Stanley Cowell Musa Ancestral Streams

180g High Quality Pressing!
Re-mastering by Ray Staff at Air Mastering!
"Musa-Ancestral Streams" has a strange uniqueness in the pantheon of jazz's Black Consciousness movement — a solo piano recording of overwhelming scope and reach. Cowell's adherence to intimacy stands in sharp contrast to the bold, multidimensional sentiments that characterize the vast majority of post-Coltrane excursions into spirituality. But the sheer soulfulness and devotion of Stanley Cowell's recordings still elevate the record to the same physical and metaphysical levels. Energy and touch are remarkable, as if guided by divine power, and despite the structural spaciousness and rhythmic freedom of the music, not a single note feels out of place, let alone exaggerated. Most fascinating is "Travelin' Man", a 'duet' in an overdub with Cowell on acoustic and electric piano, which underlines his unusual affinity for space and presence.
Musa Ancestral Streams remains a relative oddity in the pantheon of jazz's black consciousness movement - a solo piano set of stunning reach and scope, its adherence to intimacy contrasts sharply with the bold, multi-dimensional sensibilities that signify the vast majority of post-Coltrane excursions into spiritual expression, yet the sheer soulfulness and abandon of Stanley Cowell's performance nevertheless vaults the record into the same physical and metaphysical planes. Cowell's energy and touch are remarkable, as if guided by divine power, and for all the music's structural spaciousness and rhythmic freedom, not a note feels out of place, let alone excessive. Most intriguing is "Travelin' Man", an overdubbed "duet" featuring Cowell on both acoustic and electric piano that underscores his uncommon affinity for space and presence. - Jason Ankeny/AMG

Features:

• 180g Vinyl
• Re-mastering by Ray Staff at Air Mastering, Lyndhurst Hall, London
• Recorded, mixed, edited at Minot Studios on December 10-11, 1973
• Gatefold jacket
• Made in the UK

Musicians:

• Stanley Cowellpiano, electric piano, thumb piano (African Thumb piano)

Selections:

Side A
1. Abscretions
2. Equipoise
3. Prayer For Peace
4. Emil Danenberg (From "Illusion Suite")
Side B
1. Maimoun (From "Illusion Suite")
2. Travelin' Man
3. Departure No. 1
4. Departure No. 2
5. Sweet Song