Customer Reviews

Rising Sun

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
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I had vaguely heard of these guys before Amazon offered a free download of Mamaya which led to my purchase of the entire album (which I then consumed in one iPod gulp out at the end of Navy Pier this morning). What a phenomenal piece of work!

The album opens with Awakening, a rich orchestral tune-up that lets you know what you're in for. From there, its a wild ride through the rain-forest of Lotus Flower, the Trane station of Serenity, finishing with the communal stew of Consecration.

The feel is mid-Sixties Coltrane over a pulsing Latin base and flavorings. Solos are uniformly strong but the orchestrations are superb. Can't wait for another spin.

This is for fans of Mulatu, fans of Fela, fans of Coltrane, fans of Caribbean Jazz Project, fans of The Budos Band, fans of any type of jazz, world music, or music with a pulsing beat that moves your body.

There are tracks that bring the heat(Agabra, Rejoice Pt. 2), and tracks that slow it down (Lotus Flower, Consecration), but every track is wonderful in its own respect. If you appreciate their older albums, buy this. You will not be disappointed. I cannot enumerate all the qualities that music of this genre should have, but this album hits all the bases. Pop it in, and be transported to another world - one of scorching sands, flowing rivers, and vibrant rhythms that move your mind as well as your body. Enjoy!

The Souljazz Orchestra lays out afro-jazz tracks on this all-acoustic release, deftly mixing a strongly African sound with a variety of solo styles, reminiscent of Coltrane, Sun Ra, and Mulatu Astatke. The livelier tracks like Agbara (tk 2), Negus Negast (tk 3) (after a slow intro 30 seconds), and Mamaya (tk 5) (after a slow intro 15 seconds) easily keep your attention with their rich drumming and layered sounds - similar to a Fela Kuti piece. The slower tracks are thoughtful and intriguing - Rejoice Part 1 (tk 8) explores a sustained trembling, joyous sound, while Awakening (tk 1) is just like the title suggests: an unfolding of sounds from one instrument to an entire orchestra. Impressive stuff - something for everyone.