Pharoah Sanders Music

Pharoah Sanders is a wonderfully gifted saxophonist and a man doubly gifted with one of the most powerful voices of the twentieth century in any genre of music. In this album he demonstrates both of these sublime talents in two diverse tracks. Hum-allah is essentially a piece with the feel of sunrise. Beginning with simple clapping and a basic piano riff, layers of percussion and woodwind are slowly intertwined with the simple riff and a delightful tune emerges. The effect is transcendental and is an extremely heatwarming and humane piece, especially when Pharoah begins to sing. Sun in Aquarius is more of a piece for sunset and is a mystical amalgamation of layered percussion and 'free' playing. This is a powerful piece that is hard to take in at first, but with several listenings, one becomes accustomed to its evokations of spirits and nightly creatures. This ends in a tone more similar to the hum-allah. The result is a masterpiece of an album that you will never tire of.

hearing MR. sanders tenor going all thru the passages is incredible.this is intense playing.it goes thru so many different shifts&changes.

Jewels of Thought is Pharoah's followup to the magnificent Karma. It includes many of the same personnel and develops the vibe that was pioneered on the earlier album. While I don't believe it quite reaches the heights of other Pharoah Impulse albums this is a good release indeed.

Humm Allah is another of Pharoah's extended vamps, this time on three chords instead of two. The track is very much in the Karma vein...to it's detriment I think. You can't help feeling that you've heard everything on the track before, without significant change. And for whatever reason, I find Leon Thomas' vocals harder to take on this track than on Karma. Where the yodelling on Karma sounded fresh, here is just sounds stale and out of place.

The second cut, Sun in Aquarius makes up for the less than inspired first track. It begins with a long free rev-up, featuring dark tone clusters by Lonnie Liston Smith and wild blowing by Pharoah...and when the tune proper finally starts almost 10 minutes into the track, it is as if the sun bursts through the clouds.

So one star less for Humm Allah...it's not a bad track, just not as groundbreaking as others by Pharoah...and Sun in Aquarius is a must listen!

"Hum-Allah-Hum-Allah-Hum Allah" is one of my favourite songs. The tenor sax playing is very intense, and Leon Thomas' yodeling is a surprise to everyone who thought this couldn't be found outside of Switzerland. Some other African instruments (percussions and thumb piano) add colours, and "Sun of Aquarius" (especially the beginning) made me think of a place somewhere near Ouagadougou at night. The connection of piano and saxophone outbursts, African instruments and a little bit naive tunes make this album so interesting and intense.

1969 was a banner year for Pharoah Sanders-- having already recorded two albums (although "Izipho Zam" would wait several years to see release) and having generated quite a buzz with "Karma" and the stunning "The Creator Has a Masterplan", Sanders was finally establishing himself as separate from John Coltrane-- indeed, with a mentor such as that, establishing your own identity must be extraordinarily difficult.

This was the framework into which Sanders entered the studio for the third time this year, together with vocalist Leon Thomas and pianist Lonnie Liston Smith, who were so crucial to the sound of the last two records, Sanders laid down the two performances that would make up "Jewels of Thought".

The first, "Hum-Allah-Hum-Allah-Hum Allah", previously recorded as "Prince of Peace", finds Sanders, Thomas and Smith joined by Cecil McBee on bass and drummers Roy Haynes and Idris Muhammed. The piece, based around a three-beat-one-rest percussion pattern and a dancing, swinging piano line opens with Sanders stating his theme beautifully before deferring to Thomas, who after a brief spoken introduction, sings beautifully in his resonant baritone the song (with a relatively traditional structure) before taking solo space on one of his yodels. Smith solos beautifully and delicately (although the dialog between Haynes and Muhammed steals the show) before Sanders returns for a fierce solo that manages to be both explosive and coherent.

"Sun in Aquarius" is something rather different-- Sanders, Smith and Thomas are again joined by McBee and Muhammad, but with a second bassist (Richard Davis) rather than a second drummer and everyone picking up percussion at one time or another. The piece begins with a drone before evaporating into an explosion of inside-the-piano playing and uncontrollable screeching from Sanders until it finally settles into a two-chord melody similar to 'Hum-Allah'. Sanders blows beautifully, stating theme and soloing around it, Thomas supports in yodel, and the whole thing is just downright fantastic.

It may not receive the recognition that "Karma" does, but "Jewels of Thought" is pretty much its equal. Highly recommended.

Read below I won't add more but to say if you like modern jazz/post bop this is a screamer.There is enough energy to power a city while it's playing.I think any modern jazz collection is missing something that does not have it.I don't know what the 4 stars reviewers want as "Kind Of Blue" or "Giant Steps" only came out once.BUY THIS CD and be prepared!!!
Chazz

Most of this very long CD (originally I had the 2-LP set) is excellent. As some other reviewers note, the quality is not absolutely even, and there are a few tiresome tracks, but overall it is wonderful.

"After the Rain" alone is worth the price of the entire album. Unlikely as that might seem, I think it is better than the original Coltrane version.

On Saturday 21 July 2007, I had a previllage of attending Pharoah Sanders performing live with a 42 piece band with strings in Johannesburg South Africa. From this CD, he performed "you've got to get Freedom. This CD was my father's favourite from the LP's, I was a young boy then together with "Rejoice", they were always played at my home until I was able to pick Pharoa 's sound in any album he is featured in. I always liked John Hicks' accompanies, his sound spreads around the other musicians and holds the entire piece of music within the its bars. This CD explains Pharoa's love of exploring other sounds like "Kazuko".

