Jazzis Web Shop News 01/2007

Time to add another of the new Kadima Collective albums - free jazz for advanced listeners only:

JONES, JEAN CLAUDE ~ HOSTING MYSELF
KADIMA COLLECTIVE 08 ~ ISRAEL ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2005 - 2006 Released: 2006
Jean Claude Jones is the leader and the driving force of the Kadima Collective, a group of Israeli musicians who practice free improvisations as their primary musical habitat. The Kadima Collective record label releases albums, which would have never seen the light of day in any commercial environment. This album is a perfect example of such a release. Jones recorded this album all by himself using only his bass and some electronic devices to create all the sounds. The music is all freely improvised of course and therefore completely adventitious, yet it makes perfect sense to a listener, who is ready to engage in the creative process with the Artist. The album includes only 3 tracks: The first and third tracks are excerpts of a live recording Jones made while the dancer Julyen Hamilton performed an improvised dance to his music. The second track (over 32 minutes long) is composed of 18 shorter episodes recorded in the studio over a period of several months. This is a bold and well-articulated statement by a seasoned and determined Artist, who remains restless and adventurous at all times. For listeners with positively opened ears only.

https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102196

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Have Fun!

After being out of print for much to long, here is one of my all time favorite albums, added today:

SANTANA, CARLOS / MCLAUGHLIN, JOHN ~ LOVE DEVOTION SURRENDER
COLUMBIA 63593 (Barcode: 074646359327) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 1972 Released: 2003
This is the most quintessential Fusion album of all times. Although sadly neglected and almost forgotten (both by critics and listeners) over the years, it stands out as a beacon of musical enlightenment for posterity. The album came to be as a result of many parallel events and personal / musical paths crossings. Carlos Santana and John McLaughlin became close after becoming disciples of Guru Sri Chinmoy. Although they were both aware of each other's work before this musical cooperation, they operated in quite separate musical areas. McLaughlin at this point had already a glorious career stretch behind him with his pioneering work on the UK jazz / rock scene, his revolutionary work with Miles Davis, the visionary contributions in the Tony Williams Lifetime and of course his brilliant Mahavishnu Orchestra output. Santana's roots were deep into Latin music and rock, but he was rapidly transforming his musical focus into jazz and Fusion. Influenced by his band's drummer Michael Shrieve, who was a jazz buff, Carlos discovered a new musical world and was swallowing everything he could lay his ears on. This included the works of Mahavishnu Orchestra, of which he was a devoted fan, but also the work of Miles Davis and John Coltrane. The actual get together was most probably orchestrated by Columbia's chief Clive Davis (both Santana and Mahavishnu Orchestra were signed by Columbia Records), suggesting a John Coltrane tribute album featuring both guitarists. The album was recorded almost immediately after Santana finished recording the pivotal Caravanserai album, which marked a series of dramatic changes both in the band's musical direction (a move towards jazz and Fusion) and personnel changes (the forming of Santana Mk. II). A meeting of two great talents is always a dangerous affair, and this one could have proven either disastrous or absolutely divine - fortunately the latter did happen. The reason it did turn out to be such a success is twofold: First the musicians truly loved Coltrane's music and felt the spiritual side of it (Coltrane went through a process of soul searching and seeking enlightenment in Eastern beliefs as well). Coltrane's "A Love Supreme" is really a musical mantra very similar to a Hindu chant, which of course is as much a spiritual music as it ever gets. The beautiful "Naima" (the other Coltrane composition featured here) is also deeply spiritual, as are the two McLaughlin's compositions and the traditional chant, which serves as the base for the remaining track of the album. Having established the musical / spiritual base of the session the rest was up to the participating musicians, which (again) most fortunately turned out to be ideal. Both Santana and McLaughlin brought with them associate musicians - Carlos brought selected members of his band (Armando Peraza - congas, Doug Rauch - bass and Michael Shrive - drums) and John brought Mahavishnu Orchestra members (Billy Cobham - drums and Jan Hammer - drums(!)). Veteran jazz drummer Don Alias was also invited, but the greatest and perhaps most crucial role was entrusted upon the organ player Larry Young - John's former partner in Lifetime. Young provides the foundation and glue, which makes this session work. With two lead guitarists exchanging licks at the speed of light and the super-power expanded rhythm section pulsating mercilessly, this session would have never worked without Young's brilliant work. He fills the spaces, provides the balance and the sanity, the ground on which the soloist are able to build their sky-high towers. Of course the main attraction is the spectacular work by the two soloists, so different and yet so completely complimentary of each other. Santana's sublimely melodic feel (truly unparalleled to this very day) and McLaughlin's extraordinary improvisational abilities just merge into one continuous flow of musical bliss. Their exchanges are in perfect harmony, not competing but supplementing each other - fire and grace incarnate. This remastered edition enhances the originally muddy sound tremendously and the two bonus tracks are priceless. There is nothing but Love of music, Devotion to talent and Surrender to divinity on this album, the Mother of all Fusion albums! Beyond essential!

https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102198

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Have Fun!