Prince Lasha & Sonny Simmons
Firebirds
Contemporary Records (US) 1968
S7617 (LP) 2nd. pressing, Yellow label.
sleeve : VG+(SPSE: 3mm crack on top side, wear on corner, light dirts. wrinkle on one corner.)
media : EX+/EX+(some slightly noises.)
In the 1950s, Prince Lasha moved from his native Texas to California and played a leading role in the early free jazz movement with Ornette Coleman, Don Cherry, and Clifford Jordan, as well as Eric Dolphy and Elvin Jones in the 1960s, In the 70's, he made his presence felt with Gene Ammons' group. Sonny Simmons met and worked with Lasha in the 50's, joined Lasha's recording sessions in the 60's, and formed a group with his wife, trumpeter Barbara Donald, in the mid-60's. They produced many masterpieces in a short period of time until the early 70's. This is an album released in 1968 by two cutting-edge lead players who challenged jazz with their own unique view of the universe. Recorded in 1967 at a Los Angeles studio with a quintet featuring Bobby Hutchersn (vb), Buster Williams (b), and Charles Moffett (ds). A1, with its beautiful theme of shifting chords and groovy transition to interplay from beginning to end; A2, with its oriental atmosphere; and B2, which further develops the bop style and paints a mental picture with a mysterious atmosphere. It's all spiritual jazz masterpieces that share the same vision as John Coltrane, Don Cherry, Ornette Coleman, Pharoah Sanders, and their compatriots, while at the same time taking an extremely innovative approach. Highly recommended.
A1: The Island Song
A1: The Island Song
B2: The Loved One