Pharoah Sanders – Shukuru – Pure Pleasure Records 180g Vinyl LP
Pharoah Sanders’ “Shukuru” is noteworthy as being the album that reunited Sanders with vocalist Leon Thomas, who sang on some of Sanders’ most endearing and powerful compositions– among them the legendary “The Creator Has a Masterplan”.
Thomas only joins the band on two tracks– “Mas in Brooklyn (Highlife)” and “Sun Song”. The former gets a full calypso reading complete with steel drum sounds and chanted vocals traded between Sanders and Thomas. It’s a lot of fun, but by and large, throwaway. The latter is one of the true gems on the album– a pretty ballad that serves as both a launching point for Sanders’ best balladry and Thomas’ vocal, with the latter soaring in his upper register wordlessly between verses intoned in his trademark baritone. It’s by and large simply stunning.
Pharoah Sanders – Live – Theresa Records 180 Vinyl 2 LP Gatefold Sleeve
This album features Pharoah Sanders playing some no-nonsense tenor in a quartet with pianist John Hicks, bassist Walter Booker, and drummer Idris Muhammad. Sanders performs “It’s Easy to Remember” (in a style very reminiscent of early-’60s John Coltrane), an original blues, and two of his compositions, including the passionate “You’ve Got to Have Freedom.”
The musicianship is at a high level and, although Sanders does not shriek as much as one might hope (the Trane-ish influence was particularly strong during this relatively mellow period), he is in fine form. Review by Scott Yanow/AMG
