One of the best records ever from reedman John Stubblefield – a set that balances his spiritual roots with a more wide-reaching sense of soul! The tunes here are some of the best that Stubblefield ever penned – proud, righteous numbers that have this great sense of energy – offered up not just in the leader's own work on tenor and soprano sax, but also in the keyboards of Geri Allen, bass of Charnett Moffett, drums of Victor Lewis, and percussion of Mino Cinelu. Things are electric, but never at a level that's crossover fusion at all – and the whole album rings out with that new sense of pride that came to jazz like this as the previous spiritual generation found more acceptance in the 80s. Cinelu sings a bit on the record, and titles include "Bushman Song", "Serenade To The Mother Land", "Some Things Never Change", "East Side West Side", and "Mwe Malad O". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing sounds from the righteous Roy Brooks – a drummer who worked strongly in the soul jazz mainstream of the 60s, then stepped out into even headier territory here in the 70s! The album's a spiritual masterpiece all the way through – an album on par with early 70s Impulse sides from Pharoah Sanders or Archie Shepp, or the best from Strata East – cut with a similar blend of righteous rhythmic undercurrents, freewheeling solos, and vocalizations that really help underscore the message in the music! The lineup is filled with players as powerful as Brooks – Joe Bonner on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, Cecil Bridgewater on trumpet, Sonny Fortune on tenor and soprano saxes, and John Stubblefield on oboe – plus vocals by Dee Dee Bridgewater, who's easily at her most righteous here. The album features the long "Black Survival" suite – with passages that include "Here & Now", "Prologue", "Sahel", and "Relief". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing sounds from drummer Roy Brooks – very spiritual work that's quite a change from his straighter soul jazz of the 60s! The album's right up there with Roy's better-known (though still rare) live performance at Town Hall – or his classic Free Slave session – and like those records, this one explodes with a raw power that's really amazing – heavy drums from Brooks, driving a collective of righteous musicians that really stretch out in the free space of the recording! The clineup shifts a bit from track to track, but there's a cohesive spirit to the record that comes from Brooks' bold spirit – a joyous, soulful, post-Coltrane sort of energy – let loose in the lead, to guide the talents of players who include John Stubblefield on tenor, Sonny Fortune on alto, Olu Dara and Cecil Bridgewater on trumpets, Hamiet Bluiett on baritone sax, Joe Bonner on piano, and Reggie Workman on bass. Eddie Jefferson makes an appearance on two tracks – singing much hipper than on any of his better-known recordings of the period – and titles include "The Last Prophet", "M'Jumbe", "Eboness", "The Smart Set", and "Eboness (Kwanza)". LP, Vinyl record album

There's a nice sense of urgency on this album from Michael Carvin – a sort of soulful fire and creative energy that shows that his work was still burning strongly in the 80s! The set's almost more of a 70s session at heart – a no-nonsense record that's filled with the best post-Coltrane influences, and a bit of a Wayne Shorter vibe at times – no limits in the expressions of the players, but always a strong sense of unity, and solos that are never too overindulgent. Players include John Stubblefield and Ron Bridgewater on tenor – each getting two tracks apiece – Claudio Roditi and Cecil Bridgewater on trumpets, again on different tracks – Frank Lace on trombone, Onaje Allen Gumbs on piano, and David Williams on bass – all driven strongly by Carvin's great work on drums. Titles include "Dear Trane/Dear Hippo With Green Shoes On", "Night In Tunisia", "MR", and "Caravan" – mostly all taken in long versions. LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous look at one of the coolest jazz labels of all time – and one that has an especially strong focus on the more spiritual side of its music! The paired Black Saint and Soul Note labels came along from the Italian scene right at a time when so many other American companies were shutting their doors – former spiritual jazz powerhouses like Strata East, Impulse, and Black Jazz were moving beyond the music, or disappearing entirely – which made the role of Black Saint/Soul Note such a crucial one! The company came into the game at a time of boundless creativity in American jazz – and really captured a post-Coltrane generation that was brimming over with fire and new ideas, but just needed a place to find expression – which it did at the label, who recorded dozens of albums in the space of less than a decade, nearly all of which have gone onto become classics over the years. And while there's a side of the label that's much more free jazz and avant garde, the cuts here reflect a Black Saint/Soul Note that's just slightly inside – tunes that are still freewheeling, but also have a rhythmic core – and the kinds of open, soaring solos that were first inspired in the 60s generation of Coltrane and Shepp. The choice of cuts is great – similar to the others in the If Music series – and titles include "Mr Seven" by M'Booom, "Joycie Girl" by Don Pullen with Sam Rivers, "Il Giro Del Giorno In 80 Mondi" by Enrico Rava, "Oasis" by Hamiet Bluiett, "Confessin" by John Stubblefield, "Joobubie" by George Adams & Dannie Richmond, "Verde Que Eu Te Quero Ver" by Rava String Band, "Down Home In New York" by Archie Shepp, "BK" by Air, and "The Nagual Julian" by Billy Bang Sextet. LP, Vinyl record album