Ask the Ages cover

Ask the Ages

Released

Guitarist Sonny Sharrock had made a few impressive albums in the late ’60s, but largely fallen off the scene until the mid-’80s, when bassist and producer Bill Laswell brought him back as a member of jazz-noise-rock supergroup Last Exit and helped him reestablish himself as a leader. His final album was this free jazz summit conference with Pharoah Sanders on saxes, Charnett Moffett on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. The pieces have soaring, anthemic melodies, and both Sharrock (multiply overdubbed) and Sanders deliver what fire music fans will be seeking, but the ballad “Who Does She Hope To Be?” is tender and loving.

Phil Freeman

Recommended by

Suggestions
Lick My Decals Off, Baby cover

Lick My Decals Off, Baby

Captain Beefheart & the Magic Band
Mingus Ah Um cover

Mingus Ah Um

Charles Mingus
Seven Sacred Names cover

Seven Sacred Names

Michael Harrison
He(a)r cover

He(a)r

Nordic Affect
Goo cover

Goo

Sonic Youth
Exposure cover

Exposure

Robert Fripp
Solo cover

Solo

Fred Hersch
Love, Love cover

Love, Love

Julian Priester