Pharoah Sanders has made a big impression on me with his music&this set is no different.i have always dug the vibe&feel he has with his horn.i have many of his recordings.he doesn't get the love he deserves the man has made alot of great music.check this out.

By 1980 when this disc was originally released as an Lp Pharoah Sanders was solidly entrenched with his own voice on tenor. The passing of John Coltrane and Sanders's fruitfull years of playing with the prolific saxophone genius resulted with an umistakable influence on his sound and explorations of the instrument. Pharoah Sanders plays both hot and cool jazz on this disc , traditional arrangements as well as experimental passages are woven together tighly for a snapshot of a man who has found his own voice and leadership in the jazz idiom. Beginning with "Greetings to Idris " the structure of the music is one that follows tradition yet opens up for the musicians to improvise within the arrangements. "Greetings to Idris " is in reference to the featured drummer Idris Muhammad who also played with Coltrane during his late period. Naturally Sanders is featured as the main instrument and his horn can be bold and demanding of your full attention. Always interested in other instruments from other cultures , much like Trane, he incorporates the Japanese instrument the koto, a beautifully harmonic stringed intrument counter to his soft rich blowing on tenor with only wind chimes and a harmonium for a delicious peaceful bit of music on "Kazuko"(Peace Child) that has the qualities of a meditative offering. Most of the music, eight tracks, is composed and arranged by Sanders and demonstrates his leadership. There is one John Coltrane composition entitled "After The Rain" that gets the Tranesque treatment by Sanders that makes it hard for even the most discerning listener to distinquish between the original version and Sanders impression. It is a bluesy duet featuring only sax and piano and leaves you wanting to hear it over and over again because of it's simple and haunting melodies. Another song that Coltrane recorded entitled "Easy To Remember " has a gentle swing to it built around a classic quartet (drums, bass, piano, sax) like that employed by Coltrane that results in superb standard. Pharoah Sanders shifts gears quite a bit on this disc. Sanders incorporates the use of another "foreign" instrument to jazz by working in a tabla and sitar on "Soledad " that takes center stage before Sanders joins in on the music. The result is a thing of genius as the East and West merge and interface for composition that is peacefull. Sanders music on this disc flucuates between the tranquil sounds of his mellow horn to the outer limits where he left off with the explorations of Trane's late period. What seperates this disc from others is that it is a group playing under his leadership where he gives all others close to equal billing. The uptempo, " You've Got To Have freedom " is one such song where Sanders gets out there on some of his solos but works within the group structure as the other musicians, most notably Eddie Henderson on flugelhorn, bring the music back home. There is a chorus sung much of the time throughout where the the proclamation "Ya gotta have peace and love, ya gotta have freedom" is presented in Manhattan Transfer style but with much more soul. The use of vocalists is done again on the track entitled "Think About The One." The chorus features voacalese specialist Bobby McFerrin who later went on to work on his own and to colloborate with many other major talents and is probably best known for the song "Don't Worry Be Happy." The Tranesque tenor of Sanders plays a striking counter to the chorus in the musical statement that begs the metaphysical question in a sort of gospel tinged, vocalese thought provoking way. This disc shows the different sides of Pharoah Sanders, a man always willing to explore the music, explore his soul and share it with you. The closing track "Bedria" is a mellow exploration of the various ranges of the tenor. The full, rich tones produced are some of the best I have heard from his horn and I've heard many a Pharoah Sanders number. It is a ten minute song that displays all the grace of his being, a gentle giant who can manipulate the horn to do extraordinary things , reveberating out and back in undulating waves of harmonic bliss. Sanders on this disc is next to perfect. One of his best recording from his post Impulse career. It belongs in your jazz collection right next to John Coltrane.

Why did I purchase this? Well, I'd finally managed to get my head around Coltrane's "Mediations" and learned to love it. I happened to pick up a used disc by Alice Coltrane "Journey in Satchimandana". Both of these works feature Mr. Sanders. I got curious and discovered his web site. If you haven't been there you should stop in there soon! The "Tunnel" video is wonderful! So anyway, I picked this up along with "Jewels of Thought".

Both releases are almost 100% wonderful but I do have one thing that bothers me. Leon Thomas' singing is good, he's a good vocalist. There is nothing at all wrong with his bizarre "yodeling" affect... But... it is over used to the point of distraction in my opinion. It really catches the new listener off guard, and that's ok. There is just too much of it. That is the only reason I say 95% Fantastic and Awesome, I just wish there was a little less Leon and a little more Pharoah. Of the two releases I think I prefer "Jewels of Thought" but both are worth owning. I also recently heard "Black Unity" and was totally blown away, I plan to pick that one up as well (no Leon Thomas on that one).

This is an incredibly unique recording and well worth your hard-earned pennies. Note that while most of this CD is gentle, there are spots of intensely chaotic playing, which Sanders is known for. If you have not heard Sanders before, you cannot judge this recording on the basis of the Amazon clips. See if you can find some of his music on a Web radio site (he is out there on some of these sites) or perhaps your library can get some in to their collection.

The beauty of Karma is not the Free Jazz, but rather the repetitive hymnal harmonic chord progression that is uplifting. The vocal aspect is also very nice.

I have this on vinyl and recently listened to it. I can't give it 5 stars, because I can't give an album that is largely a couple of ideas taken ad nauseum 5 stars; however, I will say this: I hear some references to Coltrane's A Love Supreme in this album. It is even more uplifting in some ways than A Love Supreme, if not as influential in its scope.

