Gary Bartz – Another Earth

While not a household name, alto saxophonist Gary Bartz is beloved amongst jazz heads for his stints playing with Max Roach, Art Blakey, and Miles Davis along with his distinctive Ntu Troop, which combined African, Middle Eastern/Arabic, and Afro-Caribbean influences with electric jazz fusion. Just prior to forming that group, Bartz’s released one of his best, Another Earth, a spiritual cosmic jazz album inspired by a UFO sighting. The album features Stanley Cowell (piano) and Charles Tolliver (trumpet), who would later found the great Strata-East, along with spiritual jazz legend Pharoah Sanders. From the liner notes: “this music is a testimonial. It is in a sense akin to the Black baptist tradition of ‘standin’ up and testifyin’ to the glory of the Lord before the Sunday morning congregation – an act of humility and an emotional expression of appreciation of some miracle, great or small; or simply a plea for mercy. The tradition is as old as Africa, where oblations to the gods are manifold and frequent, serving as constant reminders of man’s comparatively small role in the cosmic scheme.” The near 24-minute long title track is a sextet in three uninterrupted movements flowing through post-bop, straight-ahead swing, and Sanders’ powerful free jazz moments.

Recommended – Full Listen

Original copy available now: https://insheepsclothinghifi.com/product/gary-bartz-another-earth-lp-used/