Howard Wiley - The Angola Project

[JSngry]

http://cdbaby.com/cd/hwiley2

http://www.howardwiley.com/Angola.htm

Not a "perfect" record, and definitely not for the faint of heart, but DAMN.

[JSngry]

Up, if for no other reason than to counter the impression that I'm "jaded" or something.

This is something I can get behind!

[Chuck Nessa]

[GA Russell]

Angola is the federal penitentiary in Louisiana. When I was a kid, that was the last place on earth you wanted to go. People would shudder to think of it. Chris Kenner was murdered there. I think the music sets the mood very well.

I've given the CD a few listens, but it's not for me - too powerful. (Yes Chuck and Larry, this was a promo that I didn't write about because I didn't love it.)

David Murray is on it, and from what I have heard of Murray in the past, it appears to me that Wiley is influenced by him. My guess is that if you love Murray, you will like this album too.

[JSngry]

Can't really say that I hear Wiley as being "influenced" by Murray in anything other than the very broadest possible sense of post-Ayler/post-Shepp R&B-meets Free Jazz Black Tenordom, and if it's got to come down to that, well hey, too much math for R&B, if you know what I mean.

I like that, thoug, "too powerful", that's a fair individual call that goes right to the meat of the music her. It is powerful, very powerful.

And what goes down on "Amazing Grace" (no cunnilingus jokes, please...) is damn near amazing. An old spiritual gets slowly but surely turned into a wailing desert song filtered through god only knows how many storefront churches and juke joints, tongues are being spoken in, equal parts street and esoterica, and that's just one cut.

Like I said, it ain't a perfect record. But "perfect beauty" may in fact not be beauty at all...

[JSngry]

Oh, btw - Murray is only on one cut. The rest is all Wiley & crew.

[JSngry]

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fusea...iendID=77704650

[JSngry]

Somebody? Anybody?

[Alexander Hawkins]

Just having a listen. Interesting stuff! I don't think 'Amazing Grace' hits me quite as it hits you - I really don't like the vocalist. I have no problem with the operatic thing (absolutely not, in fact!), it's just I don't think she sounds that great. However, Wiley is quite shocking in some ways - sounds in some ways very 'unhinged'. I think the effect is heightened by the otherwise quite shiny production...such an unreconstructed solo really takes you (or at least me!) by surprise in the context!

Agree, I don't hear any Murray influence on Wiley.

[GA Russell]

Agree, I don't hear any Murray influence on Wiley.

I'm very willing to stand corrected in that regard. I haven't heard that much of Murray. Maybe the cut that Murray appears on flavored my impression.

[AllenLowe]

funny thing is I was listening on My Space and thought, "hey, David sounds real good on this" but it turns out I was listening to Wiley - excellent player -

Edited March 31, 2008 by AllenLowe

[JSngry]

One of the MySpace clips does have Murray on it.

[AllenLowe]

yeah but not the one I was listening to -

[JSngry]

Up, Again.

[JSngry]

On ‎4‎/‎16‎/‎2008 at 2:42 PM, JSngry said:

Up, Again.

And again, with the DAMN fully intact.

[mjazzg]

My interest is piqued but can't find anywhere to listen to it.

Oh for Myspace...

[JSngry]

Related videos, haven't checked them myself, though: https://www.google.com/search?source=lnms&tbm=vid&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj8rpSNnezvAhWwCjQIHX5ACVAQ_AUoBHoECAEQBg&q=howard%20wiley%20angola%20project&biw=1280&bih=865#spf=1617801803830

Also, amazon offers full streaming if you do that: https://www.amazon.com/Angola-Project-Howard-Wiley/dp/B000OYCKB4

[JSngry]

Samples available here: https://www.amazon.com/Howard-Wiley/e/B001LHNGT8/ref=dp_byline_cont_music_1

Oh crap no, that is NOT the same record, I don't know what THAT record is.

[mjazzg]

Thanks, I'll try Amazon. A good reason to trial them

[Д.Д.]

Both Wiley / Angola Project albums are available for streaming at Apple Music.