By the way, the LP contains all the music that this CD contains, except that it is continued on side 2.

I agree with almost everything said in the other 5 star reviews, so I will not repeat it. There is one thing that I think needs to be stressed further, and that is that even though the first peice is very long, it does pay off to listen to it all the way through. At the end, you'll exclaim, wow, that was amazing, i can't wait to listen to it again. So my advice to you is, start listening!

Although a protege of "John Coltrane", Pharoah Sanders, unquestionably remains one of the most distinctive tenor saxophonist's of his generation, Pharoah's style of passionate, Exuberant jazz is Harmonically rich and heavy in sound & tone, and although his music is largely considered to be expressionistic, spiritual free jazz, into a ultra-dense flurry of sound that relied heavily on the non-specific pitches and timbral distortions. (although his later music would inhibit a sense of gentler tones and more cerebral tones, without sacrificing any of the intensity that he was known for).

His 1969 landmark album "Karma", was his third album as band leader, and was probably not only his most distinctive album, but also the album that truly encapsulated his considerable talents onto one studio recording. If you've ever heard people refer to music as 'Spiritual', this arguably could be a form/level of music that is, in parts, impeccably performed & arranged performances largely due to the stunning line-up: (Reggie Workman - Bass, Pharoah Sanders - Sax (Tenor), Freddie Waits / Billy Hart - Drums, Nat Bettis - Percussion, Ron Carter/ Richard Davis - Bass, Lonnie Liston Smith - Piano, James Spaulding - Flute, Leon Thomas - Percussion /Vocals, Julius Watkins - French Horn).

The album is broken down into two tracks (??), the main meat of the album, is the first track "Creator has a Master Plan", which runs at a staggering 32 minutes. Most musicians would struggle to fill even half of that running time with a track that'll retain the listeners attention, but such is the confidence and creative ability of the musicians involved here, that Pharoah and his band easily creative a completely jaw-dropping track, that is the musical equivalent of a huge multi-threaded story, in which sounds, arrangements, solo performances and deep commitment to a constantly evolving sound, all work alongside each other fleshing out the sound, producing something incredibly organic, and spiritually freewheeling at the same time. Think of this as cosmic music, with a heavy influence of time & space augmenting the sound, with African and Indian instruments adding extra substance to the track. The Flute features heavily throughout the track, softening the edges of between the introduction of Drums & Percussion. With simple music repetition giving way that gradual shifts in sound & mood.

The music is heavily textured throughout the track, with the occasional vocal, "The creator has a master plan--peace and happiness for every man.", repeated throughout certain keypoints of the track, although Pharoah's contribution here really shouldn't be underestimated, he frequently features, for almost the entire length of the track carrying melody wherever appropriate, and empowering the music with a Avant-Garde / Free Jazz feel, with a lot of the improvisation firmly on his shoulders. The mood and gradual musical exploration of the track is partly due to his stunning direction, and all of Sander's key elements are fully utilised here. Be it, the Afro-centric spiritualism, sweeping use of mood from long, relaxed intervals to frenetic cacophony, and a deep sense of melody and rhythm. Its far beyond conventional jazz structures and the composition is amongst the most adventurous & organically created / improvised tracks created.

The second track "Colors" which runs at a mere 5 1/2 minutes, was always going to struggle in comparison to the centre piece track, but its inclusion is no less diminished. Sure, as a track, it can't hope to compete with the magnificent undertaking that is the "Creator has a masterplan", but it is a piece recognising the divinity and harmony of life through the simplest of messages. And the tracks religious feeling is cemented by the fact that it feels deeply engaging, and a sound that through Pharoah's dynamics and leadership pushes irrepressibly forward, with Sanders shifting between spiritual peace and violent outbursts in his tenor solos.

If you are prepared to give Pharoah's music a try, then other than possibly buying a 'Best of / Compilation', this is largely considered to be the best of his studio album output. But be warned if you haven't sampled his work before, this isn't Jazz music in the conventional sense, and if the idea of very open-ended music that gradually unfolds over long arrangements doesn't appeal to you, its advisable that you download or hear a track first before you purchase this. Or even if you're relatively new to Jazz, hearing this first before buying, is most definitely advisable, as it's a little bit like being thrown in the deep end of a musical genre. But if you are well adversed with the many facets of Jazz music, or your feeling particularly adventurous (& Patient), this has to be easily amongst some of the most awe-inspiring jazz out there.

Pharoah Sanders' 1969 album, "Karma", is generally (and rightfully) acknowledged as one of the masterpieces in the free jazz movement of the '60s. The majority of the album is absorbed by the lengthy "The Creator Has a Masterplan", with a brief second piece, "Colors" also on the record. "The Creator Has a Masterplan" has worked its way into jazz consciounsess, becoming a standard of sorts performed by everyone from Louis Armstrong to Don Cherry to Jamaaladeen Tacuma. Composed by Sanders and vocalist Leon Thomas, it receives on this album a sprawling treatement (extending nearly 33 minutes) that is something to be heard.

Beginning with a swelling theme by Sanders (on tenor exclusively), with a nimble rhythm section including Lonnie Liston Smith on piano, Richard Davis and Reggie Workman on bass, William Hart on drums, and Nataniel Bettis and Thomas contributing percussion, Sanders evokes a mood-- mysterious, spiritual and haunting in his blistering playing with falutist James Spaulding and french hornist Julius Watkins countering him ably. After a couple minutes, the piece bleeds into a relaxed tempo with one bassist plucking the familiar bass theme and one by one instruments joining-- swiping piano, flute doubling the main theme, and Sanders at his most lyrical and emotional until finally Thomas intones the chorus to the piece (oddly enough, the verses are not included in this recording).

