Steve Reid’s 1976 spiritual jazz-funk classic ‘Nova’ reissued
Soul Jazz Records has just reissued (for the second time), legendary drummer Steve Reid’s 1976 spiritual jazz-funk masterpiece Nova.
Reid, who has performed alongside Miles Davis, Sun Ra, Fela Kuti, James Brown, Ornette Coleman, Lester Bowie, Freddie Hubbard, Jackie McLean, Dionne Warwick, Archie Shepp, and numerous others, originally released the 1976 recording on his own Bronx-based Mustevic Sound label following the formation of the group The Legendary Master Brotherhood. This came after serving four years in jail as a conscientious objector of the Vietnam war.
The music on the record is a blend of deep spiritual melodies, funky rhythms, and explosive horn solos. One of the most notable highlights is the jazz-funk classic “Lions of Juda” (Ranked #58 on our 100 Best Jazz-Funk Songs list), which was written by trumpeter and longtime Reid collaborator Ahmed Abdullah.
Overall, Nova is arguably one of the greatest jazz recordings released during the seventies. With original copies of the independent release being extremely hard to come by (and very pricey too!), it’s exciting to see that Soul Jazz Records has made this album readily available once again. To add to this edition of the reissue, the first 1,000 copies were pressed on orange colored vinyl. An absolutely essential release for anyone’s collection.
Steve Reid ft. The Legendary Master Brotherhood — ‘Nova’
(Reissued: 2019 / Soul Jazz Records)
(Original Release: 1976 / Mustevic Sound)
