Jewels of Thought cover

Jewels of Thought

Released

This 1970 album contains just two long tracks. The first, “Hum-Allah-Hum-Allah-Hum-Allah,” is a re-recording of a piece originally called “Prince Of Peace”; it was tracked in 1969 for Izipho Zam, but that album sat on the shelf until 1973. Expanded from just under nine minutes to more than 15, and played by a small group (Lonnie Liston Smith on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, Idris Muhammad on drums) it features a lot more of Pharoah’s R&B-unto-hurricane blowing. The second piece, “Sun In Aquarius,” actually begins on Side A and continues all the way through Side B of the original vinyl; it’s nearly 28 minutes long and features a lot more hand percussion, shakers, and a long and surprisingly aggressive piano intro from Smith. It might be the most AACM-ish thing Sanders ever released.

Phil Freeman

Recommended by