PHAROAH SANDERS — Deaf, Dumb, Blind: Summun, Bukmun, Umyun (review)

PHAROAH SANDERS — Deaf, Dumb, Blind: Summun, Bukmun, Umyun album cover Album · 1970 · Avant-Garde Jazz Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
Sean Trane
Pursuing his African roots quest started with Thauhid, Pharoah soldiered on with Summum Bukmum Umyum (deaf, dumb, blind in terms of faith) into the “black continent’s” cultural spectrum and coming with the excellent present album. Apparently the band took a trip across the pond (if you base yourself on the front artwork) to explore the musical universes of the XXX. The album features the basic nucleus of Sanders’ backing group for the few albums to come, including Liston-Smith, McBee, Jarvis & Bettis, while he (Sanders) is joined by Shaw’s trumpet and Bartz’s alto sax up front.

Mid 1970, Sanders’ third album was recorded in two tracks, the first of which (the title track) is an extremely percussive piece, which is slightly out of the usual/normal Pharoah soundscape, but fear not, his composing and playing paws are still quite Sanders-ian. On the flipside, the (slightly) shorter House Of The Lord is definitely more slanted in the Trane (more Alice than John) realm of sonic ecstasy, with the typical piano tapestry in guise of intro and leads you in a meditative moments for much of the almost-18-mins. McBee’s bowed contrabass has a long moment of sunshine, and not just in that slow mis section and still shines like a thousand suns until the dusk.

A fairly accessible album into Sanders’ universe, but purists will probably claim that JoT or Karma are Pharoah’s higher works. I guess this old atheist must deaf dumb blind after all to those later works, because I prefer the present, its predecessor and its successor.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

LIVE WOUND RESPONSE [OUT​.​FEST 2013] Jazz Related Improv/Composition
RHODRI DAVIES
Buy this album from MMA partners
Dominic Lash, Josh Sinton, Alex Ward Jazz Related Improv/Composition
DOMINIC LASH
Buy this album from MMA partners
Dominic Lash, Pat Thomas : Elements and Properties Jazz Related Improv/Composition
DOMINIC LASH
Buy this album from MMA partners
El Camino Sigiloso Jazz Related Improv/Composition
PAULA SHOCRÓN
Buy this album from MMA partners
Lucky All Along Post-Fusion Contemporary
LISA HILTON
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

Chicago - Hard to Say I'm Sorry / Get Away [Live At 55]
CHICAGO
snobb· 18 hours ago
John Coltrane's iconic Parker Blues: "Freight Trane" w/ Tobias Meinhart, Rick Rosato & Jesse Simpson
TOBIAS MEINHART
js· 18 hours ago
Yo Viné Para Echar Candela
SPANISH HARLEM ORCHESTRA
snobb· 23 hours ago
Joe Armon-Jones - Sorrow (feat. Liam Bailey) (Official Audio)
JOE ARMON-JONES
snobb· 1 day ago
Ambrose Akinmusire - muffled screams
AMBROSE AKINMUSIRE
snobb· 1 day ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed