Isaiah Collier: Parallel Universe
Author: Kevin Le Gendre
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Musicians: |
Sonny Daze (v) |
Label: |
Night Dreamer |
Magazine Review Date: |
February/2024 |
Media Format: |
LP, DL |
Catalogue Number: |
ND20 |
RecordDate: |
Rec. 2023 |
Sun Ra, Jimi Hendrix, Cannonball, Weldon Irvine, Nina Simone, Marvin, Aretha, Peter Tosh, J-Dilla, Fela, Miles, Gil. The roll call on ‘Eggun’, the opening track of Chicagoan saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist Isaiah Collier’s second album sets out its cultural stall clearly enough, hailing game changers in contemporary black music who have paved the way for his generation. Rather than attempting to explicitly shoehorn the sound of all of the above into his material, Collier creates an historically broad canvas that includes nods to Pharoah Sanders at his most African, as well as revered horn heroes Hank Crawford and Junior Walker on the gospel-heavy ‘Retreat’, complete with a cheeky quote of ‘You’re All I Need To Get By’, for all early Marvin (and Tammi fans).
With his sensual, deeply soulful timbre and phrasing that is both leisurely and explosive, Collier is more than capable of taking these references beyond pastiche, and the clear Ra-inclination of the title track, which combusts with a shower of Saturn-like space organ and hard swinging riffs, is a particular highlight.
This is a very eclectic offering – in line with the aforesaid influences – and the final part of the set takes a decisive turn towards a very 1970s soul vocabulary, in which electric pianos, string synthesisers and strutting basslines evoke Roy Ayers above all else. Collier wears his heart on his sleeve, but his fashion sense is on the right side of taste.
Lastly, the music was cut direct-to-disc, so what we hear is exactly what happened at the time. The spontaneity and the crisp audio add to what mostly feels like a family funktion.
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