What follows is the beginning of an explosive improv-- Thomas in his odd yodelling style, Sanders ferocious on tenor, and Smith at the piano all take turns, with the rest supporting-- increases in tempos signal increases in the power of the improv and the preceedings rise and fall repeatedly-- the opening theme is reprised, the main theme is reprised, and it builds one last time until Sanders doubles the main bass line towards the end (about 28 minutes in) and plays one of his loveliest and most powerful solos to bring the piece to its conclusion.

When it's done, "Colors" almost seems like a waste of time-- a reasonable song with some nice playing and a pretty goofy lyric about the colors of nature, its altogether a fairly pointless piece, inoffensive, but not terribly inspired after 'Creator'.

The CD reissue includes lyrics for both pieces (including the unsung verses of 'Creator') but sadly no essay in the liner notes. Sonically, the remastering on this recording is superb and it sounds crisp and clear.

Interested parties after hearing this should dig up Leon Thomas's "Spirits Known and Unknown", he performs "The Creator Has a Masterplan" (among other cuts) in a briefer version with its full lyrics intact and an ensemble that includes several of the players here. Both recordings are highly recommended.

Why did I purchase this? Well, I'd finally managed to get my head around Coltrane's "Mediations" and learned to love it. I happened to pick up a used disc by Alice Coltrane "Journey in Satchimandana". Both of these works feature Mr. Sanders. I got curious and discovered his web site. If you haven't been there you should stop in there soon! The "Tunnel" video is wonderful! So anyway, I picked this up along with "Jewels of Thought".

Both releases are almost 100% wonderful but I do have one thing that bothers me. Leon Thomas' singing is good, he's a good vocalist. There is nothing at all wrong with his bizarre "yodeling" affect... But... it is over used to the point of distraction in my opinion. It really catches the new listener off guard, and that's ok. There is just too much of it. That is the only reason I say 95% Fantastic and Awesome, I just wish there was a little less Leon and a little more Pharoah. Of the two releases I think I prefer "Jewels of Thought" but both are worth owning. I also recently heard "Black Unity" and was totally blown away, I plan to pick that one up as well (no Leon Thomas on that one).

This is an incredibly unique recording and well worth your hard-earned pennies. Note that while most of this CD is gentle, there are spots of intensely chaotic playing, which Sanders is known for. If you have not heard Sanders before, you cannot judge this recording on the basis of the Amazon clips. See if you can find some of his music on a Web radio site (he is out there on some of these sites) or perhaps your library can get some in to their collection.

The beauty of Karma is not the Free Jazz, but rather the repetitive hymnal harmonic chord progression that is uplifting. The vocal aspect is also very nice.

I have this on vinyl and recently listened to it. I can't give it 5 stars, because I can't give an album that is largely a couple of ideas taken ad nauseum 5 stars; however, I will say this: I hear some references to Coltrane's A Love Supreme in this album. It is even more uplifting in some ways than A Love Supreme, if not as influential in its scope.

By the way, the LP contains all the music that this CD contains, except that it is continued on side 2.

I agree with almost everything said in the other 5 star reviews, so I will not repeat it. There is one thing that I think needs to be stressed further, and that is that even though the first peice is very long, it does pay off to listen to it all the way through. At the end, you'll exclaim, wow, that was amazing, i can't wait to listen to it again. So my advice to you is, start listening!

Although a protege of "John Coltrane", Pharoah Sanders, unquestionably remains one of the most distinctive tenor saxophonist's of his generation, Pharoah's style of passionate, Exuberant jazz is Harmonically rich and heavy in sound & tone, and although his music is largely considered to be expressionistic, spiritual free jazz, into a ultra-dense flurry of sound that relied heavily on the non-specific pitches and timbral distortions. (although his later music would inhibit a sense of gentler tones and more cerebral tones, without sacrificing any of the intensity that he was known for).

His 1969 landmark album "Karma", was his third album as band leader, and was probably not only his most distinctive album, but also the album that truly encapsulated his considerable talents onto one studio recording. If you've ever heard people refer to music as 'Spiritual', this arguably could be a form/level of music that is, in parts, impeccably performed & arranged performances largely due to the stunning line-up: (Reggie Workman - Bass, Pharoah Sanders - Sax (Tenor), Freddie Waits / Billy Hart - Drums, Nat Bettis - Percussion, Ron Carter/ Richard Davis - Bass, Lonnie Liston Smith - Piano, James Spaulding - Flute, Leon Thomas - Percussion /Vocals, Julius Watkins - French Horn).

The album is broken down into two tracks (??), the main meat of the album, is the first track "Creator has a Master Plan", which runs at a staggering 32 minutes. Most musicians would struggle to fill even half of that running time with a track that'll retain the listeners attention, but such is the confidence and creative ability of the musicians involved here, that Pharoah and his band easily creative a completely jaw-dropping track, that is the musical equivalent of a huge multi-threaded story, in which sounds, arrangements, solo performances and deep commitment to a constantly evolving sound, all work alongside each other fleshing out the sound, producing something incredibly organic, and spiritually freewheeling at the same time. Think of this as cosmic music, with a heavy influence of time & space augmenting the sound, with African and Indian instruments adding extra substance to the track. The Flute features heavily throughout the track, softening the edges of between the introduction of Drums & Percussion. With simple music repetition giving way that gradual shifts in sound & mood.

