Elevation is a 1974 album by Pharoah Sanders that deepens his spiritual jazz language through a balance of ecstatic freedom and disciplined group interplay. Produced by Ed Michel and recorded in 1973 across two live performances and a studio session, the album brings together a focused ensemble featuring Joe Bonner (piano), Calvin Hill (bass), and Michael Carvin (drums).
Built around open structures and modal foundations, the music moves patiently, allowing themes to unfold through repetition, collective momentum, and subtle shifts in texture. Chant-like melodies, circular motifs, and immersive rhythms give pieces such as 'The Gathering' and the title track a calm, searching intensity, revealing a more reflective side of Sanders’ sound without losing its emotional power.
Positioned near the end of Sanders’ time with Impulse!, Elevation stands as a cohesive and assured statement. It connects the fiery expansiveness of his earlier work with a more spacious, inward-looking approach, capturing an artist refining his ideas while remaining committed to music as a vehicle for spiritual and cultural expression.
Pickup currently unavailable at Dreamhouse Records London
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