Ptah the El Daoud features Joe Henderson, Pharoh Sanders, Ron Carter and Ben Riley. I picked it up on the strength of these names knowing nothing about it, and it blew me away.  Beautiful modal songs, some lush playing by everyone that stays really moody throughout, and it's the first time I've ever heard a harp in a jazz context .. way nice! [KI]

My Alice Coltrane pick would be World Galaxy, with its covers of "My Favourite Things" and "A Love Supreme", the latter anchored by substitute funky drummer, Ben Riley.  And those strings!  On "Galaxy Around Olodumare" they scrape and scratch with brutal razor edits, an abrasive offset to an otherwise blissful theme which spans the album. [DW]

If anyon has a copy of Huntingdon Ashram, pleaase get in touch, trade Cds/tapes maybe? ham@michaelcalvert.demon.co.uk
[michael c]

This is the most dramatic recording I can say I've heard by AC, really powerful big lush symphonic beauty, and then some. Think along the lines of David Axelrod’s first two Capitol recordings, but then pile on a whole heap of spiritual intensity, a little bit of avant-garde, and you'll kind of get the picture. Two of the tracks on here are versions of her husband’s tunes "My Favorite Things" and "A Love Supreme", and I don't want to be disrespectful to the late and great John Coltrane, but these versions are just sublime adaptations and real rivals to his versions. This was a very brave move on her part to do this, as she can be seen as a bit of a Yoko Ono of the jazz world, but I think she carried it off amazingly well, if not improved on them a little.

Nick
[anonymous]

listen to UNIVERSAL CONSCIOUSNESS on earphones, unless you have an incredible system. then try WORLD GALAXY or LORD OF LORDS. then PTAH EL DAOUD then tell me or somebody that its the finest thing he ever heard
[david johnson]