The music is heavily textured throughout the track, with the occasional vocal, "The creator has a master plan--peace and happiness for every man.", repeated throughout certain keypoints of the track, although Pharoah's contribution here really shouldn't be underestimated, he frequently features, for almost the entire length of the track carrying melody wherever appropriate, and empowering the music with a Avant-Garde / Free Jazz feel, with a lot of the improvisation firmly on his shoulders. The mood and gradual musical exploration of the track is partly due to his stunning direction, and all of Sander's key elements are fully utilised here. Be it, the Afro-centric spiritualism, sweeping use of mood from long, relaxed intervals to frenetic cacophony, and a deep sense of melody and rhythm. Its far beyond conventional jazz structures and the composition is amongst the most adventurous & organically created / improvised tracks created.

The second track "Colors" which runs at a mere 5 1/2 minutes, was always going to struggle in comparison to the centre piece track, but its inclusion is no less diminished. Sure, as a track, it can't hope to compete with the magnificent undertaking that is the "Creator has a masterplan", but it is a piece recognising the divinity and harmony of life through the simplest of messages. And the tracks religious feeling is cemented by the fact that it feels deeply engaging, and a sound that through Pharoah's dynamics and leadership pushes irrepressibly forward, with Sanders shifting between spiritual peace and violent outbursts in his tenor solos.

If you are prepared to give Pharoah's music a try, then other than possibly buying a 'Best of / Compilation', this is largely considered to be the best of his studio album output. But be warned if you haven't sampled his work before, this isn't Jazz music in the conventional sense, and if the idea of very open-ended music that gradually unfolds over long arrangements doesn't appeal to you, its advisable that you download or hear a track first before you purchase this. Or even if you're relatively new to Jazz, hearing this first before buying, is most definitely advisable, as it's a little bit like being thrown in the deep end of a musical genre. But if you are well adversed with the many facets of Jazz music, or your feeling particularly adventurous (& Patient), this has to be easily amongst some of the most awe-inspiring jazz out there.

Pharoah Sanders' 1969 album, "Karma", is generally (and rightfully) acknowledged as one of the masterpieces in the free jazz movement of the '60s. The majority of the album is absorbed by the lengthy "The Creator Has a Masterplan", with a brief second piece, "Colors" also on the record. "The Creator Has a Masterplan" has worked its way into jazz consciounsess, becoming a standard of sorts performed by everyone from Louis Armstrong to Don Cherry to Jamaaladeen Tacuma. Composed by Sanders and vocalist Leon Thomas, it receives on this album a sprawling treatement (extending nearly 33 minutes) that is something to be heard.

Beginning with a swelling theme by Sanders (on tenor exclusively), with a nimble rhythm section including Lonnie Liston Smith on piano, Richard Davis and Reggie Workman on bass, William Hart on drums, and Nataniel Bettis and Thomas contributing percussion, Sanders evokes a mood-- mysterious, spiritual and haunting in his blistering playing with falutist James Spaulding and french hornist Julius Watkins countering him ably. After a couple minutes, the piece bleeds into a relaxed tempo with one bassist plucking the familiar bass theme and one by one instruments joining-- swiping piano, flute doubling the main theme, and Sanders at his most lyrical and emotional until finally Thomas intones the chorus to the piece (oddly enough, the verses are not included in this recording).

What follows is the beginning of an explosive improv-- Thomas in his odd yodelling style, Sanders ferocious on tenor, and Smith at the piano all take turns, with the rest supporting-- increases in tempos signal increases in the power of the improv and the preceedings rise and fall repeatedly-- the opening theme is reprised, the main theme is reprised, and it builds one last time until Sanders doubles the main bass line towards the end (about 28 minutes in) and plays one of his loveliest and most powerful solos to bring the piece to its conclusion.

When it's done, "Colors" almost seems like a waste of time-- a reasonable song with some nice playing and a pretty goofy lyric about the colors of nature, its altogether a fairly pointless piece, inoffensive, but not terribly inspired after 'Creator'.

The CD reissue includes lyrics for both pieces (including the unsung verses of 'Creator') but sadly no essay in the liner notes. Sonically, the remastering on this recording is superb and it sounds crisp and clear.

Interested parties after hearing this should dig up Leon Thomas's "Spirits Known and Unknown", he performs "The Creator Has a Masterplan" (among other cuts) in a briefer version with its full lyrics intact and an ensemble that includes several of the players here. Both recordings are highly recommended.

Why did I purchase this? Well, I'd finally managed to get my head around Coltrane's "Mediations" and learned to love it. I happened to pick up a used disc by Alice Coltrane "Journey in Satchimandana". Both of these works feature Mr. Sanders. I got curious and discovered his web site. If you haven't been there you should stop in there soon! The "Tunnel" video is wonderful! So anyway, I picked this up along with "Jewels of Thought".

Both releases are almost 100% wonderful but I do have one thing that bothers me. Leon Thomas' singing is good, he's a good vocalist. There is nothing at all wrong with his bizarre "yodeling" affect... But... it is over used to the point of distraction in my opinion. It really catches the new listener off guard, and that's ok. There is just too much of it. That is the only reason I say 95% Fantastic and Awesome, I just wish there was a little less Leon and a little more Pharoah. Of the two releases I think I prefer "Jewels of Thought" but both are worth owning. I also recently heard "Black Unity" and was totally blown away, I plan to pick that one up as well (no Leon Thomas on that one).

