Alice Coltrane - Journey In Satchidananda

 

180-gram vinyl reissue

Fourth solo album by Alice Coltrane

"Satchidananda means knowledge, existence, bliss. Listen with your inner ear to Alice along with Pharoah Sanders, Charlie Haden, Rashied Ali, Cecil McBee, and others." — Downbeat

Alice Coltrane had become a disciple of Swami Satchidananda, which explains the title of her 1971 masterpiece Journey in Satchidananda, recorded November 8, 1970 (except for one live track) and issued in January of 1971. It was recorded at the Coltrane home studio in Dix Hills, New York. Coltrane and Ed Michel produced the album. Album photography was by Chuck Stewart and Ed Michel. It was issued as impulse! AS 9203.

The band for the studio tracks included Alice Coltrane. piano, harp; Pharoah Sanders, soprano saxophone, percussion; Cecil McBee, double bass; Rashied Ali, drums; Tulsi, tanpura; and Majid Shabazz, bells, tambourine. For "Isis and Osiris," recorded live July 4, 1970, at The Village Gate in New York City, the group was: Alice Coltrane. harp; Pharoah Sanders, soprano saxophone, percussion; Charlie Haden, double bass; Rashied Ali, drums; and Vishnu Wood, oud. All songs were by Coltrane.

Allmusic says the landmark Journey to Satchidananda reveals just how far the pianist and widow of John Coltrane had come in the three years after his death. "The compositions here are wildly open and droning figures built on whole tones and minor modes. And while it's true that one can definitely hear her late husband's influence on this music, she wouldn't have had it any other way. Pharoah Sanders' playing on the title cut, 'Shiva-Loka,' and 'Isis and Osiris' (which also features the Vishnu Wood on oud and Charlie Haden on bass) is gloriously restrained and melodic."

1. Journey in Satchidananda

2. Shiva-Loka

3. Stopover Bombay

4. Something About John Coltrane

5. Isis and Osiris

Customer Reviews (4.00 Stars) 2 person(s) rated this product.

Great music deserves better pressing posted on 03/20/2021 3 Stars Reviewer: Keith Purchased a Koetsu cartridge a while back and have been on a album purchasing odyssey since. Had the CD of this and really enjoy it, so decided to order....Sorry to say the CD is a little more dynamic, has better separation, and low end. Both offer good imaging, but its one of the few albums I've been disappointed with the pressing. Too bad ....... the music here deserves better.

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