Nov 7, 2010

Carlos Garnett: "Journey To Enlightenment"

Heady title notwithstanding, this is a beautiful record of spiritual jazz from the underground New York label Muse, from 1974 (more on Muse Records later).  Carlos Garnett was a saxophonist, formerly of Miles Davis’ band, who had heavy leanings towards the post-Coltrane avant-garde, “energy” style of jazz.  He recorded this album a year after his more-famous breakthrough, “Black Love,” also on Muse Records, and it shows the same blending of world musics and themes with soaring, bitingly spiritual solos over Afro-centric and sometimes-funky grooves.  The cover is fantastic, with a painting of Garnett walking with his saxophone through a jungle paradise, approaching a pyramid as a Pterodactyl wings by.  Truly unique.

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