Wisdom Through Music cover

Wisdom Through Music

Released

This 1973 album is a surprisingly compact effort, with five tracks in just 31 minutes, and a focus on vocals. Sanders’ hoarse call-and-response with the rest of the band has a gospel-ish flair, and the grooves are somewhat churchy, but the African percussion and occasional ululations keep things international. He’s rarely heard on sax here; this is ensemble music, meditative (“Selflessness” begins with long chants) and droney, augmented by the presence of two percussionists — Mtume and Badal Roy — who were also working with Miles Davis at the time. It may seem like a lesser effort if you’re just after fiery sax solos, but if embraced as a genuine statement of belief, an attempt to really put the “spiritual” in spiritual jazz, it’s a rewarding listen.

Phil Freeman

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