RIP Marion Brown

Sad news, jazzers (and all you dance music-freak Pitchfork reading hipsters who should educate yourself in a little boplicity). According to magazine/blog/record-lable/all-around-source-of-funk WaxPoetics, "Alto saxophone great Marion Brown died in Hollywood, Florida, on October 18. He was seventy-nine." Sad news indeed folks. See, for those not in the know, Brown was a rare thing; a free jazz great who thrived on melody and lyricism in addition to creative free-for-all blowing sessions of mad anarchic chaos in sound (though he did his fare share of that shyzer too; check this puppy from 1967 out, called Porto Novo [if you can't make it through, just skip to the middle where it gets really intense]). He played on John Coltrane's monumental statement of jazz liberation, Ascension, as well as some great Archie Shepp records worth checking out, among others. But above all, this guy had pure soul. The beauty of a tune like 'Vista' here is just marvelous; reflecting the influence of 'Trane and Sanders yet with his own sensitive finesse, this group gets the afro-spiritual-Jazz thing going like no other. Man, this cat will be missed. Marion, Phat Fellas salutes you.

David Chevan's Afro Semetic Experience with Cantor Alberto Mizrahi- Yizkor

If you hip hebrews need some brooding and spiritual music in order to atone for your many sins this Yom Kippur, consider this extremely unique release from bassist David Chevan's Afro Semetic experience. Fusing traditional Jewish liturgical music with Coltrane-esque Afro-jazz workouts, the group produce subtle and sensitive music that is beautiful and moving. This was a grave omission on my first post about cool Jewish music, but I hope this rectifies things.

Similar to Herbie Hancock's "Hear O Israel", "Yizkor" takes the Jewish Yizkor memorial service and places it to music. Perhaps the most unique feature of this album is the cantorial vocals of Hazzan Alberto Mirahi, which adds an old-school European dimension to the proceedings. His vocals recall more the great jazz improvisers than Jewish singers. Particularly powerful is "Yizkor for the Martyrs", which resonates with the pain of thousands of years of Jewish suffering. From Mizrahi emotive vocals and Stacy Phillip's resonator guitar at the beginning, this Jewish blues marks itself as something different. By the end, when Warren Byrd conjures up the thunder of heaven with his McCoy Tyner like left hand heavy piano, and the whole band follow him into an impassioned rage that reflects the serious and grave nature of the Yizkor service. "Psalm 23" is really funky, in a Blue Note/ Coltrane kind of way. In fact, the whole record has a Pharoah Sanders style intesity which makes for a great and moving listen."El Maleh Rakhamim" has a great Latin groove, and "Psalm 16" features a great vamping intro (props to Baba David Coleman for his atmospheric percussion).

All in all, one of the most spiritual, funky, soulful and unique albums I've ever heard.