Pharoah Sanders (1940–2022) was an American jazz saxophonist who cut eleven albums between 1967 and 1974 on Impulse!, including the popular 1969 release Karma, recorded with singer–percussionist Leon Thomas and pianist Lonnie Liston Smith. In 1980, Sanders reemerged with Journey to the One, his first of six albums on the jazz-specialty label Theresa. Background He […]
Sun Ra — aka Herman Poole Blount (May 22, 1914 — May 30, 1993) — was an American jazz keyboardist, composer, and bandleader who released more than seventy albums across thirty-five years. He led successive Arkestra iterations: Jazz Arkestra, Myth Science Arkestra, Solar Arkestra, Astro Infinity Arkestra, and Astro Intergalactic Infinity Arkestra. His early Saturn […]
Oregon are an American ethno-jazz band from Eugene, Ore., formed in 1970. The original lineup—guitarist/pianist Ralph Towner, oboist/reedist Paul McCandless, bassist Glen Moore, and percussionist Collin Walcott—emerged from the Paul Winter Consort and developed a distinctive chamber-jazz style blending classical, Indian, and folk influences. They debuted with Music of Another Present Era (1972) and recorded […]
Oneness of Juju was an American spiritual-jazz/funk band from Washington, D.C., that grew out of Ju Ju. Background Oneness of Juju evolved from Ju Ju, an avant-garde jazz sextet that released the 1973/74 albums A Message From Mozambique and Chapter 2 Nia on Strata-East. Saxophonist James “Plunky Nkabinde” Branch formed Ju Ju in San Francisco, […]
Doug Carn (born July 14, 1948) is an American jazz keyboardist who recorded four albums between 1971 and 1975 for the Black Jazz label, the first three with his then-wife, singer Jean Carn. Background Doug Carn was born July 14, 1948, in St. Augustine, Florida. His mother occasionally played church organ and his uncle was […]
The Awakening was an American spiritual-jazz ensemble from Chicago that released two albums on the Black Jazz label: Hear, Sense and Feel (1972) and Mirage (1973). Members: Ken Chaney (electric piano, piano, whistle, bells), Frank Gordon (trumpet, flugelhorn), Richard Ari Brown (tenor saxophone, flute), Arlington Davis, Jr. (drums, whistle, bells), Steve Galloway (trombone, whistle, bells), […]
Ju Ju was an American avant-garde jazz ensemble from San Francisco that released two albums in 1973/74 on Strata-East. They morphed into Oneness of Juju and released five further albums over the following decade. Members: J. Plunky Branch, Michael “Babatunde Olatunji” Lea (percussion), Al-Hammel Rasul [aka Tony Grayson] (piano), Jalongo Ngoma [aka Dennis Stewart] (percussion), […]
Ambiance was an American jazz-funk/soul band from Los Angeles that released the 1979/80 albums Ebun and Drift Up to Space on Da Mon. Members: Daoud Abubakar Balewa Background Ambiance began in Los Angeles when Nigerian-born reedist and multi-instrumentalist Daoud Abubakar Balewa organized a changing studio collective around his compositions and the self-financed Da Mon Records imprint. […]
The Heath Brothers were an American avant-garde jazz duo from Philadelphia built around saxophonist Jimmy Heath and bassist Percy Heath. The brothers formed the nameplate after the Modern Jazz Quartet paused its long first run, placing Jimmy’s horn arrangements and Percy’s bass work inside a family-led studio identity. Drummer Albert “Tootie” Heath joined the configuration […]
Shamek Farrah is an American alto saxophonist from NYC who released the album First Impressions on Strata-East in 1974, followed by a collaborative disc with pianist Sonelius Smith on said label in 1977. A further album with backup combo Folks appeared on Ra Records in 1980. Background Shamek Farrah was born Anthony Domacase in New […]
The Visitors were an American spiritual jazz combo from Philadelphia that released the album Neptune on Cobblestone in 1972, followed by three further titles on Muse between 1973 and 1976. The band primarily consisted of saxophonist brothers Carl and Earl Grubbs with assorted sideplayers. Members: Warren Carter (trumpet), Edward Crockett (bass), Sid Simmons (piano), John […]
The Southern Energy Ensemble was an American jazz-funk student band that made one album, Southern Energy, recorded in 1976 and later released on Black Fire. Members: Nat Lee (keyboards), Judy Spears (vocals), Muzi Branch (bass), Ronnie Toler (drums) Background Southern Energy Ensemble formed in Richmond around trumpeter Marvin “Dash” Daniels and a large student-based lineup […]
Sons and Daughters of Lite were an American jazz-funk ensemble from Oakland that released the 1978 album Let the Sun Shine In on the self-operated Sunlite Record Publishing Company. Members: Basuki Bala (leader, baritone saxophone, alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute, percussion, vocals), Marty Payne (trumpet, flugelhorn, backing vocals), Paul Fenner III (tenor saxophone), Michael Oliver […]
Al Williams Quintet Plus One were an American avant-garde jazz sextet led by drummer Al Williams. Select numbers recorded on the 10th, 11th, and 12th of June 1976 comprise the album Sandance, issued that year by small-press Renaissance Records. Members: Nolan Smith (trumpet), Al Williams (drums), Charles Owens (tenor saxophone), Victor Cardenas (percussion), Leroy Vinegar […]
