Roy Ayers & Wayne Henderson - For Real

A lazy summer vibes version of the classic Richard Flowers song.

Roy Ayers & Wayne Henderson - For Real - Step Into Our Life - 1978

Max Roach - Equipoise

Stanley Cowell's tune, with Gary Bartz on sax and Charles Tolliver on trumpet plus a much newer, wobblier take from Ninja Tune's Dwight Trible.

Max Roach - Equipoise - Members Don't Git Weary - 1968
Dwight Trible & The Life Force Trio feat. Sa-Ra - Equipoise - Equipoise CDS - 2005

Herbie Mann & The Bill Evans Trio - Nirvana

Slowing it right down for Sunday evening, a lovely piece which, to me, sounds better with the slightly distorted recording.

Herbie Mann & The Bill Evans Trio - Nirvana - Nirvana - 1961

Leon Thomas with the Gary Bartz Quintet - Precious Energy

Warmth.

Leon Thomas with the Gary Bartz Quintet - Precious Energy - Precious Energy - 1987

Alice Coltrane - Turiya & Ramakrishna

This is my favourite track from the late great Alice Coltrane. 8 minutes 21 seconds of meditative calm with blue notes and shuffling percussion aplenty but strangely no harp or horns. Turiya, according to Alice in the liner notes is "a state of consciousness — the high state of Nirvana, the goal of human life". Ramakrishna, I've learned, was a 19th Century Bengali who taught the oneness of existence; the divinity of all living beings; the unity of God and the harmony of religions. Stoned teenagers dig it too.

Alice Coltrane - Turiya and Ramakrishna - Ptah the El Daoud - 1970

Gabor Szabo - An Evening In The Country

A nice bit of Bob James produced guitar from the Magyar Maestro Gabor Szabo that isn't in the slightest bit macho. That is, of course, unless you think the title is a pun (much like in Hamlet when the Prince asks Ophelia: "Do you think I meant country matters?").

Gabor Szabo - An Evening In The Country - Macho - 1975

Dollar Brand - Bra Joe From Kilimanjaro

A long, long tune from the South African Dollar Brand (who later changed his name to Abdullah Ibrahim). Perfect for dozing in the sun after slightly too much good food. After a piano only opening, a bit like some climax in a Buster Keaton movie, the tune relaxes into a circular piano riff that just keeps going. There's some lovely trumpet and an easy, not contrived Eastern feeling to the whole thing. I'm sorry to say I'm not sure where I've picked up this version from. It's quite different from the version from the album with the cover above, or from the live recording also available, and I haven't ripped it from my Dad's two track record either.

Dollar Brand - Bra Joe From Kilimanjaro

Strings of Inner City Life

Photo taken on a recent walk around the site of the 2012 Olympics in East London.

Spreading the Word has posted the excellent live instrument 'jazz' version of Strings of Life by Chris Prommer. Go over and get yourself a copy. Remaking classic modern tunes this way is not new. The German group Re:Jazz has recorded albums full of them, including a fantastic version of Goldie's classic Inner City Life a couple years back, and Crybo's post has inspired me to put this up for you. The drum 'n' bass anthem turned into the deepest night-time vocal jazz...

Re:Jazz - Inner City Life
Goldie - Inner City Life (short single version)

Stanley Cowell - Regeneration

A trio of songs from Stanley Cowell's 1975 Regeneration album in answer to Soup's request for more Strata East. Allmusic.com describes it as "a jazz-infused pop album with strong African roots" and notes that Spike Lee's dad plays bass. Positive soothing music that speaks for itself.

Stanley Cowell - Trying To Find A Way
Stanley Cowell - Thank You My People
Stanley Cowell - Travellin' Man

Another track from this album can be found closing my earlier mix

A voice soaring the summit of heaven

First of hopefully many guest posts from my friend Shiva Nova



Abida Parveen has been doing this for nigh on 35 years.

Trained by her father in Pakistan, she is now the first lady of Sufi ghazal and kafi. In this song (Mera Sohna Ghar Aya) her voice is dipped in liquid gold, rises and falls, ebbs and flows with devotional expression.

Abida Parveen - Mera Sohna Ghar Aya

Ascension

Transcendental meditation, the half world between waking and sleeping, soothing spiritual lullabyes.

Ascension (66 minutes, 61mb)

Lonnie Liston Smith & The Cosmic Echoes - Peaceful Ones
Pharoah Sanders - Astral Travelling
Alice Coltrane - Journey in Satchidananda
John Coltrane - Naima
Meirelles E Os Copa 5 - Contemplacao
Mulatu Astatke - Ene Alantchi Alnorem
Doug Hammond - Moves
Pharoah Sanders - Colors
Norman Connors - Welcome
Lonnie Liston Smith & The Cosmic Echoes - Let Us Go Into the House of the Lord
McCoy Tyner - His Blessings
Stanley Cowell - Lullabye

Pharoah Sanders - Astral Travelling

I know its hard, but please forgive the ridiculous album cover. No matter the situation this track has the power to soothe me. It’s simply stunning. Every component works perfectly. Cecil McBee’s understated bass gives the tune structure and movement. Pharoah Sanders keeps himself restrained to blow some of the most beautiful and joyous saxophone you’re ever likely to hear. Lonnie Liston Smith trills on his electric piano to great effect. All of them, plus friends, add wonderful percussion elements including distinctive bird-like sound effects. Lonnie Liston wrote this, but this version on Pharoah’s Thembi album is superior in fluency and movement to the one he recorded on his own Astral Travelling record. I first heard this tune on a mix tape made for me by someone working at the Notting Hill Music and Video Exchange back in '97. At the time I was excited because I recognised it as the source for samples on Photek’s Rings Around Saturn. But it soon excited me far more in its own right. Enjoy.

Pharoah Sanders - Astral Travelling (from Thembi, 1970)
Lonnie Liston Smith - Astral Travelling (from Astral Travelling, 1973)
Photek - Rings Around Saturn (Peshay Decoder Mix)