70s "spiritual jazz"

[K1969]

I tend to be quite warey when buying this genre. Too often it feaures aimless improvisations à la ancient egypt, the ankh and mother africa, for a sound a little too up its sphinx-ter for my taste. But here's an LP that won't let you down, River Nile, Pyramids 'n all:

If anyone else can recommend some good spiritual stuff that avoids the mystic schlock, please let on... - or feel free to put this crusty cynic back in his place.

[Guy Berger]

Pharoah Sanders, Summun Bukmun Umyun

Mahavishnu Orchestra, The Inner Mounting Flame

[7/4]

Alice Coltrane on Impulse.

[alocispepraluger102]

mclaughlin and santana did a very spiritual album early 70's. spirit, surrender, unity or something like that. too inebriate to recall. they were dressed in white on cover.

gorgeous mclaughlin guitar effort. memorable ..........house of the lord.

the rather unstructured 'summun' also contains a hair-raising 'house.'

Edited May 6, 2007 by alocispepraluger102

[BFrank]

Don't know if it's "spiritual" or not, but it sure is good.

[alocispepraluger102]

with all respect to alice, a lot of her later stuff was junk, in my opinion.

[7/4]

with all respect to alice, a lot of her later stuff was junk, in my opinion.

The Warner Bros. albums were kinda la-la. Is that what you're referring to?

[Guy Berger]

Charles Lloyd, Canto

[K1969]

define "spiritual" please.

elder don clementine

ozona, fla

There's no offical take on it. It's simply jazz that is infused with a quasi religious or spiritual theme like Alice Coltrane's music or some Strata East sides. Its heavily indebted to late Coltrane for inspiration both spiritually (sorry to use the 'S' word again) and musically, often including vocal, prayer-like chanting in the back ground à la Love Supreme. The cover art often included ancient egyptian imagery like the Ankh or the Pyramids, reflecting I guess some afro centric ideology that I don't pretend to understand or know anything about:

In the 70s there were simply thousands of small private label releases in this genre. Here's a sound file of an obscure band recently included on a Gilles Petereson compliation that typifies the sound:

World Experience orchestra, The Prayer

[Sundog]

mclaughlin and santana did a very spiritual album early 70's. spirit, surrender, unity or something like that. too inebriate to recall. they were dressed in white on cover.

Love Devotion Surrender

[jazzbo]

I really like the Santana/A. Coltrane "Illuminations". . . but I'm a big Alice fan.

[alocispepraluger102]

with all respect to alice, a lot of her later stuff was junk, in my opinion.

The Warner Bros. albums were kinda la-la. Is that what you're referring to?

yes, but i have so much respect for her i really regret writing that.

[J Larsen]

I really like the Santana/A. Coltrane "Illuminations". . . but I'm a big Alice fan.

I'm weary. I think I might dislike Santana as much as I like Alice.

[JSngry]

[K1969]

great LP! Very much in the "S" vein. Whittaker did a nice track in a similar vibe called "This world is ours" on Teru Masahino's LP, Hip Seagul. Worth chekcing out it you like his opus Black Renaissance. Gilles Petersson called this one of the three LPs he'd jealously take to the grave!

Edited May 6, 2007 by K1969

[jazzbo]

I really like the Santana/A. Coltrane "Illuminations". . . but I'm a big Alice fan.

I'm weary. I think I might dislike Santana as much as I like Alice.

Well I generally dislike Santana outside of his blues latinboogaloo bag. But this one. . . I find that Alice's framework allows him to literally soar and I find it beautiful.

[jazzbo]

I like the Whitaker the more I listen to it. . . I was sort of lukewarm about this when I first heard it but have warmed to it over the last few years. I might be really hot for it by 2009!

[mikeweil]

Norman Connors, Dance of Magic (Cobblestone)

Norman Connors, Love From The Sun (Buddah, partially)

Michael White, The Land Of Spirit And Light (Impulse)

[7/4]

I really like the Santana/A. Coltrane "Illuminations". . . but I'm a big Alice fan.

I'm weary. I think I might dislike Santana as much as I like Alice.

Well I generally dislike Santana outside of his blues latinboogaloo bag. But this one. . . I find that Alice's framework allows him to literally soar and I find it beautiful.

What he said.

[ghost of miles]

I give this one high, high marks--definitely get it if you're at all into this genre:

Spiritual Jazz: Esoteric, Modal and Deep Jazz From the Underground 1968-1977

...and you can dance to it.

Edited May 31, 2009 by ghost of miles

[Big Al]

Stanley Turrentine's "I Told Jesus" from Salt Song. Wow!

[king ubu]

Michael White, The Land Of Spirit And Light (Impulse)

Got that one a few months ago - very nice one! Very easy, soothing music, quite to my surprise... but I love it!

[Rooster_Ties]

I like the Whitaker the more I listen to it. . . I was sort of lukewarm about this when I first heard it but have warmed to it over the last few years. I might be really hot for it by 2009!

Well?????

[Niko]

I give this one high, high marks--definitely get it if you're at all into this genre:

Spiritual Jazz: Esoteric, Modal and Deep Jazz From the Underground 1968-1977

...and you can dance to it.

indeed... one of the best tracks (the least "obscure" one i guess) comes from ronnie boykins esp album which i also liked...