SANDERS, PHAROAH – THEMBI

Classic spiritual soul jazz from Pharoah Sanders – recorded with an all star lineup that includes Lonnie Liston Smith, Cecil McBee, Roy Haynes, and Michael White. The album’s got a strong influence from the members on the set – particularly Lonnie Liston Smith, who seems to bring in a very nicely soulful approach to a few of the numbers, and Michael White, whose spiritual consciousness is still a bit rough-hewn and personal at this point. The record oddly shifts mood from track to track – going from the mellow soul of “Astral Traveling”, into the loud free jazz of “Red Black & Green”, to the modal grooving of “Thembi”, and into the spiritual joy of “Love” and “Bailophone Dance” – all of which makes for a really wonderful album, one of Pharoah’s strongest statements of the time! PERSONNEL: Pharoah Sanders – soprano & tenor sax Michael White – violin, percussion Lonnie Liston Smith – electirc piano, vocals Cecil McBee – bass Roy Haynes – drums Majid Shabazz – percussion Anthony Wiles – percussion Nat Bettis – percussion Los Angeles, November 25, 1970 and New York City, January 12, 1971