Jewels Of Thought

About

With <i>Jewels of Thought</i>, Pharoah Sanders continues his sonic search beyond the tenor saxophone—and beyond Western music. He adds contrabass clarinet, reed flute, kalimba, orchestra chimes, and other percussion on a set that gravitates toward longer extended pieces. The album also further documents the collaborative relationship of Sanders and vocalist Leon Thomas, who sings on both “Hum-Allah” and the two-part “Sun in Aquarius.” “Hum-Allah” appears in a different version, under the title “Prince of Peace,” on <i>Izipho Zam (My Gifts)</i>, recorded earlier in 1969 for the musician-run indie label Strata-East but unreleased until 1973. Based on a simple three-chord vamp, it’s one of Sanders’ catchiest compositions, anchored here by bassist Cecil McBee and drummer Roy Haynes and led off with a spoken-word exhortation from Thomas that brings Gil Scott-Heron to mind. The mood shifts with “Sun in Aquarius,” as Sanders switches from tenor to the less familiar reed flute, and the band—with Idris Muhammad on drums—takes up percussion instruments for an abstract world-music prelude. Pianist Lonnie Liston Smith ushers in a free-jazz episode of maximum density before introducing a vamp in waltz time somewhat reminiscent of John Coltrane’s iconic take on “My Favorite Things.” Twinned bassists McBee and Richard Davis have an extended feature as well.

via Apple Music

The Clerk says

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