This is an incredibly unique recording and well worth your hard-earned pennies. Note that while most of this CD is gentle, there are spots of intensely chaotic playing, which Sanders is known for. If you have not heard Sanders before, you cannot judge this recording on the basis of the Amazon clips. See if you can find some of his music on a Web radio site (he is out there on some of these sites) or perhaps your library can get some in to their collection.

The beauty of Karma is not the Free Jazz, but rather the repetitive hymnal harmonic chord progression that is uplifting. The vocal aspect is also very nice.

I have this on vinyl and recently listened to it. I can't give it 5 stars, because I can't give an album that is largely a couple of ideas taken ad nauseum 5 stars; however, I will say this: I hear some references to Coltrane's A Love Supreme in this album. It is even more uplifting in some ways than A Love Supreme, if not as influential in its scope.

By the way, the LP contains all the music that this CD contains, except that it is continued on side 2.

I agree with almost everything said in the other 5 star reviews, so I will not repeat it. There is one thing that I think needs to be stressed further, and that is that even though the first peice is very long, it does pay off to listen to it all the way through. At the end, you'll exclaim, wow, that was amazing, i can't wait to listen to it again. So my advice to you is, start listening!

Although a protege of "John Coltrane", Pharoah Sanders, unquestionably remains one of the most distinctive tenor saxophonist's of his generation, Pharoah's style of passionate, Exuberant jazz is Harmonically rich and heavy in sound & tone, and although his music is largely considered to be expressionistic, spiritual free jazz, into a ultra-dense flurry of sound that relied heavily on the non-specific pitches and timbral distortions. (although his later music would inhibit a sense of gentler tones and more cerebral tones, without sacrificing any of the intensity that he was known for).

His 1969 landmark album "Karma", was his third album as band leader, and was probably not only his most distinctive album, but also the album that truly encapsulated his considerable talents onto one studio recording. If you've ever heard people refer to music as 'Spiritual', this arguably could be a form/level of music that is, in parts, impeccably performed & arranged performances largely due to the stunning line-up: (Reggie Workman - Bass, Pharoah Sanders - Sax (Tenor), Freddie Waits / Billy Hart - Drums, Nat Bettis - Percussion, Ron Carter/ Richard Davis - Bass, Lonnie Liston Smith - Piano, James Spaulding - Flute, Leon Thomas - Percussion /Vocals, Julius Watkins - French Horn).

The album is broken down into two tracks (??), the main meat of the album, is the first track "Creator has a Master Plan", which runs at a staggering 32 minutes. Most musicians would struggle to fill even half of that running time with a track that'll retain the listeners attention, but such is the confidence and creative ability of the musicians involved here, that Pharoah and his band easily creative a completely jaw-dropping track, that is the musical equivalent of a huge multi-threaded story, in which sounds, arrangements, solo performances and deep commitment to a constantly evolving sound, all work alongside each other fleshing out the sound, producing something incredibly organic, and spiritually freewheeling at the same time. Think of this as cosmic music, with a heavy influence of time & space augmenting the sound, with African and Indian instruments adding extra substance to the track. The Flute features heavily throughout the track, softening the edges of between the introduction of Drums & Percussion. With simple music repetition giving way that gradual shifts in sound & mood.

The music is heavily textured throughout the track, with the occasional vocal, "The creator has a master plan--peace and happiness for every man.", repeated throughout certain keypoints of the track, although Pharoah's contribution here really shouldn't be underestimated, he frequently features, for almost the entire length of the track carrying melody wherever appropriate, and empowering the music with a Avant-Garde / Free Jazz feel, with a lot of the improvisation firmly on his shoulders. The mood and gradual musical exploration of the track is partly due to his stunning direction, and all of Sander's key elements are fully utilised here. Be it, the Afro-centric spiritualism, sweeping use of mood from long, relaxed intervals to frenetic cacophony, and a deep sense of melody and rhythm. Its far beyond conventional jazz structures and the composition is amongst the most adventurous & organically created / improvised tracks created.

The second track "Colors" which runs at a mere 5 1/2 minutes, was always going to struggle in comparison to the centre piece track, but its inclusion is no less diminished. Sure, as a track, it can't hope to compete with the magnificent undertaking that is the "Creator has a masterplan", but it is a piece recognising the divinity and harmony of life through the simplest of messages. And the tracks religious feeling is cemented by the fact that it feels deeply engaging, and a sound that through Pharoah's dynamics and leadership pushes irrepressibly forward, with Sanders shifting between spiritual peace and violent outbursts in his tenor solos.

If you are prepared to give Pharoah's music a try, then other than possibly buying a 'Best of / Compilation', this is largely considered to be the best of his studio album output. But be warned if you haven't sampled his work before, this isn't Jazz music in the conventional sense, and if the idea of very open-ended music that gradually unfolds over long arrangements doesn't appeal to you, its advisable that you download or hear a track first before you purchase this. Or even if you're relatively new to Jazz, hearing this first before buying, is most definitely advisable, as it's a little bit like being thrown in the deep end of a musical genre. But if you are well adversed with the many facets of Jazz music, or your feeling particularly adventurous (& Patient), this has to be easily amongst some of the most awe-inspiring jazz out there.

