Like a newly minted presidential candidate, Isaiah Collier brings an unexpected surge of energy, positivity and vision into 2024. The Almighty follows two releases last year: a final collaboration with late, great trumpeter Jaimie Branch and the direct-to-disc Parallel Universe, recorded just after this ambitious set – each on a single day.
The writing, playing, arranging and overall vision here make this a strong contender for album of the year. Among younger American saxophonists, Collier’s virtuosity, passion, vision and spiritual intensity is on par with Kamasi Washington and Immanuel Wilkins (who, like Collier, is 26). Like those two, he is deeply steeped in the tradition of the Coltranes, Pharoah Sanders and the AACM as well as gospel and soul, led by an earnest search for transcendence.
The Almighty has parallels with Washington’s sprawling Fearless Movement, rightly hailed as one of 2024’s best. Without celebrity guests or sharp genre shifts, though, The Almighty works better as a focused entity.
Collier – Downbeat rising star on tenor and soprano in the past two years – takes us on an exhilarating ride, starting with the majestic Love, featuring vocalist Dee Alexander. The lyrical Compassion is a dialogue with his mentor, AACM tenor legend Ari Brown, their saxes entwining over surging waves of piano and drums.
Perspective offers cheerful Afro-Cuban percussion and Collier’s hypnotic Roy Ayers-like “peace and love” chant. The album’s centrepiece, the 23-minute Duality Suite, ranges from blazing free improv through heart-wrenchingly beautiful passages to the magnificent maelstrom of Divine Masculine.
The title finale features strings, horns, chimes and AEC-style percussion. Heading toward a riotous catharsis, the extended ensemble almost descends into mayhem but not quite. Violins help to knit the loose threads together, but this 18-minute extravaganza could have been kept a bit more succinct.
The Almighty delivers melody, poignancy and passion along with the depth and complexity to reward repeated listening – and heartfelt, positive vibes that we need more of these days.
Discography
Love; Compassion; Perspective (Peace and Love); Duality Suite (I. +, II. -, III. Divine Masculine, IV. Divine Feminine); The Almighty (63.49)
Collier (ts, ss, v, pc); Michael Shekwoaga Ode, Vincent Davis (d); Julian Davis Reid, Justin Dillard (p); Jeremiah Hunt, Micah Collier (b); Dee Alexander (v); Zara Zaharieva, Edith Yokey (vn); Michelle Manson (vla); Mayshell Morris (f); Ari Brown (ts); Fred Jackson, Jr (as); Corey Wilkes, Ryan Nyther (t); Matthew Davis (tb). Chicago, 9 May 2023.
Division 81 Records DIV-005
