THE AWAKENING – MIRAGE
The only ‘group’ on the Black Jazz roster, The Awakening today should be heralded as one of the great bands in early ’70s jazz. That they’re not is the result of the Black Jazz label’s distribution woes; witness the fact that original copies of both of their records for the imprint command prices in the hundreds of dollars if you can find them at all. Mirage is their second (1973) album, the last one they made together; it boasts the same Chicago-based, AACM-centric line-up as the first, with the notable addition of bassist Rufus Reid on a couple of tracks. Spiritual jazz, free jazz, soul jazz, fusion jazz, you name it’The Awakening take all those threads common to early ’70s African-American music and, like any great ensemble, weave them into a beautiful sonic garment that’s greater than the sum of its parts. The Mirage is a bit less political/pan-African than Hear, Sense and Feel, its predecessor, which definitely owed some of its feel to the band’s Art Ensemble of Chicago/AACM roots; this record is a little more abstract, a little more varied in its moods and textural coloring, yet no less powerful and transporting. Our Real Gone release represents the first time Mirage has been reissued on LP; it comes newly remastered (by Mike Milchner at Sonic Vision) and with new liner notes by Pat Thomas. A record to discover, savor, and treasure.
Slinky is one of the album highlights, a smooth bopper with a lacklustre, funky register, a solid temperature guage for the overall quality of the album—which is admittedly very high. The Album’s title track Mirage draws on Latin influences with a crooning horn, reminiscent of Miles Davis’ Sketches of Spain.
HENRY FRANKLIN – THE SKIPPER
Bassist Henry Franklin’s 1972 release for Black Jazz, The Skipper, is one of the highlights in a label catalog full of many, and his 1974 follow-up, The Skipper at Home (‘The Skipper’ is Franklin’s nickname), lives up to its predecessor’s high standard and might even surpass it. Which is no surprise given that a lot of the same players are on it, including trumpeter/flugelhornist Oscar Brashear, tenor/soprano saxophonist Charles Owens, and pianist Bill Henderson (here billed as Kemang Sunduza). But The Skipper at Home also boasts ace talents like keyboardist Kirk Lightsey (memorably featured on the Roland Haynes Black Jazz release 2nd Wave), trombonist Al Hall, Jr. (who appeared on Black Jazz releases from Doug Carn, Chester Thompson, and Calvin Keys), and drummer Leon ‘Ndugu’ Chancler, who’s played with everyone from Miles Davis to Joe Henderson. The result is an album that, like The Skipper, is rooted in bop but one that nods to some of the currents that were swirling in jazz at the time; it’s a little freer, a little more electric. And, as is true of just about every Black Jazz release, the ensemble work is remarkably intuitive and swinging, driven by Franklin’s melodic, inventive bass playing. The Skipper at Home has never been reissued on vinyl outside of Japan, and it’s never sounded better thanks to Mike Milchner’s remastering. Pat Thomas’ liner notes complete the package. A beautiful record.
Highlights include the track Blue Lights, a truculent, swinging piece of Soul Jazz pivoting around some hefty plucking from our man the skipper, chicken-grease guitar scratching and velvety Fender Rhodes underpinning some extraordinary brass work, some killer harmonies throughout and some excellent soloing. The Skipper feels very much at home in this recording.
THE AWAKENING – MIRAGE:
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HENRY FRANKLIN-THE SKIPPER AT HOME:
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Check out the full length album of The Awakening – Mirage on YouTube By clicking through on the link HERE
Check out the full length album of Henry Franklin – The Skipper At Home on YouTube By clicking through on the link HERE
