Bridge into the New Age

by N/A

Overview

There have been a number of compilations released in the latter years of the 21st century's first decade that concern themselves with the spiritual jazz of the post-Coltrane years: The first really solid one was King Britt's Cosmic Lounge: A Spiritual Quest for Higher Sound, released on Rapster; Nicola Conte's Spiritual Swingers: Deep Afrocentric Modal Jazz from Universal Music Archives; Jazzman's Spiritual Jazz: Esoteric, Modal & Deep Jazz from the Underground 1968 to 1977; Soul Brother's African Spirits: A Spiritual Jazz Journey Looking Back to Africa; Universal Japan's Jazz Supreme: Spiritual Love Is Everywhere, and the P-Vine offering Jazz Supreme: Spiritual Waltz-A-Nova. All of them are worthwhile, though there is some obvious overlap. That said, this set, Bridge into the New Age (named for a tune and album title by Azar Lawrence) on BGP is unique even among these offerings. For starters, all of the material comes from the Prestige vaults since all of these artists, including Lawrence, Gary Bartz, Joe Henderson, Bayete (Todd Cochrane), Idris Muhammad, McCoy Tyner, Norman Connors, and Jack DeJohnette all recorded for its affiliated labels at the time. The most unique aspect of this collection, however, is that this set of tunes showcases most effectively where the spirit of Coltrane's investigations met the street that Miles Davis was most interested in addressing from the late '60s on. All of these musicians were deeply influenced by both men, and most played with Miles -- Tyner of course, and Alice Coltrane, who appears with Henderson on one tune reflects Coltrane's influence. This is fusion music alright, but it is jazz fusion, where it met soul and funk yet remained firmly in the jazz camp while making use of other musics to further its margins; this was truly new jazz recorded between 1968 and 1974. Compiled, sequenced, and expertly annotated by Dean Rutland, virtually every track is a stone-killer and creates a gorgeous, thought-provoking, and groove-laden aural investigation of jazz during an oft-overlooked period when creativity and musicianship were not only blossoming, but engaging one another in a brave new way. Highly recommended. ~ Thom Jurek

Product Details

Release Date:	09/22/2009
Label:	Bgp
UPC:	0029667520324
Rank:	136925

Tracks

1. Tress-Cun-De-O-La  - Jack DeJohnette  - Joe Henderson  - Dave Holland  - Arthur Jenkins  - Orrin Keepnews  - Larry Willis
2. Bridge into the New Age  - Jean Carn  - Guilherme Franco  - Billy Hart  - Clint Houston  - Orrin Keepnews  - Azar Lawrence  - Woody Shaw
3. Free Angela  -  Bayete  - Oscar Brashear  - Hadley Caliman  - Todd Cochran  - Bobby Hutcherson  - Dave Johnson  - James III Leary  - Wayne Wallace
4. Peace  - Angel Allende  - Kenny Barron  - Buddy Caldwell  - Ron Carter  - Virgil Jones  - Idris Muhammad  - Clarence Thomas
5. Ebony Queen  - Sonny Fortune  - Calvin Hill  - Orrin Keepnews  - Alphonse Mouzon  - McCoy Tyner
6. Brown, Warm and Wintry  - Stanley Cowell  - Jack DeJohnette  - Eddie Gomez  - Orrin Keepnews  - Bennie Maupin
7. Fire  - Leon "Ndugu" Chancler  - Alice Coltrane  - Joe Henderson  - Orrin Keepnews  - Kenneth Nash
8. Mother of the Future  - Gary Bartz  - Jean Carn  - Ron Carter  - Norman Connors  - Skip Drinkwater  - Carlos Garnett  - Elmer Gibson  - Eddie Henderson  - Lawrence Killian  - Hubert Laws  - Reggie Lucas  - Dom Um Romao
9. I've Known Rivers  - Gary Bartz  -  Bartz  - Hubert III Eaves  - Stafford James  - Howard King

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Jack DeJohnette   Primary Artist,Drums
Bayete   Primary Artist
Norman Connors   Primary Artist,Drums
McCoy Tyner   Primary Artist,Piano
Idris Muhammad   Primary Artist,Gong,Drums,Cowbell
Gary Bartz Ntu Troop   Primary Artist
Alice Coltrane   Primary Artist,Piano,Tamboura,Harmonium
Azar Lawrence   Primary Artist,Sax (Tenor),Sax (Soprano)
Joe Henderson   Primary Artist,Flute,Vocals,Sax (Tenor),Sax (Soprano)
Larry Willis   Ring Modulator,Piano (Electric)
Hadley Caliman   Sax (Tenor),Flute
Woody Shaw   Trumpet
Dave Johnson   Sax (Soprano)
James Leary III   Bass,Bass (Electric)
Gary Bartz   Vocals,Sax (Alto),Sax (Soprano)
Skip Drinkwater   Percussion
Bennie Maupin   Flute
Clint Houston   Bass
Eddie Gomez   Bass
Carlos Garnett   Sax (Tenor)
Sonny Fortune   Sax (Soprano)
Elmer Gibson   Piano (Electric)
Arthur Jenkins   Percussion
Wayne Wallace   Trombone
Jean Carn   Vocals
Hubert Eaves III   Piano,Piano (Electric)
Hubert Laws   Flute,Flute (Alto)
Clarence Thomas   Bells,Flute,Sax (Tenor),Sax (Soprano)
Lawrence Killian   Bongos,Congas
Ron Carter   Bass,Bass (Electric)
Leon "Ndugu" Chancler   Drums
Oscar Brashear   Trumpet,Flugelhorn
Angel Allende   Timbales,Percussion
Dave Holland   Bass,Bass (Electric)
Eddie Henderson   Trumpet,Flugelhorn
Dom Um Romao   Percussion
Stafford James   Bass,Bass (Electric)
Buddy Caldwell   Congas
Reggie Lucas   Guitar
Calvin Hill   Bass
Guilherme Franco   Percussion
Virgil Jones   Trumpet
Howard King   Drums
Todd Cochran   Piano,Clavinet,Piano (Electric)
Alphonse Mouzon   Drums
Stanley Cowell   Piano (Electric)
Kenneth Nash   Percussion
Kenny Barron   Piano (Electric)
Bobby Hutcherson   Vibraphone
Billy Hart   Drums

Technical Credits

Jack DeJohnette   Composer
Gary Bartz   Composer,Producer
Skip Drinkwater   Producer
Carlos Garnett   Arranger,Composer
McCoy Tyner   Composer
Orrin Keepnews   Producer
Dean Rudland   Liner Notes
Joe Henderson   Composer
Todd Cochran   Composer
Azar Lawrence   Composer
Idris Muhammad   Composer