ProJazz.net

“This is an important, even historic album. It marks—unannounced—the return of a great figure of the free jazz era, Pharoah Sanders. Saxophonist Albert Ayler once famously declared, “Trane was the Father, Pharoah was the Son, I am the Holy Ghost.”

Hammond organist Joey DeFrancesco has orchestrated Sanders’ return from oblivion. Without it, the album would be just one more round of Hammond organ tunes that adhere to DeFrancesco’s dictum “I just like to swing.” (All About Music).

The Allmusic review by Matt Collar awarded the album 4½ stars and stated: “While DeFrancesco has always played with an earthy soulfulness, on In the Key of the Universe he elevates that soulfulness to a divine musical plane.”

Tracklisting & Personnel:

A1 Inner Being
Drums – Billy Hart
Organ, Keyboards, Written-By – Joey DeFrancesco
Percussion – Sammy Figueroa
Soprano Saxophone – Troy Roberts (2)
5:18
A2 Vibrations In Blue
Alto Saxophone – Troy Roberts (2)
Drums – Billy Hart
Organ, Keyboards, Written-By – Joey DeFrancesco
Percussion – Sammy Figueroa
6:42
A3 Awake And Blissed
Drums – Billy Hart
Organ, Keyboards, Written-By – Joey DeFrancesco
Tenor Saxophone – Troy Roberts (2)
3:01
A4 It Swung Wide Open
Drums – Billy Hart
Organ, Written-By – Joey DeFrancesco
Tenor Saxophone – Troy Roberts (2)
3:54
B1 In The Key Of The Universe
Drums – Billy Hart
Organ, Keyboards, Written-By – Joey DeFrancesco
Percussion – Sammy Figueroa
Tenor Saxophone – Pharoah Sanders, Troy Roberts (2)
5:05
B2 The Creator Has A Master Plan
Acoustic Bass – Troy Roberts (2)
Drums – Billy Hart
Organ, Keyboards, Arranged By – Joey DeFrancesco
Percussion – Sammy Figueroa
Tenor Saxophone, Vocals, Written-By – Pharoah Sanders
Written-By – Leon Thomas
11:00
C1 And So It Is
Acoustic Bass – Troy Roberts (2)
Drums – Billy Hart
Organ, Keyboards, Trumpet, Written-By – Joey DeFrancesco
Percussion – Sammy Figueroa
Tenor Saxophone – Pharoah Sanders
7:52
C2 Soul Perspective
Drums – Billy Hart
Organ, Keyboards, Written-By – Joey DeFrancesco
Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Troy Roberts (2)
5:30
D1 A Path Through The Noise
Drums – Billy Hart
Organ, Trumpet, Written-By – Joey DeFrancesco
Percussion – Sammy Figueroa
Tenor Saxophone – Troy Roberts (2)
4:47
D2 Easier To Be
Drums – Billy Hart
Organ, Keyboards, Trumpet, Written-By – Joey DeFrancesco
Percussion – Sammy Figueroa
Tenor Saxophone – Troy Roberts (2)
5:15

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Label: Mack Avenue Records
Format: 2 × Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 01 Mar 2019
Duration:
Recording location: Tempest Recording, Tempe, AZ