Africa (Pharoah Sanders album)

Africa is an album led by saxophonist Pharoah Sanders recorded in 1987 and released on the Dutch Timeless label.[1]

Africa
Studio album by
Released1987
RecordedMarch 11, 1987
StudioStudio 44, Monster, Netherlands
GenreJazz
Length56:59
LabelTimeless SJP 253
ProducerWim Wigt
Pharoah Sanders chronology
Shukuru
(1985)
Africa
(1987)
Oh Lord, Let Me Do No Wrong
(1987)

Reception

edit
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [2]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings    [3]
Tom Hull – on the WebA−[4]

In his review for AllMusic, Steve Loewy commented: "Most will probably prefer the original Coltrane to Sanders' imitations, but Africa is nonetheless a joyous and worthy tribute to one of the giants of jazz. This album marked somewhat of a backtrack for the saxophonist, as he had frequently become identified with much more traditional playing".[2]

The authors of The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings called the recording "Lovely, lovely stuff," and noted the "change of label and... deliciously stripped-down personnel." They stated that Lundy "fits in with Hicks like jigsaw pieces, a rich, contoured sound that prompts the wonder that Sanders ever wants to work in any other context."[3]

Matt Fripp of Jazz Fuel included the album in his selection of "Ten Iconic Pharoah Sanders Albums," and wrote: "Sanders is able to tame the wilder musical excesses of his youth in favour of a simple, melodically inspired approach."[5]

Track listing

edit

All compositions by Pharoah Sanders except as indicated

  1. "You've Got to Have Freedom" – 10:01
  2. "Naima" (John Coltrane) – 5:26
  3. "Origin" – 6:50
  4. "Speak Low" (Kurt Weill, Ogden Nash) – 8:04
  5. "After The Morning" (John Hicks) – 6:29
  6. "Africa" – 8:20
  7. "Heart to Heart" – 7:17 Bonus track on CD & Music On Vinyl reissue[6]
  8. "Duo" – 4:32 Bonus track on CD & Music On Vinyl reissue[6]

Personnel

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ Pharoah Sanders discography accessed January 15, 2015
  2. ^ a b Loewy, Steve. Africa – Review at AllMusic. Retrieved January 15, 2015.
  3. ^ a b Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (1998). The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD. Penguin Books. p. 1333.
  4. ^ Hull, Tom. "John Hicks". Tom Hull – on the Web. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
  5. ^ Fripp, Matt (September 2, 2022). "Ten Iconic Pharoah Sanders Albums". Jazz Fuel. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
  6. ^ a b "Pharoah Sanders, John Hicks, Curtis Lundy & Idris Muhammad - Africa (2LP)". Funky Duck Vinyl. Retrieved 11 March 2023.