Gilles delves into the Impulse archives and surfaces with a fine and varied selection. On the spiritual tip there’s Pharoah Sanders’ ‘Hum-Allah-Hum-Allah-Hum-Allah’ with vocalist Leon Thomas, Michael White’s ‘The Blessing Song’ from his 1972 ‘Pnuema’ album, the Abbey Lincoln fronted ‘Lonesome Lover’ by Max Roach and the inspirational ‘Wise One’ from John Coltrane. Art Blakey represents with the firing ‘Alamode’ and the quality continues with the likes of Oliver Nelson’s ‘Patterns’, ‘Three Flowers’, a gorgeous waltz by McCoy Tyner, Milt Jackson & Ray Brown’s dreamy ‘Enchanted Lady’ and the gentle bossa of ‘See You Later’ from Dave Mackay & Vicky Hamilton. And to top it all off, Yusef Lateef’s take of ‘First Gymnopedie’, one of the most beautiful pieces to have ever graced these ears.
