When the Spirit Returns

Lester Bowie | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 7, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Dreyfus
• ASIN: B0000CD5HE
• Also Available in: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #211,932 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Player Hater (Notorious BIG)

2. Waterfall (TLC)

3. Count On Me (Whitney Houston/Ce Ce Winans)

4. Solitude (La India)

5. Biggie’s Ride (Notorious Thugs) (Notorious BIG)

6. One Love (Bob Marley)

7. Unchained Melody

8. Naakkurat Na

9. Save The Best For Last (Vanessa Williams)

10. When The Spirit Returns (Bowie)

Editorial Reviews

About the Artist

Most critics agree that Lester Bowie was the preeminent trumpeter of the jazz avant-garde. But Bowie considered himself a traditionalist, "in the sense that rebellion is the actual tradition of jazz". As a prominent member of the Art Ensemble of Chicago, he broke many of the "rules of jazz" and helped to push the music to its outer limits. His music and stage persona were often humorous, and always entertaining. He saw great value in bridging the gap between jazz and popular music, as did his early hero, Louis Armstrong.

In the 80’s, Bowie formed the Brass Fantasy, a post-modern big band that played a wonderfully eclectic repertoire, all in the truest spirit of jazz. The group playfully blended elements of funk, hip-hop, soul, rock, reggae, and gospel into their jazz bouillabaisse. Throughout the years they recorded a wild assortment of material: Billie Holiday, Bob Marley, Marilyn Manson, Spice Girls, Michael Jackson, and Willie Nelson, to name a few!

Product Description

Shortly before his death in 1999, Lester Bowie finished work on his final album, "When The Spirit Returns." On it, he uses the modern grooves of Notorious B.I.G. and TLC, the soulful pop of Whitney Houston and Vanessa Williams, and universal anthems like Bob Marley’s "One Love" as starting points for his thrilling jazz adventures. The closing tune, Bowie’s ethereal classic "When The Spirit Returns," comforts us with the idea that the music and spirit of this legendary jazz man will be with us for many years to come.

Trumpets: Lester Bowie, Ravi Best, Gerald Brazel, Joseph "Mac" Gollehon Tuba: Bob Stewart French Horn: Vincent Chancey Trombones: Luis Bonilla, Joshua Roseman, Gary Valente Drums: Vinnie Johnson Percussion: Victor See Yuen

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars All The Magic, November 6, 2003

By 

A. Davis "astandavis" (Greenville, SC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: When the Spirit Returns (Audio CD)

Lester Bowie will be sorely missed. In a world where smooth junk jazz rules the airwaves and young guns can't get out of the shadows of the past masters, here was a guy that put adventure into his music. Bowie was not afraid to take a popular song and bend it into a improvisors wonderland. Using tracks from Rapper Notorious B.I.G., Raggae master Bob Marley, Popsters TLC and Vanessa Williams - Lester continues the magic on "When The Spirit Returns." His swirling trumpet soaring above the rapid firing Brass Fantasy is spectacular. As always, the humor and improvisations are all present. This CD leaves you happy, sad and fulfilled with a lasting thought that one of the finest musical masters has past on. I am thankful that his recorded work will be around to show the future generation how much fun Jazz could truly be. Enjoy!