Spirit Sensitive is a jazz album by Chico Freeman, released in 1979 on India Navigation.[1]

Spirit Sensitive
Studio album by
Released1979
RecordedOct 1978-Jan 1979
GenreJazz
Length36:58
LabelIndia Navigation
ProducerIndia Navigation
Chico Freeman chronology
The Outside Within
(1978)
Spirit Sensitive
(1979)
No Time Left
(1979)

The LP, in contrast to many of his more avant-garde recordings of the same time frame, is a set that consists of jazz standards.

Criticism edit

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [2]
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide     [3]

The New York Times called Spirit Sensitive "a lyrical, utterly traditional album of ballads and jazz standards."[4]

Jazz critic Scott Yanow called the album "a change of pace for Freeman, for it features the usually adventurous tenor (who doubles on soprano) mostly playing warm versions of standards.”[2] The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide called it an "exquisite ballad album ... where Freeman blows standards with more invention and conviction than most old-timers."[3]

Track listing edit

  1. "Autumn in New York" (Vernon Duke) – 11:28
  2. "Peace" (Horace Silver)– 7:53
  3. "A Child Is Born" (Thad Jones) – 9:56
  4. "It Never Entered My Mind" (Rodgers and Hart) – 11:04
  5. "Close to You Alone" – (Cecil McBee)
  6. "Don't Get Around Much Anymore " – (Duke Ellington, Bob Russell)

Reissues edit

An audio CD of the album was released on September 5, 1994, by Analogue Productions, with four bonus tracks, two of them written by John Coltrane (“Lonnie’s Lament” and “Wise One”) and a running time of 63:18. In 1994, there was also a U.S. limited edition audiophile 6-track LP pressed on HQ-180 super vinyl.

Personnel edit

Production edit

  • India Navigation
  • Cover and liner photos: Beth Cummins

References edit

  1. ^ Andrews, Jon (Dec 1996). "Sweet Explosion / Still Sensitive". DownBeat. Vol. 63, no. 12. p. 68.
  2. ^ a b Scott Yanow. "Spirit Sensitive - Chico Freeman Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-02-09.
  3. ^ a b Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. p. 80. ISBN 0-394-72643-X.
  4. ^ Palmer, Robert (3 Apr 1981). "Freemans, Father and Son, on Saxophone". The New York Times. p. C26.