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PHAROAH SANDERS - ANTHOLOGY:
YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE FREEDOM
Pharoah Sanders was born as
Ferrell Sanders in Little Rock, Arkansas on 13th October 1940. Pharoah has
developed one of the most recognisable sounds in jazz music, with a distinctive
tenor saxophone technique.
Over the past 40 years
Pharoah has worked with some of the greatest jazz musicians, and recorded over
30 albums under his own name, and built up a large following of dedicated fans
who hold him in reverence. His music mixes highly rhythmic tracks often using
African Percussion with Free Jazz elements notably his 'shrieking' tenor sax,
melodies and vocal chants. His music always commands your attention. This
definitive Anthology brings together for the first time his major compositions
of his career to date including those recorded for Impulse, Arista, Theresa and
Verve labels. Some of the extremely long tracks have been specially edited to
enable the maximum number of different tracks to be included. Where this has
been necessary we have tried to retain the most accessible and rhythmic parts
and the essence of the original recording. The album is sub-titled 'You've Got
To Have Freedom' not only because this is the title of one of his most revered
tracks, but also because it sums up the music itself, where all the musicians
have freedom to solo and fully explore the rhythm and melodies of each track.
As a teenager he played
blues gigs with Bobby Blue Bland and Junior Parker in his local area, and then
moved to California studying music and art at Oakland Junior college. Whilst at
Oakland he played with Dewey Redman, Sonny Simmons and Ed Kelly under the name
Little Rock. In 1961 he moved to New York where he struggled to make a living.
At times he had to pawn his horn and sleep on the subway and work non-musical
jobs to get by. He formed his first group in 1963 with pianist John Hicks (with
whom he played on many occasions up until the 90's.), bassist Wilbur Ware and
drummer Billy Higgins. John Coltrane heard Pharoah play at the Village Gate and
invited him to play with his band. Pharoah can be heard on many of Coltrane's
later free jazz albums on Impulse. He also appears on a Sun-Ra and a couple of
Don Cherry albums from this time. After Coltrane's death he continued to work
with his widow Alice Coltrane whilst recording under his own name initially on
ESP and then on Impulse where this anthology commences. 'Tauhid', Pharoah's
debut album for Impulse was released in 1967. From that album we include the
second half of 'Lower Egypt Upper Egypt', a piece that reflects Pharoah's long
term research into the history of Egypt its religions and spirituality. The
track is under pinned by Henry Grimes incessant bass lines and Sonny Sharrock's
chugging guitar, allowing Pharoah a solid foundation to improvise over. 'The
Creator Has A Masterplan' is taken from the 1969 Karma album, and is probably
his most famous track. He co-wrote the track with the incomparable Leon Thomas
and it is one of the best and most recognisable 'Spiritual Jazz' tracks, with a
haunting melody. On this track Pharoah links up with two artists he would work
with many times and who helped him shape his distinctive sound, vocalist Leon
Thomas and Keyboard player Lonnie Liston Smith. Leon also cut a shorter and
more vocal version using a similar line up with Pharoah credited as 'Little
Rock' on his debut album for Producer Bob Thiele's Flying Dutchman Label, which
is included on Soul Brother Records Leon Thomas Anthology. In the same year
Pharoah recorded his 'Jewels Of Thought' album again with Lonnie and Leon. 'Hum
Allah Hum Allah Hum Allah' is featured in its entirety here, 15 minutes of pure
magic. The song illustrates Pharoah's religious beliefs. He also cut this song
under the name 'Prince Of Peace' with a different arrangement on an album for
Strata East 'Izipho Zam', that version appears on Leon's anthology. The 1971
album 'Thembi' contributes three tracks to this Anthology. Lonnie Liston
Smith's influence on this album is very apparent with his distinctive keyboard
textures and melodies. Lonnie wrote 'Astral Travelling' which he was to record
himself as the title cut to his debut album for Flying Dutchman a couple of
years later, and he also co-wrote 'Morning Prayer' with Pharoah.
Along with the title track'
Thembi' these all show the more harmonic and melodic side of Pharoah. 'Summun,
Bukmun Umyun' from the 1970 album 'Deaf Dumb And Blind' and Black Unity' from
1971/2, are both Afro influenced, extremely rhythmic pieces structured in
layers of sound with improvised solos on the top. To the uninitiated all the
musicians appear to be playing a different track but in fact they are layered
brilliantly to produce an almost orchestral sound over driving rhythms.
'Village Of The Pharoahs' is another percussive workout that conjures up images
of the Middle East and of course ancient Egypt. All three of these were
extremely long tracks and we have edited to a more accessible length. In 1974
Pharoah released his last two albums on Impulse. From 'Elevation' we include an
edited version of 'The Gathering' a joyous jazz dancer with chants and African
rhythms. Also from that album is 'Greetings From Suad' on which Pharoah plays
Percussion and Bailophone but no sax! The title track from 'Love In Us All' is
featured in its near on twenty minute entirety. The track is so good throughout
and has many changes of tempo that we felt we had to include it all. After
Impulse Pharoah recorded n eclectic live album for the independent label India
Navigation, featuring two long tracks 'Harvest Time' and 'Love Will Find A
Way'. He then signed to Arista and recorded the Norman Connors produced album
'Love Will Find A Way' the beautiful title track of which is included here. On
this album Pharoah mellows out and features the late Phyllis Hyman on vocals
and many soul and jazz funk musicians like Bobby Lyle and Wah Wah Watson. After
another Arista album 'Beyond A Dream', in 1979 Pharoah signed with the
independent label Theresa where he would record the next five albums. 'You've
Got To Have Freedom' is taken from his 1980 double album 'Journey To The One'
and is one of best known jazz dance tracks of all time. It swings joyously and
effortlessly through its six and half minutes of pure magic. Eddie Henderson
joins on this track and puts down a great flugelhorn solo. This track has
retained its popularity on the jazz dance scene over twenty five years and is
rightly regarded as a classic. 'Jitu' is recorded in 1981 and taken from his
'Shukuru' (a Swahili name meaning thankful or grateful) album named after his
wife. 'Jitu' is another club favourite that really swings and is named after a
Brooklyn political and cultural activist. Shukuru saw Pharoah reunited with
Leon Thomas for two tracks, 'Sun Song' is also included in the Leon Thomas
Anthology. On the 'Rejoice' and live 'Heart Is A Melody' albums Pharoah mixed
jazz with highlife rhythms. 'Rejoice' featured here is another long workout
with Pharoah leading in good form. 'Heart Is A Melody of Time' Shows Pharoah's
more melodic side again, and is very hypnotic. After albums for Timeless and
Doctor Jazz in the late 80's and early 90's, Pharoah made a comeback album for
a major label in 1995, with his 'Message From Home' recorded for Verve
(France). This album was produced by Bill Laswell and marked a return to the
more energetic spiritual jazz sound of Pharoah's Impulse albums. Featured here
is 'Nophizo' a delightful track showing that he was well and truly home. Also
included on that album was the long track 'Our Roots Began In Africa' which can
be found on Soul Brother Record's 'African Sprit' compilation. Over the last 40
years Pharoah has produced some outstanding music, notable for its energy and
spirituality.
We have tried to incorporate
the highlights of his career in this Anthology and show some of the different
shades of his music. Whether you want to Dance, Meditate or just simply listen,
we hope that we will rejoice to the wonderful music of a living genius.
Laurence Prangell September 2005.
TRACKLISTING |
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