ALICE COLTRANE — Turiya Alice Coltrane & Devadip Carlos Santana : Illuminations

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ALICE COLTRANE - Turiya Alice Coltrane &  Devadip Carlos Santana : Illuminations cover
4.40 | 7 ratings | 2 reviews
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Album · 1974

Filed under World Fusion
By ALICE COLTRANE

Tracklist

A1 Guru Sri Chinmoy Aphorism 1:10
A2 Angel Of Air 3:37
A3 Angel Of Water 6:18
A4 Bliss: The Eternal Now 5:32
B1 Angel Of Sunlight 14:43
B2 Illuminations 4:20

Line-up/Musicians

Acoustic Bass – David Holland
Bass – James Bond (tracks: A1 to A3, B2)
Cello – Anne Goodman (tracks: A1 to A3, B2), Fred Seykora (tracks: A1 to A3, B2), Glenn Grab (tracks: A1 to A3, B2), Jackie Lustgarten (tracks: A1 to A3, B2)
Congas – Armando Peraza
Cymbal [Cymbals],Drums – Jack DeJohnette
Electric Piano,Organ [Hammond], Finger Cymbals, Cymbal [Hand Cymbals],Piano [Acoustic] – Tom Coster
Flute,Soprano Saxophone – Jules Broussard
Arranged By [Strings],Conductor[Strings],Piano [Acoustic], Harp,Organ [Wurlitzer] – Turiya Alice Coltrane
Lead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar, Wind Chimes,Finger Cymbals, Cymbal [Hand Cymbals] – Devadip Carlos Santana
Viola – Alan Harshman (tracks: A1 to A3, B2), David Schwartz (tracks: A1 to A3, B2), Marilyn Baker (tracks: A1 to A3, B2), Myer Bello (tracks: A1 to A3, B2), Myra Kestenbaum (tracks: A1 to A3, B2), Rollice Dale (tracks: A1 to A3, B2)
Tabla – Phil Ford
Tambura [Male Tamboura] – Prabuddha Phil Browne
Violin – Charles Veal (tracks: A1 to A3, B2), Gordon Marron (tracks: A1 to A3, B2), Murray Adler (tracks: A1 to A3, B2), Nathan Kaproff (tracks: A1 to A3, B2), Paul Shure (tracks: A1 to A3, B2), Ron Folsom (tracks: A1 to A3, B2), Bill Henderson (tracks: A1 to A3, B2)

About this release

Columbia ‎– PC 32900 (US)

Thanks to snobb for the addition



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Members reviews

FunkFreak75
Released in September of 1974--the first of three rather gentle, Popol Vuh-like free jazz albums on which Carlos used the term "Devadip" (reputedly meaning in Sanskrit, "the light and lantern of the supreme" or "the eye, the lamp and the light of god") that spiritual guru Sri Chimnoy had given him.

A1. "Guru Sri Chinmoy Aphorism" (1:10) nothing like a professional "om" to open an album!

A2. "Angel Of Air / Angel Of Water" (9:55) had Carlos ever played such clear, sustained, crystalline notes on his electric guitar as he did in the second minute of this song? Bass, harp, orchestra-like cymbal play, and Fender Rhodes piano chords support this for the first four minutes until sax enters to help bring the "Angel of Air" section to a close. The second half has Alice's harp playing more prominently alongside Dave Holland's pacifying bass lines and opposite Carlos' at-first subdued, almost-muted guitar note play. Orchestral strings and Fender Rhodes swirl at both ends of the aural spectrum before Jules Broussard's sax (which sounds more like an alto than the credited soprano) returns. The song's final three minutes, then, unfold as a sparse duet between Carlos and Alice before the bass and strings re-join for the final two. Beautiful and, I'd say, yes, successful in its devotional aspirations. (18/20)

A3. "Bliss: The Eternal Now" (5:32) full orchestra is here central and to this music with Carlos' r/humble and even deferential guitar and Alice's pensive piano feeling almost supportive of, if not reactive to, the strings, etc. I like this very much. (9.25/10)

B1. "Angel Of Sunlight" (14:43) with the presence of the tamboura, cymbals, non-Western scales being played by Carlos and, later, tabla, this one seems to be trying to present itself as a kind of East-West fusion piece--and this was before any of the Shakti or CoDoNa releases, though a couple of years after Collin Walcott's OREGON trio had been trying to make its mark on the East Coast. At the three minute mark the entry of a domineering Dave Holland bass and full-blown drum kit from Jack DeJohnette seems to be trying to steer this song into the clutches of the West but . The entry of a note-bending organ in the ninth minute adds an odd sound that I suppose is trying to emulate the note-bending capacities of the sitar and other Indian, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean instruments. Wild free-form saxophone and Carlos' note-bending banshee-screaming guitar notes join in during the successive minutes sounding more like one of ROBERT FRIPP's free-form KING CRIMSON sessions (think Discipline's "Indiscipline"). With the arrival of the 12-minute mark comes a calming "after the storm" wind down effect. An incredible song of cross-cultural (28.5/30)

B2. "Illuminations" (4:20) Tom Coster's single piano chord opens this one, held and sustained while the orchestra strings, vibrapone, and harp slowly and, eventually, rather-dramatically work their way into the song (between successive piano chord hits). Again, it really feels as if the orchestra is the lead instrument here, even when Carlos' delicate and unassuming guitar lends its very minimal notes. (9/10)

Total time:

Though I would never categorize this album as one of Jazz-Rock Fusion, it is a collection of song performances drawing on both jazz and cinema soundtrack history to express the devotional aspect of its composers and performers.

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of some kind of jazz-informed devotional music.
Miler72
I'm certain Carlos Santana wanted to meet up and perhaps collaborate with John Coltrane, but it was obviously too late as he passed away in 1967, and Santana had just formed and their debut album won't see the light of day for another two years. It's clear Mr. Santana was a big fan. At least many years later, after being a disciple of Sri Chimnoy, and already releasing a coupe of fusion albums with Santana (Caravanserai, Welcome) and with John McLaughlin (Love, Devotion, Surrender), he got to collaborate with John Coltrane's widow Alice Coltrane. I knew right away this wasn't going to be a Santana album. Much of side one consists of orchestral passages with Mr. Santana's unmistakable guitar playing and some really nice harp playing from Ms. Coltrane. This is truly stuff that you can't imagine being on Caravanserai, Welcome or Borboletta. It's great stuff indeed. "Angel of Sunlight" is the closer to Love, Devotion, Surrender in spirit, has that same intense jamming, although with more of an Indian influence. Tablas are used but also drumming from Jack DeJohnette, and congas from Armando Peraza, Afro-Cuban percussionist, who, unsurprisingly, played with Santana. I also dig the cover, it reminds me of artwork you'd see on various versions of the Bhagavad Gita, which I guess was intentional, given Mr. Santana's association with Sri Chimnoy (Alice Coltrane wasn't a disciple of Sri Chimnoy, though). Rather unique stuff that's well worth having!

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  • lunarston
  • blackbird
  • LittleJake
  • Phrank
  • eduardoveiga

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