Rail Band – Buffet Hotel De La Gare Bamako
J.O.B Orquestra’s Open the Doors to Your Heart is a highly underrated album from the 1970’s New York afro-spiritualist movement that would later become a favorite amongst hip-hop producers. The album integrates Indian classical instrumentation, and uses the Esraj and the tabla alongside lyrics from Hindu holy text. The whole record has an ease about it that’s equal parts soothing, joyful, and mystical. B2 The Soul borrows lyrics from the coming of age spiritual journey of the Bhagavad Gita holy text, and fuses it with funk and soul that’s shuffle worthy. The last track B4 Govinda is no doubt the most iconic. It conjures a celestial and meditative tone that feels and sounds like incantation and unsurprisingly, is the most sampled track on the record. Notable spiritual artists from the 70’s including Alice Coltrane, George Harrison, Stevie Wonder, and Richie Havens are noted on the back cover and if you’re a fan of any of those artists, you’ll surely enjoy this album as well.
– Tana Yonas
Recommended – B4 Govinda
Tags: Cult Classic / Obscure Sound / Psychedelic / Samples / Spiritual
Tracklist:
A1 Only Faith And Hope
A2 Can’t Find The Way
A3 Don’t Want That Illusion
A4 Yield To Him
B1 I Believe In Thee
B2 The Soul
B3 Open The Doors Of Your Heart
B4 Govinda
Credits:
Artwork & Design – Antima Das
Backing Vocals – Christine Faith, January Tyme, Lynna Davis, Norma Jean Wright
Backing Vocals, Lead Vocals – Calvin Moss and Clare Bathe
Bass – “Ian” Rick Alexander, B.J. Lattimer, and Danny Strout
Bass Trombone – Dale Turk
Co-producer – Sri Rama Das
Co-producer, Lead Vocals, Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals – Prince Ali
Congas, Bongos, Bells – Vadiraj Das
Engineer – Peter Robbins
Assistant Engineer – Akili Walker
Esraj – Sri Rama Das
Flute, Saxophone – Patience Higgins
French Horn, Trumpet – Charles McGee
Guitar – Butch Grant, Jay Owens, Onorio Mercado, Piers Lawrence
Lead Vocals – Vakresvara Pandit
Liner Notes – Adi Kesava Swami
Producer, Arranged By, Electric Piano (Fender Rhodes), Clarinet, Piano, Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals – Jorge Barreiro
Strings – Gene Orloff Ensemble
Tabla – Vedavyasapriya
Tenor Trombone – Michael Heathman
Trumpet – Gene Citronbaum, Laurie Frink
