Descendants of Mike and Phoebe, The

A Spirit Speaks (PCD-94109)

A Spirit Speaks View larger

A Spirit Speaks

Descendants of Mike and Phoebe, The

P-Vine

4995879941096

GEN 168809

PCD-94109

JAZZ

1

CD 29,98 €

mini lp replica with obi

One of the most unique albums on the Strata East label – and that's saying a heck of a lot, given the creative energies flowing through that legendary jazz outlet!

Descendents Of Mike & Phoebe is a righteous little project put together by Spike Lee's father, Bill Lee, and his brothers and sisters (Cliff Lee, Grace Lee Mims, and Consuela Lee Moorhead) – working here in a group named after their slave ancestors, who are paid tribute in a beautifully flowing batch of tunes! Lee's round, warm bass tones are firmly at the head of the group on most numbers – recorded at a similar level to his excellent work with Clifford Jordan on Strata East during the same time – and other instrumentation includes piano from Consuela, flugelhorn from Cliff, and percussion from Sonny Brown and Billy Higgins – all used in a wonderfully evocative style that's even better than some of Lee's later soundtrack work.

A few numbers feature vocals from Grace – singing wordlessly and with a really heavenly sort of quality – and together, the whole group have an undeniable sense of power and majesty, yet also one that's touched by a really personal sense of poetry too.

PERSONNEL:

  • Consuela Lee Moorehead - (piano)
  • Bill Lee - (bass)
  • A. Grace Lee Mims - (soprano sax)
  • Billy Higgins - (drums)
  • Sonny Brown - (percussion)

New York, December 19, 20 & 21, 1973

TRACKS:

  • 01. Two Songs For A Boy Named Mark
  • a) Little Bitty Baby
  • b) Soliloquy To A Man-Child
  • 02. Coltrane
  • 03. Chick Chick
  • 04. Well Done, Weldon
  • 05. A Spirit Speaks
  • 06. Attica
  • 07. Take My Hand, Precious Lord
  • 08. Boll Weevil
  • 09. Don't Be A Strange
  • 10. Too Little, Too Late