is Karma by Pharoah Sanders the best record ever?

CD version for sure

yes
thank you for that link

A lovely set of different versions of The Creator Has a Master Plan, none of which I'd heard before.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwafWDmW4oU

Yes, there are definitely ones it left out. I like the Bardo Pond version, for one. Will give the Jeri Brown one a listen, thanks for sharing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXB1l2M0fSk

the bardo pond version is the only cover i've heard! that is why i am looking forward to the others. then again, BP and the original are so good idk if i want to ruin it...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4M0EX5KBU2Y

https://tuluumshimmering.bandcamp.com/track/the-creator-has-a-master-plan

is this the longest one?

I was familiar with some of them, but didn't know Jamaaladeen Tacuma recorded a version too, have to check it out. However, despite what the description says, it's missing at least one version of the song, the one Jeri Brown did with Leon Thomas. It's quite good!

― Tuomas

nucleus also did a version with leon thomas. and king crimson did a version too!

THere's a snippet on the Gun Club's Las Vegas Story too. I think there may have been a few live versions, I know they used to do a song they called A Love Supreme too, there's a European cd called Death Party (not to be confused with the extended E.P. cd) with a 9 minute version of that from late 83. I think they had swapped over to Creator for some of 84.

holy shit @ the Krokodil one! thanks.

sun ships adamant love for this record at the thread's start is really great

The Jef Gilson & Malagasy version, my favorite from the one hour collection above, for those who didn't play it through.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9vbDmFa4Mw

gonna bump this one too, just in case any PS fans weren't aware of the new collab with Floating Points which is wonderful

Elevation is great too, sounds like the band are levitating the venue.
Would love more stuff like that.

I thought the mid 70s 20 minute track from I think Montreux was still pretty good but I think it was taken down from Youtube.

or had last time I looked
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYZTgkjdBko

i was unjustly sceptical about the floating points/LSO thing, this kind of project often turns out awkward at best (and i thought pharoah peaked 50 years ago). but it does sound great so far. FP even sounds sort of like alice (on harp or organ) on occasion

so that we don't bounce between artist specific threads:
Floating Points and Pharoah Sanders and London Symphony Orchestra - Promises (2021)

RIP

Seconded

RIP legend. I'm glad he got to have a last surge of attention from the Floating Points album.

oh shit

Promises is a great parting gift.

RIP

RIP - I'm grateful to have had the chance to see him. far too few jazz musicians of his generation even made it to old age

I get the impression that jazz critics have always been a bit sniffy about him for some reason- maybe it's the open spirituality or the association with coltrane going off the deep end (in their minds) or maybe it's the relative "conservatism" of his later work (which I want to spend more time with now) - but he deserved better. I'm glad he had a renaissance recently and I hope it encouaged some people to explore more of his music

I think I'll listen to "meditations" now

RIP

Absolutely vital to my getting into jazz in the first place, so he's always been a keystone for me

Good to know that Karma alumni Lonnie Liston Smith, Reggie Workman, Ron Carter, Richard Davis, James Spaulding and Billy Hart are still with us. RIP Freddie Waits, Julius Watkins and Leon Thomas.

A real special guy.

RIP

RIP, he was my favorite of all the modal jazz folks

I think this might be the best music ever recorded

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4nAGtdkU88

in a very different vein his solo on "consequences" is bone chilling

it's definitely up there. sad day!

Floating Points: Pharoah...

Pharoah Sanders: Huh?

Floating Points: Were you asleep? I'm sorry...

Pharoah Sanders: No no... I was listening... and dreaming... and listening to music in my head...

Floating Points: Oh wow. Sorry.

Pharoah Sanders: Many times, people think I might be asleep... but in fact, I am just listening to music in my head. I'm always listening... to the sounds around me... and playing, in my mind... and sometimes I dream.

Floating Points: What were you dreaming about?

Pharoah Sanders: I'm on a ship. In the ocean. Bears coming around smoking cigars. The bears are singing, 'We have the music. We have what you're looking for.'

rip, hope he’s out there astral traveling with some cigar smoking bears who are giving him the music

shame taht 20 odd minute track from Montreux has gone still quite levitating in 1978. Seems to only be represented by a minute long clip.
Do enjoy his Impulse material and Coltrane sideman years.

RIP to a giant

Going to spin Karma and Thembi later. He will always be a legend.

"Ask the Ages" remains all time for me.

"Ask the Ages" remains all time for me.

GREAT album, I finally got a physical copy earlier this year. That and Coltrane's Ascension are probably my favorite albums featuring Sanders.

Was wondering when that one would come up. And thinking that the last two of those guys passed away this year.

just listened to Pharoah on India Navigation. side 2 skews towards a soul r’n’b vibe and is really really excellent

Currently jamming Wisdom Through Music and the title track is gorgeous

I’m listening to Thembi. First album I heard from him and still my favorite. Opening track alone “astral travelling” hits the spot.

Not his best I’d agree but a personal favorite.

I don't know if it's considered a great one or not but I really love Wisdom Through Music

RIP

Absolutely vital to my getting into jazz in the first place, so he's always been a keystone for me

― rob, Saturday, September 24, 2022 10:51 AM (eleven hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

yeah this. when i was figuring out what about jazz was interesting to me he was right in the center of it. his late 60s/early 70s aesthetic and overall vibe stands unmatched.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDjDCiTfUnU

omg

Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah ye-ah.

Wow.

Sounds like a mash up but it's apparently real. There's a wikipedia entry on it mentioning a couple of other tracks from teh sessions with Leon Thomas on and a few other unexpected artists like Ornette coleman. Apparently it's about Louis Armstrong's last but one session and he was too weak to play trumpet but sang ok.
It's up on Spotify as the full original lp if you want to hear any more.

I discovered that Louis track via this excellent NTS show from a few years ago (maybe even posted on ILM?) thats an hourlong mashup of a bunch of different covers of "Creator", lots of great versions