Alice Coltrane ‎– "Universal Consciousness" (Impulse! ‎– AS-9210) 1971

It's 1971, and Turiyasangitananda,otherwise know as Alice Coltrane, has embraced the 'fro' and has read about how everything is connected by a universal consciousness and she wants to tell us about it.

Thanks Alice, but keep it to yourself will ya?

However,if whatever mumbo-jumbo inspires such swirling,tinkling delights as the music on this album,then bring it on.It almost makes one wanna write ones own made up belief system dunnit?

This is great, unique music that, to my knowledge has never been copied.Which is a rare thing on this plagarised planet. Sadly, that is also evidence for a lack of universal consciousness,or is it?

Everyone seems to like the same thing,or things,and stick to like-minded persons in flocks so maybe we are all connected after all?

The very thought that my consciousness is connected to fellow sentient beings like Donald Trump or Tommy Robinson makes me wanna eat this record and wash it down with Nigel Farages Piss.

If you don't know who these people are then you are truly blessed,if you do know these creeps then I'll pray to Paedophile Swami Sai Baba,another owner of a very stlish Afro, for your salvation,or salivation.

In fact there is a stunning resemblance between Alice 'Turiyasangitananda' Coltrane and creepy old Sai....observe....

Alice

Sai

Tracklist:

A1 Universal Consciousness 5:05
A2 Battle At Armageddon 7:22
A3 Oh Allah 4:54
B1 Hare Krishna 8:16
B2 Sita Ram 4:48
B3 The Ankh Of Amen-Ra 6:12

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or
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Alice Coltrane ‎– "Huntington Ashram Monastery" (Impulse! ‎– AS-9185)

There's a Buddhist temple near my abode on the plateau du Larzac in southern France.I've even worked there,and of course, they didn't fucking pay me! Now, the cops are investigating the rampant sexual abuse doled out by the head budda-boy lard bucket,who is now in hiding back in Thailand; and no, he didn't fuck me either thank you very much!...except for fucking me over financially,correction, his joyless minions fucked me over financially. The fat cunt used to shag as many young dysfunctional girls as possible,insisting that to do so would enhance their karma levels. These perks of the job were 'generously'shared around various monks and his goons for years,even when everyone outside knew what was going on.Seriously Baaaaaad Karma maaaaaan.
So I assume this kinda shit happened in  most of these cult temples, especially in the sixties.The decade of 'Free Love', which meant in reality that ugly blokes could get laid in the name of freedom.
Dunno where, or what this Huntingdon Ashram Monastery is, but I hope Alice kept her rape alarm handy in between Harp sessions. I just have to hear the word 'monk' and instantly think, Perv, or potential rapist;lurking in their saffron robes in a state of permanent semi-arousal, waiting to insert some instant karma into any unsuspecting passing fuck-up-ess.
As distastful as most of these religions are......yes, Buddism is a religion because they worship large statues of Buddha and make prayers.Its basically the worlds biggest cult,and so attracts rich dysfunctional idiots looking for the meaning of life....I certainly think they found it.......it's shit!
I'll start again.....As distastful as most of these religions are, they are capable of producing some of the best devotional ,ecstatic, and basically, Nutty, musics ever made.Alice Coltranes series of early seventies albums are among some of the most original, and indeed, the best.
I chose this early album to start off with because it has Rashied Ali maning the skins,tying it in with previous Coltrane, J,and Frank Lowe albums for continuity's sake.
What I like about these Jazz albums is that they were recorded, invariably, in one day, mostly in one take.This one, for example, was recorded on the 14th of may 1969 in New York city.......not in a Monastery.

