various: spiritual jazz 6 vocals

The power of the human voice, especially when held in song, has long been known to be immensely influential, potent, and emotive across all of humankind. The sixth installment in Jazzman's Spiritual Jazz series showcases jazz vocals in a collection of jazz messages that are united in voice. The majority of the tracks here are as political as they are theological, but they all share an inner sanctity. In fact, as the distinction between the theological and the humanistic is blurred, so is the definition of song -- many of the tracks are atypical in that they do not possess lyrics with a beginning, middle, and end. Likewise the voices that convey them often can't be said to be singing in the usual sense of the word; we hear solemn chanting, intense wailing, earnest poetry, and ardent recitation in between bouts of singing, the quality of which is often nothing short of exquisite. The styles of performance encompass modern jazz, the avant-garde, and jazz fusion, and include elements of styles from the long and winding path of the African diaspora, including Cuban, Brazilian, Caribbean, and other Pan-American rhythms. Spiritual Jazz 6: Vocals examines some of the rarest and most extraordinary vocal jazz recordings. The selection includes some well-known songs as well as some of the most obscure. There are tracks recorded for major labels and some that were issued privately. But all of them speak or sing of a better place or a better world, and the world can only be a better place when they are played. This is esoteric jazz, modal jazz, spiritual jazz -- as performed with the human voice. Includes tracks by Max Roach, Charles Mingus, Sadaka, Norman Riley, E W Wainright, Clifford Jordan, Pharoah Sanders, Linda Theus, Dr Haki R. Madhubuti, Eddie Gale, Gary Bartz, Byron Morris, and Vibration Society. All tracks fully licensed and digitally restored from the original master tapes. Features comprehensive liner notes with notes for each track and original stories direct from the musicians involved. CD edition includes 24-page color booklet with in-depth liner notes, album cover scans, and previously unpublished photographs.