Skipper and Crew

Reviews:

"All God's Children" - Skipper and Crew

by Ollie Bivins

Los Angeles native son bassist Henry "The Skipper" Franklin is perhaps best known for his association with the albums released by the short-lived but influential Black Jazz record label out of Philadelphia in the 1970's. He has also played with Freddie Hubbard, Archie Shepp, Roy Ayers, Willie Bobo, Hugh Masakela (on his monster 1968 hit "Grazin' In the Grass") and the late Horace Tapscott. His new album on his own label is a continuation of the strand of jazz music that arose in the mid to late 1960's. This genre was characterized by modal music (compositions and improvisations based on a series of modes rather than a series of chord progressions) with strong African and Islamic themes underpinned by the newly emerging political sentiments of the Black Power/Black nationalist movement. The most famous exponent of this Afro/Islamic/Nationalist music was and is today Pharoah Sanders. All the tunes on "All God's Children" are marked by a deep sense of spirituality. Percussion is dominant throughout as one tune blends into the next, broken up the searching John Coltrane-like saxophone stylings of Micheal Session and Zane Musa. The high pitched singing and squeals of Talita Long on "Follow Your Bliss" especially, led off by an Islamic prayer, add a touch of the avant garde to the disc. Franklin's bass provides the rock solid underpinning holding everything together.

Fans of the music of saxophonist Pharoah Sanders, Archie Shepp, L.A.'s Dwight Trible and Band and the latest percussion-heavy works of the Art Ensemble of Chicago will especially love this excellent album. Although the disc may be hard to find, the search will be well worth it. "All God's Children" is one of the best albums of 2005.

Tracks: Reverence; The Illusion; Follow Your Bliss; Unattachment; Mambo Bado; Tongues Untied

Personnel: Henry Franklin--bass; Carl Burnett (a.k.a. Karim Salih)--drums; Theo Saunders--piano, wood flute; Mark Waggoner--guitars; Big Black---African drums; Michael Session--tenor saxophone; Zane Musa---alto saxophone; Talita Long--vocals; Khalid Mutawakel Al-Talib--Islamic prayer; Pete Mhunzi, Michael Mhagama, Paul Muwah Sumbl--vocals; Denise Cook and everybody in the band--percussion.

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