Advertisement
Advertisement

Kahil El’Zabar featuring David Murray: Spirit Groove

In brief:
"He doesn’t so much push a rhythm forward as unroll it, letting it flow where it may. Which perfectly suits this set of uplifting soulful grooves and impassioned jazz, an ideal antidote for our troubled times"

Kahil El’Zabar and David Murray first recorded together in 1989 and some of the seven compositions on this new set are co-written by both of them. So why they haven’t worked together more often is a great mystery, given their personal chemistry, for they are a perfect match.

Throughout, El’Zabar’s Afrocentric rhythms and spiritual grooves are highlighted by Murray’s soulful performances on both tenor and bass clarinet. Where El’Zabar sets the scene, Murray tells the story, setting out a strong narrative on each track. Bassist Emma Huff is a notable presence throughout, as is pianist Justin Dillard, in good Tynerish style on the heartfelt Trane tribute.

Advertisement

Many of the songs here have considerable history: El’Zabar’s In The Spirit was first performed by him at the Moers jazz festival in 1979, Song Of Myself was first recorded in 1997 in a trio with Murray and the bassist Fred Hopkins on Delmark records, while One World Family was co-written in the 1980s. More recent and personal songs include Katon, written by El’Zabar for his fourth son, and Murray’s Necktar, written for his new wife, Francesca. The lengthy title track was written specifically for this project.

At times, El’Zabar’s vocals bring Gil Scott-Heron to mind, his loose vocal approach to the lyrics working well against the shifting rhythmic accompaniment, but it is his percussion you come to hear, making much out of often limited musical resources: Few people get as much out of a kalimba or thumb piano as he does! He doesn’t so much push a rhythm forward as unroll it, letting it flow where it may. Which perfectly suits this set of uplifting soulful grooves and impassioned jazz, an ideal antidote for our troubled times.

Hear/buy Kahil El’Zabar featuring David Murray: Spirit Groove at bandcamp.com

Discography
In My House; Necktar; Songs Of Myself; Katon; In The Spirit; Trane In Mind; One World Family (82.17)
El’Zabar (d, pc, v); Murray (ts, bcl); Emma Dayhuff (b); Justin Dillard (p, org, syn). Live and in studio, Chicago, June 2019.
Spiritmuse Records

Latest audio reviews

Advertisement

More from this author

Advertisement

Jazz Journal articles by month

Advertisement

Group Sounds Four & Five: Black & White Raga

Despite Beatlemania and the Swinging Sixties fizzing all around it, the London jazz scene at that time was full of young bands determinedly getting...
Advertisement

Obituary: Sammy Nestico

The American Dream suggests that for those ready to work hard, America will deliver success. For Luigi Nistico, a small boy from Naples...
Advertisement

Roz Harding: are people listening, or seeing?

Reviewing a concert by Mike Westbrook’s Uncommon Orchestra for the JJ website in April 2016 I singled out a young alto player from the...
Advertisement

Make It New: Reshaping Jazz In The 21st Century

Bill Beuttler's interesting and timely book, in its format at least, is a 21st-century counterpart of Joe Goldberg's Jazz Masters Of The 1950s, published...
Advertisement

Bolden

I learned everything I know about Buddy Bolden from Hear Me Talkin’ To Ya, the one indispensable book about jazz from soup to nuts,...
Advertisement

JJ 01/74: Ian Carr’s Nucleus – Labyrinth

Fifty years ago, in the face of compositional poverty and pretension, Charles Le Vay consoled himself with some fine solo work
"He doesn’t so much push a rhythm forward as unroll it, letting it flow where it may. Which perfectly suits this set of uplifting soulful grooves and impassioned jazz, an ideal antidote for our troubled times"Kahil El’Zabar featuring David Murray: Spirit Groove