Vocalist Keith LaMar and pianist Albert Marques put together a musical mosaic of sounds and message, melding words and music inspired by the searching pilgrimage of John Coltrane. The mix and match team includes Salim Washington/ts, Scott Colberg/b, Zack O’Farrill/dr, Walter Stinson/b, Gerald Appleman/cel, Patricia Brennan/vib, Milena Casado/fh, and Erin Corine/voc in various incarnations.
For instance there is a gorgeous and duet between cello and piano on Coltrane’s “Resolution” while “Acknowledgement” from the same A Love Supreme album has Caroline Davis’ alto crying over the trio. Coltrane’s “Alabama” is a modal torrent, and LaMar gives a speech on “Calling All Souls”, mixes voice and tapes with pianist Arturo O’Farrill on “The Drowned” and is persistent on “No Mans Land” with Nick Hackim. It’s difficult to judge these types of “message” albums objectively, as the music and message sometimes fight for supremacy, not knowing which one to adhere to.