| Spirits Entering | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 2001 | |||
| Recorded | May 24 and 25, 1998 | |||
| Studio | Riverside Studio, Chicago | |||
| Genre | Free jazz | |||
| Length | 59:46 | |||
| Label | Delmark Records DE-533 | |||
| Producer | Kahil El'Zabar, Robert G. Koester | |||
| Kahil El'Zabar chronology | ||||
| ||||
Spirits Entering is an album by percussionist Kahil El'Zabar and violinist Billy Bang. It was recorded during May 1998 at Riverside Studio in Chicago, and was released in 2001 by Delmark Records. [1] [2] [3] [4]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| The Penguin Guide to Jazz | [5] |
| Tom Hull – on the Web | A− [6] |
In a review for AllMusic, Alex Henderson wrote that El'Zabar and Bang "enjoy a strong rapport and bring out the best in one another," and commented: "the musicians favor an inside/outside approach and provide an album that is left of center but still quite musical... Those who have enjoyed El'Zabar's work with the Ritual Trio and the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble will also find a great deal to admire about Spirits Entering." [1]
The authors of The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings stated that the album "has some splendid music, though it's compromised a little by the dry and thin tone the violinist gets. El'Zabar makes enough noise to drown him out at times, but in the more mellifluous passages it's a fine match." [5]
Critic Tom Hull noted that El'Zabar's "everyday-from-everywhere beats form a fascinating backdrop" for Bang, who has "rarely enjoyed so much space, and responds with touching eloquence." [6]
John Litweiler of JazzTimes remarked: "once you adjust to the unusual instrumentation, the music proves engaging, often charming and clever... Much of this album's variety results from the songs [El'Zabar] composed and from his playing with or against Bang; these two musicians have a pleasing give-and-take." [7]
Writing for All About Jazz , Bernie Koenig called the album "highly recommended," and a "truly great example of what a duo is all about," and stated that the musicians "create incredible moods and, on any and all levels, incredible music." [8] AAJ's Derek Taylor commented: "while some of material may seem familiar the stripped down improvisatory setting and the fertile ingenuity of the two men make the session seem fresh." [9] Another AAJ reviewer remarked: "having played together off and on for 25 years, these two musicians have come to develop an intuitive sense for each other's ideas and feelings. They play as one to make possible a ritual music with deep musical and extra-musical consequences." [10]
In an article for One Final Note, Scott Hreha wrote: "even if the percussionist's penchant for revisiting some of his tried and true compositions dilutes a degree of spontaneity from the disc's overall impact, the stripped-down violin/drums format more than makes up for the lack of surprise in the sheer ingenuity with which Bang and El'Zabar pull it off." [11]
Billy Bang, born William Vincent Walker, was an American free jazz violinist and composer.
Kahil El'Zabar is an American jazz multi-instrumentalist and composer. He regularly records for Delmark Records.
Ari Brown is an American jazz tenor saxophonist and pianist.
A Sanctuary Within is an album by David Murray, released on the Italian Black Saint label in 1992. It features performances by Murray, Sunny Murray, Kahil El'Zabar and Tony Overwater.
Ethnic Heritage Ensemble is an American jazz ensemble founded in 1973 by percussionist Kahil El'Zabar. Its members have included Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre, Joseph Bowie, Ernest Dawkins, Light Henry Huff, Edward Wilkerson, Hanah Jon Taylor, and 'Atu' Harold Murray.
Renaissance of the Resistance is an album by American jazz percussionist Kahil El'Zabar and his Ritual Trio, which also includes saxophonist Ari Brown and bassist Malachi Favors. It was recorded in 1993 and released on Delmark.
The Continuum is an album by Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, a jazz band formed by percussionist Kahil El'Zabar, who is joined by trombonist Joseph Bowie and two new members: saxophonist Ernest Dawkins, who replaces Ed Wilkerson, and percussionist 'Atu' Harold Murray. It was recorded in 1997 and released on Delmark.
Jitterbug Junction is an album by American jazz percussionist Kahil El'Zabar's Ritual Trio, which also includes saxophonist Ari Brown and bassist Malachi Favors. It was recorded in 1997 and released on CIMP.
Freedom Jazz Dance is an album by Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, a jazz band formed by percussionist Kahil El'Zabar, who is joined by trombonist Joseph Bowie, saxophonist Ernest Dawkins and special guest guitarist Fareed Haque. It was recorded in 1999 and released on Delmark.
Big Cliff is an album by American jazz percussionist Kahil El'Zabar and his Ritual Trio, which also includes saxophonist Ari Brown and bassist Malachi Favors, and the guest appearance of violinist Billy Bang. It was recorded live in 1994 at the Chicago Undergroung Fest and released on Delmark.
What It Is! is an album by American jazz percussionist Kahil El'Zabar, which was recorded in 2012 and released on Delmark. It was the debut of a quartet comprising three young players from the school of Chicago's AACM: tenor saxophonist Kevin Nabors, pianist Justin Dillard and bassist Junius Paul. The album includes five originals and two jazz standards by John Coltrane: "Impressions" and "Central Park West".
Follow the Sun is an album by American jazz percussionist Kahil El'Zabar, which was recorded in 2013 and released on Delmark. He leads his Ritual Trio with saxophonist Ari Brown and bassist Junius Paul, augmented by special guests vocalist Dwight Trible and Duke Payne on second tenor sax and bagpipes.
Love Outside of Dreams is an album by the American jazz percussionist Kahil El'Zabar, recorded in 1997 and released on Delmark. He leads a trio featuring saxophonist David Murray and bassist Fred Hopkins in his last recording session. Murray and El'Zabar cut the duo album Golden Sea in 1989 and Kahil joined David's groups for A Sanctuary Within, The Tip and Jug-A-Lug in the early '90s.
One World Family is an album by American jazz percussionist Kahil El'Zabar with saxophonist David Murray, which was recorded in 2000 and released on CIMP. They recorded previously the 1989 duo album Golden Sea.
We Is is an album by American jazz percussionist Kahil El'Zabar and saxophonist David Murray, which was recorded live in 2000 at the Bop Shop record store in Rochester and released on Delmark.
Return of the Lost Tribe is an album by Bright Moments, a collaborative project by saxophonists Joseph Jarman and Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre, percussionist Kahil El'Zabar, bassist Malachi Favors and pianist Adegoke Steve Colson, which was recorded in 1997 and released on the Delmark label.
Conversations is an album by saxophonist Archie Shepp with Kahil El'Zabar's Ritual Trio, which also includes Ari Brown and Malachi Favors, which was recorded in 1999 and released on the Delmark label.
Africa N'Da Blues is an album by Kahil El'Zabar's Ritual Trio featuring saxophonist Pharoah Sanders that was recorded in 1999 and released on the Delmark label.
Live at the River East Art Center is a live album by Kahil El'Zabar's Ritual Trio, with special guest violinist Billy Bang, that was recorded in Chicago in 2004 and released on the Delmark label.
Big M: A Tribute to Malachi Favors is an album by Kahil El'Zabar's Ritual Trio, featuring violinist Billy Bang, that was recorded in Chicago in late 2004 and released on the Delmark label.