Pharoah Sanders' 1969 album, "Karma", is generally (and rightfully) acknowledged as one of the masterpieces in the free jazz movement of the '60s. The majority of the album is absorbed by the lengthy "The Creator Has a Masterplan", with a brief second piece, "Colors" also on the record. "The Creator Has a Masterplan" has worked its way into jazz consciounsess, becoming a standard of sorts performed by everyone from Louis Armstrong to Don Cherry to Jamaaladeen Tacuma. Composed by Sanders and vocalist Leon Thomas, it receives on this album a sprawling treatement (extending nearly 33 minutes) that is something to be heard.

Beginning with a swelling theme by Sanders (on tenor exclusively), with a nimble rhythm section including Lonnie Liston Smith on piano, Richard Davis and Reggie Workman on bass, William Hart on drums, and Nataniel Bettis and Thomas contributing percussion, Sanders evokes a mood-- mysterious, spiritual and haunting in his blistering playing with falutist James Spaulding and french hornist Julius Watkins countering him ably. After a couple minutes, the piece bleeds into a relaxed tempo with one bassist plucking the familiar bass theme and one by one instruments joining-- swiping piano, flute doubling the main theme, and Sanders at his most lyrical and emotional until finally Thomas intones the chorus to the piece (oddly enough, the verses are not included in this recording).

What follows is the beginning of an explosive improv-- Thomas in his odd yodelling style, Sanders ferocious on tenor, and Smith at the piano all take turns, with the rest supporting-- increases in tempos signal increases in the power of the improv and the preceedings rise and fall repeatedly-- the opening theme is reprised, the main theme is reprised, and it builds one last time until Sanders doubles the main bass line towards the end (about 28 minutes in) and plays one of his loveliest and most powerful solos to bring the piece to its conclusion.

When it's done, "Colors" almost seems like a waste of time-- a reasonable song with some nice playing and a pretty goofy lyric about the colors of nature, its altogether a fairly pointless piece, inoffensive, but not terribly inspired after 'Creator'.

The CD reissue includes lyrics for both pieces (including the unsung verses of 'Creator') but sadly no essay in the liner notes. Sonically, the remastering on this recording is superb and it sounds crisp and clear.

Interested parties after hearing this should dig up Leon Thomas's "Spirits Known and Unknown", he performs "The Creator Has a Masterplan" (among other cuts) in a briefer version with its full lyrics intact and an ensemble that includes several of the players here. Both recordings are highly recommended.

Why did I purchase this? Well, I'd finally managed to get my head around Coltrane's "Mediations" and learned to love it. I happened to pick up a used disc by Alice Coltrane "Journey in Satchimandana". Both of these works feature Mr. Sanders. I got curious and discovered his web site. If you haven't been there you should stop in there soon! The "Tunnel" video is wonderful! So anyway, I picked this up along with "Jewels of Thought".

Both releases are almost 100% wonderful but I do have one thing that bothers me. Leon Thomas' singing is good, he's a good vocalist. There is nothing at all wrong with his bizarre "yodeling" affect... But... it is over used to the point of distraction in my opinion. It really catches the new listener off guard, and that's ok. There is just too much of it. That is the only reason I say 95% Fantastic and Awesome, I just wish there was a little less Leon and a little more Pharoah. Of the two releases I think I prefer "Jewels of Thought" but both are worth owning. I also recently heard "Black Unity" and was totally blown away, I plan to pick that one up as well (no Leon Thomas on that one).

This is an incredibly unique recording and well worth your hard-earned pennies. Note that while most of this CD is gentle, there are spots of intensely chaotic playing, which Sanders is known for. If you have not heard Sanders before, you cannot judge this recording on the basis of the Amazon clips. See if you can find some of his music on a Web radio site (he is out there on some of these sites) or perhaps your library can get some in to their collection.

The beauty of Karma is not the Free Jazz, but rather the repetitive hymnal harmonic chord progression that is uplifting. The vocal aspect is also very nice.

I have this on vinyl and recently listened to it. I can't give it 5 stars, because I can't give an album that is largely a couple of ideas taken ad nauseum 5 stars; however, I will say this: I hear some references to Coltrane's A Love Supreme in this album. It is even more uplifting in some ways than A Love Supreme, if not as influential in its scope.

By the way, the LP contains all the music that this CD contains, except that it is continued on side 2.

I agree with almost everything said in the other 5 star reviews, so I will not repeat it. There is one thing that I think needs to be stressed further, and that is that even though the first peice is very long, it does pay off to listen to it all the way through. At the end, you'll exclaim, wow, that was amazing, i can't wait to listen to it again. So my advice to you is, start listening!

Although a protege of "John Coltrane", Pharoah Sanders, unquestionably remains one of the most distinctive tenor saxophonist's of his generation, Pharoah's style of passionate, Exuberant jazz is Harmonically rich and heavy in sound & tone, and although his music is largely considered to be expressionistic, spiritual free jazz, into a ultra-dense flurry of sound that relied heavily on the non-specific pitches and timbral distortions. (although his later music would inhibit a sense of gentler tones and more cerebral tones, without sacrificing any of the intensity that he was known for).

His 1969 landmark album "Karma", was his third album as band leader, and was probably not only his most distinctive album, but also the album that truly encapsulated his considerable talents onto one studio recording. If you've ever heard people refer to music as 'Spiritual', this arguably could be a form/level of music that is, in parts, impeccably performed & arranged performances largely due to the stunning line-up: (Reggie Workman - Bass, Pharoah Sanders - Sax (Tenor), Freddie Waits / Billy Hart - Drums, Nat Bettis - Percussion, Ron Carter/ Richard Davis - Bass, Lonnie Liston Smith - Piano, James Spaulding - Flute, Leon Thomas - Percussion /Vocals, Julius Watkins - French Horn).

