[Kritavi]

If you are anywhere in the area here is a rare chance to see Pharoah at Scullers. I will be there tonight for both shows. I saw his last time here 3 years ago. He had Harold Mabern on piano and played Body + Soul, Giant Steps, Night Has a Thousand Eyes etc and blew the house down.
I'll check in tomorrow with who he had in the band and how it was (great I will predict from many many other times seeing him).

 

[Kritavi]

What a great night. Pharoah has Nat Greene bass, Joe Farnsworth and his longtime associate the great William Henderson on piano.
Pharoah was playing an SBA with a Link.
I've heard Pharoah many times, I think he is getting better and deeper as a player. His control of the instrument and the way he can incorporate his range of sounds into straight ahead playing is unique and quite powerful. I don't think there is anyone who comes closer to the flavor of John Coltranes sound then Pharoah.
He started with My Favorite Things which was tremendous. Played a few standards I didn't recognize as well as some of his own material. The highlight was his extended workout on I Want To Talk About You. Trane was coming through in that one.
I've seen some good tenor players this year, Sonny Rollins and Chris Potter but this was a great quartet in a great club and so much more intimate then Symphony Hall where I saw Sonny and I enjoyed this one most of all. This is the way jazz is meant to be heard.
Go see him if you can.

 

[Bikedog]

Pharoah Sanders is magnificent. His ballads are some of the most expessive recordings I have heard. I saw him last year at Catalina's in Hollywood, it was the "dinner show", he danced and sang some blues, but his playing got an emotional response from everyone. His recordings of the last decade are all wonderful. If you haven't heard "From Crescent With Love" and "Welcome to Love" you have missed something. I think he has extended the artistry of John Coltrane and come out with his own voice and advanced some techniques other players have yet to explore. DOES ANYONE know where to find the sheet music to: Light at the Edge of the World by P. Peirio

 

[Kritavi]

Well said Bikedog. Not a lot of interest in Pharoah I guess. Too bad. For all the talk of Coltrane here is a guy who comes the closest to expressing a similar sound, feel and essence then anyone else in the world and yet still manages to be very original and unique. He's been an innovator and an explorer and yet remains deep within the tradition.
Along with Archie Shepp and Yusef Lateef he is among the greatest and most underated horn players alive and yes I know those two cats are no longer active but it would be nice to see them get their due. Johnny Griffin too.

 

[whaler]

I got to see Pharoah a lot at the Vanguard because his pianist at the time, Joe Bonner, used to stay with me. His sound is closer to Coltrane than anyone I've heard live. I loved to hear him play "You Send Me". You felt like you were at the Coltrane "Ballads" recording session.

 

[docformat]

I've always got the impression that Pharoah is more popular on this side of the Atlantic than at home. I saw him at the Jazz Cafe nearly 10 years ago - excellent. I think he is the closest you can get to Love Supreme era Trane you can get now - but he has his own way too. I think he has a broad appeal outside mainstream jazz - I first knew his music through soul-jazzers Galliano.

As an aside if you like his middle-eastern influenced playing (and Lateefs) I strongly recommend these CDs http://www.amazon.com/Ethiopiques-V...3103128?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1189414735&sr=8-1