Track Listing

1. The Creator Has A Master Plan
2. Colors

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #40422 in Music
• Released on: 1999-03-20
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 38 minutes

From Amazon.com
Although introduced as a protégé of John Coltrane and touted by many as his heir apparent, reedman Pharoah Sanders quickly proved his own man. His shared interest in the "cosmic" music of Coltrane's final period belies the fact that Sanders frequently plays with an unhurried sense of peace and satisfaction rarely found in his mentor's music. His use of space, African and Asian motifs and instruments, and simple, repetitive melodies also pointed the way for jazz, rock, and new age musicians in the '70s and '80s, while his sometimes raucous use of harsh, shrieking runs influenced many of jazz's most adventurous saxophonists.

The centerpiece of Karma is the marathon half-hour octet recording "The Creator Has a Master Plan." Although the track features a warm vocal by Leon Thomas, its true feature artist for almost the entire length is Sanders, who carries the melody, feel, and improvisation firmly on his shoulders. All of Sanders's key elements--Afro-centric spiritualism, sweeping use of mood from long, relaxed intervals to frenetic cacophony, and a deep sense of melody and rhythm--are in evidence. The album's religious feeling is cemented by the album's closer, "Colors," which serves as a deeply felt invocation. --Fred Goodman

Customer Reviews

Fantastic!
This is a great album. Late 60's new jazz born out of
the late Coltrane.
In fact, Sanders played with Coltrane on a few albums+tours
and the influence in evident.
Touches of 'A Love Supreme' are all but discarded after
you just get used to them. Almost as if Pharoah was
payign homage to his peer and then boldly stating that
it was time for him to move on.
Leon Thomas' approach to singing is still inspiring to me as when i first heard him.
Check him out also if you can, you'll find Sanders on a
few of his PLUS an almost 7" version of
'The Creator Has A Master Plan'!
If you like Jazz, expression of the Soul as an art form, then this
is for you!!

Beautifully chaotic and breath-taking.
First time I heard this I couldn't believe it. My all time favourite Jazz album. I've recommended this to a few friends who have all given me positive feedback. "The Creator has a masterplan" is available in shorter form on a couple of compilations, but sit back and listen to the full length version.
This isn't easy listening but is a serene experience every time i listen to it.

Hippy dippy and trippy?
Sax man Sanders, see my review of Tahuid for more detail, has produced another great album here.

Elements of the avant garde, free composition style, and meditational rhythm and sparseness, mix and combine with and under the clear guidance musically and otherwise (contrast and compare with Sun Ra and his collectives) of Pharaoh to produce a beautiful melodic composition, The Creator has a master plan.

Underpinned by the great Reggie Workmans stylings on Bass, Creator jogs along for over thirty minutes, and it will move you with it, especially when Pharoah steps up with gutsy but beautiful contributions, spreading love and happiness to anyone within earshot.

Emotional, challenging and beautiful, this is one to be cherished