE OF THE ORGAN. THE MUSIC ON THIS ALBUM IS VERY POWERFUL AND HAS SOMEWHAT OF A HYPNOTIC EFFECT. PHAROAH SAUNDERS IS THE MYSTERY GUEST ARTIST. DIEDRE JOHNSON PLAYS VERY INSPIRED CELLO. THERE'S AN OLD SAYING "LET THE MUSIC SPEAK FOR ITSELF". I ENCOURAGE YOU TO PURCHASE THIS CD. YOU WILL THEN UNDERSTAND WHAT I HAVE MEEKLY TRIED TO PUT INTO WORDS CONCERNING THIS VERY EMOTIONAL MUSICAL RECORDING EVENT.