Journey to the One is a double album led by saxophonist Pharoah Sanders, recorded in 1979 and released on the Theresa label.[1]
| Journey to the One | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1980 | |||
| Recorded | December 1979 | |||
| Studio | San Francisco, CA | |||
| Genre | Jazz | |||
| Length | 72:00 | |||
| Label | Theresa TR 108/109 | |||
| Producer | Pharoah Sanders | |||
| Pharoah Sanders chronology | ||||
| ||||
Reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| Jazzwise |  [5] |
| The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings | [3] |
| The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide | [4] |
| Uncut | 7/10[6] |
In his review for AllMusic, Scott Yanow commented: "As usual, Sanders shifts between spiritual peace and violent outbursts in his tenor solos".[2]
The authors of The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings called the music "strong, vibrant jazz," and wrote: "What's quickly apparent is that the gentler, more linear and melodic Sanders is not fundamentally different from the high-octane screamer, just differently modulated."[3]
Writing for Jazzwise, Kevin Le Gendre stated: "Backed by a formidable band, Sanders moves seamlessly from tenderness to aggression all the while creating a compelling narrative over the two discs."[5]
Chris May of All About Jazz included Journey to the One in his list of "Alternative Top Ten Albums," calling it "the album that introduced Sanders to a new generation of dancefloor-loving jazz neophytes."[7]
A writer for Billboard praised the album's "superb playing," and noted: "there is something here that transcends labels."[8]
Track listing
editAll compositions by Pharoah Sanders except where noted
- "Greetings to Idris" – 7:28
- "Doktor Pitt" – 12:13
- "Kazuko" – 8:07
- "After the Rain" (John Coltrane) – 5:36
- "Soledad" – 4:56
- "You've Got to Have Freedom" – 6:48
- "Yemenja" (John Hicks) – 5:35
- "It's Easy to Remember" (Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers) – 6:32
- "Think About the One" – 4:15
- "Bedria" – 10:30
Personnel
edit- Pharoah Sanders – tenor saxophone, tambura, sleigh bells
- Eddie Henderson – flugelhorn (tracks 2 & 6)
- John Hicks – piano (tracks 1,2 6–8 & 10)
- Joe Bonner – piano, electric piano (track 4 & 9)
- Bedria Sanders – harmonium (track 5)
- Paul Arslanian – harmonium, wind chimes (track 3)
- Mark Isham – synthesizer (track 9)
- James Pomerantz – sitar (track 5)
- Yoko Ito Gates – koto (track 3)
- Chris Hayes (track 10), Carl Lockett (tracks 1,7 & 9) – guitar
- Ray Drummond (tracks 1,2, 6–8 & 10), Joy Julks (track 9) – bass
- Idris Muhammad (tracks 1,2, 6–8 & 10), Randy Merritt (track 9) – drums
- Phil Ford – tabla (track 5)
- Babatunde Lea – shekere, congas (track 9)
- Dee Dee Dickerson, Bobby McFerrin, Vicki Randle, Ngoh Spencer – vocals (tracks 6 & 9)
- Claudette Allen – vocals (track 9)
References
edit- ^ Pharoah Sanders discography accessed January 12, 2015
- ^ a b Yanow, Scott. Journey to the One – Review at AllMusic. Retrieved January 12, 2015.
- ^ a b Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2006). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings. Penguin Books. p. 1151.
- ^ Swenson, John, ed. (1999). The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide. Random House. p. 593.
- ^ a b Le Gendre, Kevin. "Pharoah Sanders: Journey To The One". Jazzwise. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
- ^ "How to Buy Pharoah Sanders". Uncut. November 2023. p. 69.
- ^ May, Chris (December 10, 2020). "Pharoah Sanders: An Alternative Top Ten Albums To Feed Your Head". All About Jazz. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
- ^ "Billboard's Recommended LPs". Billboard. November 15, 1980. p. 93.