Legendary percussionist Kahil El’Zabar releases powerful spiritual jazz album ‘America The Beautiful’

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Legendary percussionist Kahil El’Zabar releases powerful spiritual jazz album ‘America The Beautiful’

Just in time for the U.S. Presidential election when many Americans are voting to decide the direction that the country will steer towards, legendary Chicago-based percussionist Kahil El’Zabar has released a powerful and brilliant new album, titled America The Beautiful on Spiritmuse records, addressing the state of America today, while being hopeful for the future.

This is the latest recording El’Zabar has released on the London label, which also put out the superb collaborative effort Spirit Groove with saxophonist David Murray in June, as well as last year’s critically-acclaimed album Be Known Ancient/Future/Music.

On this incredible nine-track album, El’Zabar leads an extended ensemble of woodwinds, brass, strings and percussionists, blending together African rhythms, hypnotic grooves, soulful keys, and New Orleans-style brass band horn melodies. The theme of the session focuses on a completely reworking of the anthem “America The Beautiful”, while also presenting new amazing spiritual jazz renditions on familiar classics like Charles Wright’s “Express Yourself”, Al Green’s “How to Mend a Broken Heart”, and standard “Afro Blue”. The album also includes some great new tracks like “Freedom March”, “Jump & Shout (For Those Now Gone)”, and “That We Ask Of Our Creator” that address today’s social climate, touching upon subjects like Black Lives Matter, the global pandemic, disproportionate poverty, failed leadership, and more.

For this session, El’Zabar is backed by an extraordinary cast of virtuosic musicians such as Corey Wilkes, Tomeka Reid, James Sanders, Josh Ramos, Miguel de la Cerna, Ernie Adams, Hamiet Bluiett (to whom this album is dedicated, as this was his last recording), and others.

In this crucial moment in time, as the U.S. is the middle of a defining election, social unrest, all while dealing with a horrific global pandemic, Kahil El’Zabar has released a thought-provoking and inspirational spiritual jazz masterpiece that speaks with love, hope and the urgency of now. Definitely one of the best and most important albums of 2020.