SHAMEK FARRAH – First Impressions (Strata-East – SES-7412 / LP-1974)

Label: Strata-East – SES-7412

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album / Country: US / Released: 1974

Style: Soul-Jazz, Contemporary, Free Jazz

Recorded and mixed at Sound Ideas Studio, New York City.

Artwork [Graphics] – Jerry Harris

Photography By [Liner Photo] – Richard Hinson

Engineer [Recording] – Geoff Daking, George Klabin

Producer – Shamek Farrah / Janfar Productions

Matrix / Runout (Side A Etched): SES-7412-A

Matrix / Runout (Side B Etched): SES-7412-B

A1 - Meterologicly Tuned ................................................................................... 11:20

A2 - Watch What Happens Now .......................................................................... 5:43

Shamek Farrah – alto saxophone

Norman Person – trumpet

Kasa Mu-Barak – piano

Milton Suggs – bass

Clay Herndon – drums, percussion

B1 - Umoja Suite ................................................................................................. 7:26

B2 - First impressions ....................................................................................... 10:30

Shamek Farrah – alto saxophone

Norman Person – trumpet

Sonelius Smith – piano

Milton Suggs – bass

Ron Warwell – drums

Kenny Harper – percussion

Calvert "Bo" Satter-White – conga

Fantastic piece of free improvised groove jazz. The players are kind of doing there solos together at the same time, but never loose touch to that bassline groove, outstanding, free, but never too free, just really soulful interaction and a mysterious ancient vibe to it.

One of the hardest to find records on Strata East, and one of the best – a darkly-crafted session of pure beauty, one that lives up to all the best promise of the label! The tracks are long, the sound is bold, and the whole thing moves at a pace that none of the bigger jazz labels were matching at the time – the most righteous, most expressive side of jazz in the mid 70s! Alto player Shamek Farrah is at the lead of a unique group that features Norman Person on trumpet, Milton Suggs on bass, and Sonelius Smith on piano – plus lots of additional drums and percussion, especially on side two of the album, which features some really righteous numbers! Titles include the massive bass sample track "First Impressions" – a symphony of dark, descending chord structures – plus "Meterologicly Tuned", "Watch What Happens Now", and "Umoja Suite". Incredible good! 

(Dusty Groove, Inc.)

If you find it, buy this album!