Billy Harper (born Jan. 17, 1943) is an American post-bop tenor saxophonist and composer from Houston who emerged with Art Blakey, Lee Morgan, Max Roach, and the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, then recorded Capra Black, Black Saint, and a series of leader albums for Denon. Background Billy Harper was born Jan. 17, 1943, in Houston, […]
Lon Moshe — born Ron Martin in Chicago, Ill. — is an American jazz vibraphonist who was active during the 1970s. He first played with San Franciscan Afro-jazz/funk sextet Ndikho Xaba and the Natives, which issued a 1971 album on Trilyte. That same year, he appeared with bandmates Ndikho Xaba and Plunky Nkabinde on a […]
James Mtume (January 3, 1946 – January 9, 2022) was an American jazz percussionist, keyboardist, composer, and producer with Seventies-era stints behind Miles Davis, Pharoah Sanders, Sonny Rollins, Gato Barbieri, and Eddie Henderson. He debuted as a bandleader with the 1972 Strata East release Alkebu Lan: Land of the Blacks, recorded with Gary Bartz and […]
The Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra was an American spiritual/free-jazz big band led by pianist/conductor Horace Tapscott. The Arkestra made the 1978 UGMAA albums Flight 17 and The Call, followed by the 1979 Nimbus West release Live at the I.U.C.C. Members: Adele Sebastian, Archie Johnson, David Bryant, Everett Brown Jr., Herbert Callies, Horace Tapscott, James Andrews, […]
The Ensemble Al-Salaam was an American spiritual-jazz septet that released the 1974 album The Sojourner on Strata-East. Two subsequent sessions across five years constitute the 1979 Nilva Records release Elephant Trot Dance, co-billed to multi-reedist Khaliq Abdul Al Rouf. Members: Khaliq Abdul Al Rouf (flute, piccolo flute, saxophone), Mashujaa Aliye Salamu (guitar), Fred Kwaku Crawley […]
Ndikho Xaba & the Natives were an American spiritual jazz ensemble that released a 1971 album on the self-operated Trilyte Records. The band was led by South African-born musician Ndikho Xaba and included future Ju Ju/Oneness of Juju members Lon Moshe and Plunky. Members: Ndikho Xaba (piano, percussion, horn), Plunky (saxophone, vocals), Ken Shabala [aka […]
Birthright was an American jazz tentet from Buffalo, N.Y., that released the 1974–76 albums Free Spirits and Breath of Life on Freelance Records. Members: Joe Ford (alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, electric piano), Paul Gresham (tenor saxophone), Nasar Abadey (drums, percussion), Jim Kurzdorfer (acoustic bass, electric bass), Onaje Allan Gumbs (electric piano, piano), Jimmy Manuel (piano), […]
Alice Coltrane (Aug. 27, 1937 — Jan. 12, 2007) was an American spiritual-jazz pianist, organist, and harpist from Detroit who released seven albums between 1968 and 1972 on Impulse! After early work with Terry Gibbs, she joined husband John Coltrane in 1966 and played on his final recordings. Coltrane collaborated with Carlos Santana on the […]
John Betsch (born Oct. 8, 1945) is an American jazz drummer from Jacksonville, Fla., who assembled the spiritual-jazz ensemble Society for the 1974 album Earth Blossom, released on Strata-East. Background John Betsch assembled the Society in Nashville in January 1974 with multi-reedist Billy Puett, pianist Bob Holmes, guitarist Jim Bridges, bassist Ed “Lump” Williams, and […]
Horace Tapscott (April 6, 1934 — Feb. 27, 1999) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader from Houston who spent most of his career in Los Angeles. He founded the Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra and built a long-running South Los Angeles network around community performance, composition, and musician development. Tapscott recorded as a leader […]
Phil Ranelin is an American jazz trombonist from Indianapolis who co-founded Detroit’s Tribe collective and recorded the 1970s albums A Message from the Tribe, The Time Is Now!, and Vibes from the Tribe. Background Phil Ranelin was born Phillip Arthur Ranelin on May 25, 1939, in Indianapolis, Indiana. He grew up in the Martindale-Brightwood neighborhood, […]
Marvin “Hannibal” Peterson (born Nov. 11, 1948) is an American trumpeter and composer from Smithville, Tex. He established his early-1970s career through work with Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Gil Evans, Roy Haynes, Elvin Jones, and Pharoah Sanders, then led the Sunrise Orchestra on Children of the Fire, Hannibal, In Antibes, and Naima. Under the name Hannibal […]
Byron Morris & Unity were an American avant-garde jazz ensemble from N.Y.C. that released two albums between 1974 and 1978 on self-press EPI Records. The project developed from a namesake 1972 album by saxist/bandleader Morris and trumpeter Gerald Wise. Members: Byron Morris (saxophone), Vincent McEwan (trumpet), Gerald Wise (trumpet), Jay Clayton (vocals), Mike Kull (piano), […]
Luis Gasca (born March 23, 1940) is an American Latin/spiritual-jazz trumpeter and fluegelhorn player from Houston. He played with Stan Kenton, Woody Herman, Mongo Santamaría, Santana, and Malo across the 1960s and 1970s. As a leader, Gasca made the 1968–74 albums Little Giant, For Those Who Chant, Born to Love You, and Collage. Background Luis […]
The Pyramids are an American spiritual-jazz ensemble from Yellow Springs, Ohio, that released the 1973–76 albums Lalibela, King of Kings, and Birth / Speed / Merging on the self-operated Pyramid Records. They reactivated in the 2010s for a further round of titles on Cultural Odyssey, Strut, and Philophon. Members: Idris Ackamoor [Bruce Baker] (saxophone), Margo […]
