Long Play on The Nightside

Tune in to Long Play during the 11 o’clock hour of The Nightside with Andy O’…these special extensive compositions needed a deeper listen.

“Harvest Time” (20:15) from Pharoah recorded in 1976 by Pharoah Sanders

When Pharoah Sanders’ Love in Us All was released in 1974, it was already becoming clear that the artist was shifting away from the wilder experimentations of his earlier days. After leaving Impulse! and taking a three-year hiatus from recording solo material, Pharoah would re-emerge in 1977 with an entirely new band and release one of his most seminal and beautifully emotive records. Pharoah known as Harvest Time is a soft, lightly psychedelic, spiritual jazz masterpiece that seems to reflect on the beauty of life itself. The harmonium-backed, 20-minute long epic “Harvest Time” is the clear standout here but don’t miss out on “Love is Everywhere,” Pharoah’s take on R&B, which features beautifully raw vocals from the man himself. —Phil Cho

“Dream Weaver” (15:25) from Manhattan Stories recorded in 1965 by Charles Lloyd

In most cases, the folklore of a happening is much stronger than the actual event. The “older I get, the better it was” credo applies to so much of the remembered past. Not so for the only documented recordings by Charles Lloyd’s Quartet of guitarist Gabor Szabo, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Pete La Roca.

Lloyd who, in 1965, had left his residency as musical director for Chico Hamilton and member of Cannonball Adderly‘s band, gathered Szabó from Hamilton’s employment and formed this quartet. He would soon record Of Course, Of Course on Columbia, 1968 with Tony Williams replacing Sims. And that, as they say, was all she wrote. Gábor Szabó moved into a leaders role, Carter remained with Miles Davis’s Quintet, and Sims became the drummer of choice for many Blue Note sessions. Lloyd’s quartet morphed into the legendary unit of Keith Jarrett, Cecil McBee, and Jack DeJohnette.

This short-lived, and until now, the unheard quartet is quite the find. Lloyd was confronting the weight of the saxophone innovators John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins and forging his own path. The two live recordings heard here are quite different. Disc one was recorded in the pristine environment of Judson Hall. The second session was made in the rough and tumble environs of The East Village at Slugs Saloon.
Personnel: Charles Lloyd: tenor saxophone, flute; Gábor Szabó: guitar; Ron Carter: bass; drummer Pete La Roca: drums. —Mark Corroto in All About Jazz 9/24/2014

“Africa” (16:29) from Africa/Brass recorded 6/7/1961 by John Coltrane

John Coltrane – soprano and tenor saxophone, Booker Little – trumpet, Julius Watkins, Bob Northern, Donald Corrado, Robert Swisshelm – french horn, Bill Barber – tuba, Pat Patrick – baritone saxophone, McCoy Tyner – piano, Elvin Jones – drums, Britt Woodman – trombone, Carl Bowman – euphonium, Eric Dolphy – alto saxophone, bass clarinet, flute, and Art Davis – bass

In late May 1961, Creed Taylor the man who had founded the impulse! label a few months earlier, took John Coltrane into Rudy Van Gelder’s studio for his first session with the new up-and-coming label to record Africa/Brass, it was a masterstroke!

Taylor persuaded John Coltrane to record at Rudy Van Gelder’s studio, but not with just his regular quintet. He got ‘Trane to work with a big band, 17 pieces on one track, including French horns and a euphonium. Instead of Oliver Nelson, who had originally been slated to arrange the music for the two sessions, it was Eric Dolphy and McCoy Tyner, Coltrane’s pianist, that pulled off some brilliant twists and turns for what became impulse! AS-6 – Africa/Brass.

Long Play is a deep dive during the last hour of The Nightside into the music that time forgot.

Tune in to The Nightside with Andy O’ on Sunday night, August 15, from 8 to midnight.

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