UK saxophonist Tony Burkill and his large ensemble Work, Money, Death, whom was also featured on his 2017 debut, have recently released an incredible spiritual jazz recording inspired by the likes of Pharoah Sanders and Alice Coltrane, titled The Space In Which The Uncontrollable Unknown Resides, Can Be The Place From Which Creation Arises (got that?!?!).

Recorded over the Spring and Summer of 2020, this recording features two extended tracks (both over sixteen-minutes each), that take the listener on a cosmic sonic journey through meditative musical mantras, Pharoah-like tenor saxophone improvisation, hypnotic chants, and layered percussion grooves featuring bells, drums, bamboo xylophones, woodblocks, and more. This recording definitely has a Pharoah Sanders’ Thembi meets Alice Coltrane’s Jounrey to Satchidananda vibe while still sounding unique and original in it’s own way.

Originally meant to be one large scale group performance of a single extended piece “The space in which the uncontrollable unknown resides, can be the place from which creation arises”, written by Burkill and bassist Neil Innes, the recording ended up taking a different shape due to the recording restrictions that were in place due to COVID-19 and the inability for the group to record together. Instead each musician ended up recording their parts individually on a separate day. From this experience, and this new approach, which brings with it many unknowns, the title was chosen.

Overall, this is an incredible spiritual jazz masterpiece that nicely captures that classic late sixties-early seventies post-Coltrane cosmic sound that artists like Pharoah Sanders, Alice Coltrane, Michael White, Don Cherry, Yusef Lateef, and others were exploring. Definitely one of my early favorites of the new year!

Work, Money, Death — ‘The Space In Which The Uncontrollable Unknown Resides, Can Be The Place From Which Creation Arises’
(ATA Records)

A SIDE: Dusk
B SIDE: Dawn

BUY RECORD

• Cosmic
• Jazz
• New Releases
• Spiritual Jazz