Search - Pharaohs :: Awakening

Afrocentric bliss

Allan MacInnis | Vancouver | 10/27/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"African percussion, freeish jazz, funky rhythms -- this is a bit of '70s Afrocentrism that EVERYONE should know about. Highly percussive, some varied cuts -- pretty straight-up cover of "Tracks of My Tears," and "Black Enuff" sort of reminds me of the Art Ensemble of Chicago's early vocal stuff ("Get in Line"), though it's not as chaotic, or, really, as jazzy -- African traditional musics and funk tend to drown out the jazz here a little. Derf Reklaw -- and yes, that IS Fred Walker spelled backwards -- put out a pretty terrific solo album not too long ago, too, but I forget the title at the moment. Fans of Pharoah Sanders' early output might want to check the Pharaohs out, and hey, by the by, am I the only person who has noticed that Sanders spelled "Pharaoh" wrong?"