Africa (Pharoah Sanders album)

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Africa
Studio album by
Pharoah Sanders
Released1987
RecordedMarch 11, 1987
StudioStudio 44, Monster, Netherlands
GenreJazz
Length56:59
LabelTimeless SJP 253
ProducerWim Wigt
Pharoah Sanders chronology
Shukuru
(1985) 		Africa
(1987) 		Oh Lord, Let Me Do No Wrong
(1987)

Africa is an album led by saxophonist Pharoah Sanders recorded in 1987 and released on the Dutch Timeless label.[1]

Reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings[3]
Tom Hull – on the WebA−[4]

In his review for AllMusic, Steve Loewy commented: "Most will probably prefer the original Coltrane to Sanders' imitations, but Africa is nonetheless a joyous and worthy tribute to one of the giants of jazz. This album marked somewhat of a backtrack for the saxophonist, as he had frequently become identified with much more traditional playing".[2]

The authors of The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings called the recording "Lovely, lovely stuff," and noted the "change of label and... deliciously stripped-down personnel." They stated that Lundy "fits in with Hicks like jigsaw pieces, a rich, contoured sound that prompts the wonder that Sanders ever wants to work in any other context."[3]

Matt Fripp of Jazz Fuel included the album in his selection of "Ten Iconic Pharoah Sanders Albums," and wrote: "Sanders is able to tame the wilder musical excesses of his youth in favour of a simple, melodically inspired approach."[5]

Track listing[edit]

All compositions by Pharoah Sanders except as indicated

  1. "You've Got to Have Freedom" – 10:01
  2. "Naima" (John Coltrane) – 5:26
  3. "Origin" – 6:50
  4. "Speak Low" (Kurt Weill, Ogden Nash) – 8:04
  5. "After The Morning" (John Hicks) – 6:29
  6. "Africa" – 8:20
  7. "Heart to Heart" – 7:17 Bonus track on CD & Music On Vinyl reissue[6]
  8. "Duo" – 4:32 Bonus track on CD & Music On Vinyl reissue[6]

Personnel[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Pharoah Sanders discography accessed January 15, 2015
  2. ^ a b Loewy, Steve. Africa – Review at AllMusic. Retrieved January 15, 2015.
  3. ^ a b Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (1998). The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD. Penguin Books. p. 1333.
  4. ^ Hull, Tom. "John Hicks". Tom Hull – on the Web. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
  5. ^ Fripp, Matt (September 2, 2022). "Ten Iconic Pharoah Sanders Albums". Jazz Fuel. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
  6. ^ a b "Pharoah Sanders, John Hicks, Curtis Lundy & Idris Muhammad - Africa (2LP)". Funky Duck Vinyl. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
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