The album is broken down into two tracks (??), the main meat of the album, is the first track "Creator has a Master Plan", which runs at a staggering 32 minutes. Most musicians would struggle to fill even half of that running time with a track that'll retain the listeners attention, but such is the confidence and creative ability of the musicians involved here, that Pharoah and his band easily creative a completely jaw-dropping track, that is the musical equivalent of a huge multi-threaded story, in which sounds, arrangements, solo performances and deep commitment to a constantly evolving sound, all work alongside each other fleshing out the sound, producing something incredibly organic, and spiritually freewheeling at the same time. Think of this as cosmic music, with a heavy influence of time & space augmenting the sound, with African and Indian instruments adding extra substance to the track. The Flute features heavily throughout the track, softening the edges of between the introduction of Drums & Percussion. With simple music repetition giving way that gradual shifts in sound & mood.

The music is heavily textured throughout the track, with the occasional vocal, "The creator has a master plan--peace and happiness for every man.", repeated throughout certain keypoints of the track, although Pharoah's contribution here really shouldn't be underestimated, he frequently features, for almost the entire length of the track carrying melody wherever appropriate, and empowering the music with a Avant-Garde / Free Jazz feel, with a lot of the improvisation firmly on his shoulders. The mood and gradual musical exploration of the track is partly due to his stunning direction, and all of Sander's key elements are fully utilised here. Be it, the Afro-centric spiritualism, sweeping use of mood from long, relaxed intervals to frenetic cacophony, and a deep sense of melody and rhythm. Its far beyond conventional jazz structures and the composition is amongst the most adventurous & organically created / improvised tracks created.

The second track "Colors" which runs at a mere 5 1/2 minutes, was always going to struggle in comparison to the centre piece track, but its inclusion is no less diminished. Sure, as a track, it can't hope to compete with the magnificent undertaking that is the "Creator has a masterplan", but it is a piece recognising the divinity and harmony of life through the simplest of messages. And the tracks religious feeling is cemented by the fact that it feels deeply engaging, and a sound that through Pharoah's dynamics and leadership pushes irrepressibly forward, with Sanders shifting between spiritual peace and violent outbursts in his tenor solos.

If you are prepared to give Pharoah's music a try, then other than possibly buying a 'Best of / Compilation', this is largely considered to be the best of his studio album output. But be warned if you haven't sampled his work before, this isn't Jazz music in the conventional sense, and if the idea of very open-ended music that gradually unfolds over long arrangements doesn't appeal to you, its advisable that you download or hear a track first before you purchase this. Or even if you're relatively new to Jazz, hearing this first before buying, is most definitely advisable, as it's a little bit like being thrown in the deep end of a musical genre. But if you are well adversed with the many facets of Jazz music, or your feeling particularly adventurous (& Patient), this has to be easily amongst some of the most awe-inspiring jazz out there.

Pharoah Sanders' 1969 album, "Karma", is generally (and rightfully) acknowledged as one of the masterpieces in the free jazz movement of the '60s. The majority of the album is absorbed by the lengthy "The Creator Has a Masterplan", with a brief second piece, "Colors" also on the record. "The Creator Has a Masterplan" has worked its way into jazz consciounsess, becoming a standard of sorts performed by everyone from Louis Armstrong to Don Cherry to Jamaaladeen Tacuma. Composed by Sanders and vocalist Leon Thomas, it receives on this album a sprawling treatement (extending nearly 33 minutes) that is something to be heard.

Beginning with a swelling theme by Sanders (on tenor exclusively), with a nimble rhythm section including Lonnie Liston Smith on piano, Richard Davis and Reggie Workman on bass, William Hart on drums, and Nataniel Bettis and Thomas contributing percussion, Sanders evokes a mood-- mysterious, spiritual and haunting in his blistering playing with falutist James Spaulding and french hornist Julius Watkins countering him ably. After a couple minutes, the piece bleeds into a relaxed tempo with one bassist plucking the familiar bass theme and one by one instruments joining-- swiping piano, flute doubling the main theme, and Sanders at his most lyrical and emotional until finally Thomas intones the chorus to the piece (oddly enough, the verses are not included in this recording).

What follows is the beginning of an explosive improv-- Thomas in his odd yodelling style, Sanders ferocious on tenor, and Smith at the piano all take turns, with the rest supporting-- increases in tempos signal increases in the power of the improv and the preceedings rise and fall repeatedly-- the opening theme is reprised, the main theme is reprised, and it builds one last time until Sanders doubles the main bass line towards the end (about 28 minutes in) and plays one of his loveliest and most powerful solos to bring the piece to its conclusion.

When it's done, "Colors" almost seems like a waste of time-- a reasonable song with some nice playing and a pretty goofy lyric about the colors of nature, its altogether a fairly pointless piece, inoffensive, but not terribly inspired after 'Creator'.

The CD reissue includes lyrics for both pieces (including the unsung verses of 'Creator') but sadly no essay in the liner notes. Sonically, the remastering on this recording is superb and it sounds crisp and clear.

Interested parties after hearing this should dig up Leon Thomas's "Spirits Known and Unknown", he performs "The Creator Has a Masterplan" (among other cuts) in a briefer version with its full lyrics intact and an ensemble that includes several of the players here. Both recordings are highly recommended.