The Listening Guide
🎶 The listening guide: five albums, released during the past twelve months, chosen around a weekly theme 🎶
This week, we have five fantastic albums from vibraphonists. Classically trained vibes player Chien Chien Lu collaborated with trumpeter Jeremy Pelt and various members of his quintet on her independently released debut album, The Path. Patricia Brennan’s Maquishti is another debut album, which hears the New York-based vibes player presenting twelve original instrumentals performed solo by Brennan on vibraphone and marimba. Joel Ross’ second LP, Who Are You?, is described as a culmination of his and his band’s maturing within music, and is inspired by ‘communication through storytelling’. Behn Gillece is joined by drummer Rudy Royston and other guests on Still Doing Our Thing, a ‘straight forward, elegantly lyrical’ album recorded in August, 2020. The legendary Joe Chambers completes our list with his latest record for Blue Note, entitled Samba De Maracatu. Joel Ross and Joe Chambers are Blue Note artists and you can support their release through the Blue Note Store. The other three albums are available on Bandcamp.
Album of the Week
Our NQ Jazz album of the week is the latest LP from the terrific Jazz is Dead label. This, the eighth album in the Jazz is Dead series, hears Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad working with keys player, arranger, and Gil Scott-Heron collaborator, Brian Jackson. Younge suggests that Jackson “set the tone for the entire label,” with this recording, which was the first one made for the series. Younge continues: “We never knew what this could all be, but with his inspirational character and musicianship, he led us on the right path. We are forever indebted to this icon.” You can support the project on Bandcamp.
Classic Album
Our NQ Jazz classic album this week is a collection of devotional songs from one of the guiding lights in spiritual jazz: the late multi-instrumentalist, vocalist and composer, Alice Coltrane. Recorded in 1981, these inspiring chants feature just Alice Coltrane’s voice and Wurlitzer organ, differing from the material printed on cassette for the students of the ashram in 1982, which also contained synthesizers, strings, and sound effects. Ravi Coltrane states: “as her son, growing up and hearing her playing these songs on the very same Wurlitzer you hear on this recording, I recognize this choice maintains the purity and essence of Alice’s musical and spiritual vision. In many ways, this new clarity brings these chants to an even higher place.” You can explore the project on streaming services and buy physical copies from various outlets.