Elevation is a live album by American saxophonist and composer Pharoah Sanders (containing one track recorded in the studio), released in 1973 on the Impulse! label.[1]
| Elevation | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Live album by | ||||
| Released | 1974 | |||
| Recorded | September 7, 9 & 14, 1973 | |||
| Genre | Jazz, free jazz, ethno jazz | |||
| Length | 47:18 | |||
| Label | Impulse! | |||
| Producer | Ed Michel | |||
| Pharoah Sanders chronology | ||||
| ||||
Reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [3] |
| The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings | [4] |
| Uncut | 8/10[5] |
The AllMusic review by Thom Jurek stated: "This may not rate as highly as some of Sanders' other recordings for the label like Thembi or Karma, but there is plenty here for fans, and it is well worth the investigation and the purchase."[2]
Brian P. Lonergan of All About Jazz compared the album to Alice Coltrane's Journey in Satchidananda, on which Sanders appeared, noting that it "shares much of the ambiance and sonic palette" of that recording, and stated that it "ventures into some pretty bizarre and wild territory."[6]
Track listing
edit- All compositions by Pharoah Sanders except as indicated
- "Elevation" – 18:01
- "Greeting to Saud (Brother McCoy Tyner)" – 4:07
- "Ore-Se-Rere" (Ebenezer Obey) – 5:38
- "The Gathering" – 13:51
- "Spiritual Blessing" – 5:41
- Recorded in performance at the Ash Grove in Los Angeles, California, on September 7, 1973 (tracks 3 & 4), and September 9, 1973 (tracks 1 & 5), and at Wally Heider Studios in San Francisco, California, on September 13, 1973 (track 2)
Personnel
edit- Pharoah Sanders – tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, shaker, vocals, bells, percussion
- Joe Bonner – piano, harmonium, cow horn, wood flute, percussion, vocals
- Calvin Hill – bass, vocals, tambura
- Michael Carvin – drums, vocals
- Lawrence Killian – conga, bell tree, vocals
- John Blue (tracks 3 & 4), Jimmy Hopps (tracks 1, 2 & 5) – percussion, vocals
- Michael White – violin (track 2)
- Kenneth Nash – percussion (track 2)
- Sedatrius Brown – vocals (track 2)
Charts
edit| Chart (2026) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Jazz & Blues Albums (Official Charts)[7] | 13 |
| US Top Contemporary Jazz Albums (Billboard)[8] | 14 |
References
edit- ↑ Impulse! Records discography accessed January 5, 2012
- 1 2 Jurek, T. Allmusic Review accessed January 5, 2012.
- ↑ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 7. MUZE. p. 245.
- ↑ Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 1259. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.
- ↑ "How to Buy Pharoah Sanders". Uncut. November 2023. p. 69.
- ↑ Lonergan, Brian P. (September 9, 2006). "Pharoah Sanders And Don Cherry: Elevation And Where Is Brooklyn?". All About Jazz. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
- ↑ "Official Jazz & Blues Albums Chart on 20/3/2026 – Top 30". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 21, 2026.
- ↑ "Pharoah Sanders Chart History (Top Contemporary Jazz Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 24, 2026.