Tracklist:

A1 Huntington Ashram Monastery 5:30
A2 Turiya 4:16
A3 Paramahansa Lake 4:29
B1 Via Sivanandagar 6:03
B2 IHS 8:44
B3 Jaya Jaya Rama 6:25

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Rashied Ali Quintet ‎– "Rashied Ali Quintet" (Survival Records ‎– SR-102) 1973

All bands dread that moment when the drummer says, "I've been writing some songs"!!!!??? Then you reluctantly volunteer some fake encouragment,and they play their terrible creations,expecting the next album to be theirs.
Upon rejection it ineviably leads to the drummer throwing his toys out of the pram and quitting, only to return two weeks later,humbly returning to the drum stool where he should stay.
Yes, drummers are,mostly, really good at drumming,so stick to that, and leave the creative stuff to people who know better.
Rashied Ali was a great drummer who realised that to have a solo album as a drummer, you have to surround yourself with proper musicians, which he did here, and for the rest of his releases on his own label throughout the 1970's.This is no Cozy Powell's "Dance With The Devil" however,it be far more 'sophisticated'...its Free Jazz innit?
A young James 'Blood' Ulmer is expertly utilised here, and contributes some improvised guitar, and a composition called 'Captain Black';about the traitorous spectrum agent gone bad in Captain Scarlet,who joined forces with the Mysterons.......what?....It could becouldn't it!?

Tracklist:

A Address 16:55
B Theme For Captain Black 18:13

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John Coltrane ‎– "Infinity" (Impulse! ‎– AS-92250 1972

Another post-mortem examination of the out-takes of John Coltrane is this exhumation of a few sessions from 1965 and '66,later enhanced by the cosmic widow herself, wife, Alice.
It's really an Alice Coltrane record,filled with hindu inspired lush string sections,abstract organ work and Harp glissando's, plus samples of John's tenor sax laid over the top.
If you're an Alice fan, this is her great lost work,if you're a John fan it's a cynical cash-in. As a fan of both, this is like playing two albums by either artist together at the same time,which is something I always like to do from time to time......sometimes it works,and it works here, very well.Should really be credited as a John and Alice Coltrane record,but no-one knew who she was, so,its a John Solo effort for commercial purposes.
All the usual suspects are guesting on the personnel list, like Rashied Ali,Elvin Jones, Pharoah Sanders, Charlie haden, McCoy Tynor;they all dug in to lend a hand,for what in all intents and purposes is a tribute album to one of musics most influential artists......by his widow and old chums.Ahhhh!

Tracklist:

A1 Peace On Earth 9:03
A2 Living Space 10:40
B1 Joy 8:01
B2 Leo 10:08

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John Coltrane ‎– "Interstellar Space" (ABC Impulse! ‎– ASD-9277) 1974

Rashied Ali didn't play on 'Om',but he did play on this Coltrane album from....wot?....1974??? Wait a minute, hadn't the Trane pulled into his last station some seven years earlier,I hear you protest!?
Indeed he had, but this session with Rashied Ali was taped back in '67,and dug up to try and squeeze some more cash from the wide open pockets of your average jazz fan. This is still happening as Coltrane released a new album a year or so ago,competing with Jimi Hendrix for the bi-annual  post-mortem  scraping the bottom of the barrel award.
Its not as wild as Rashied Ali's duet with Frank Lowe however,and not as good, but it does have some nice bells on it.....i'm always a sucker for the odd bell or two amidst the chaos.

Tracklist:

1 Mars 10:42
2 Leo 10:55
3 Venus 8:27
4 Jupiter Variation 6:45
5 Jupiter 5:22
6 Saturn 11:36

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Rashied Ali & Frank Lowe ‎– "Duo Exchange" (Survival Records SR 101) 1973

Frank Lowe must have wet himself when he bagged Coltranes drummer Rashied Ali to spare half an hour of his time to record these two one take improvisations and kick start Franks career.
He certainly dosen't sound overawed,as he spews out a barrage of sounds that bring to mind a napalm attack on a flock of Ducks flying south of hell for the winter,featuring the sound of Daffy Duck being throttled,given CPR,then choked again......several times.
The smell of burning feathers in the morning aside. This is a recording of both men in hot form.Charlie might not surf, but Frank and Rashied certainly can create a wave of ruthless noise plucked from out of the flames.
As I've now exhausted my dogged reservoir of Apocalypse Now references,and duck synonyms,I strongly recommend that you download this beast,and show off to your swell Artist Friends just how bohemian you really are(n't).

Tracklist:

Exchange - Part 1 (13:34)
Exchange - Part 2 (15:09)

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