Sounds from the Ancestors

Description

Talented saxophonist Kenny Garrett returns with an album commemorating the sounds of African ancestors. Kenny Garrett's latest album, "Sounds from the Ancestors," is a multifaceted record. The music, however, does not fit into the narrow confines of the jazz idiom, which is not surprising considering that the alto saxophonist and composer recognizes figures like Aretha Franklin and Marvin Gaye as significant influences. Much like Miles Davis's landmark album, "On the Corner," which subverted its main inspirations - James Brown, Jimi Hendrix, and Sly Stone - to create its own polyrhythmic universe, rich in groove and improvisations, "Sounds from the Ancestors" occupies its own space with intellectual clarity, sonic ingenuity, and emotional weight. Indeed, "Sounds from the Ancestors" reflects the rich history of jazz, R&B, and gospel from his hometown of Detroit. But most importantly, it is also imbued with a modern cosmopolitan vibration, notably through the inclusion of music from France, Cuba, Nigeria, and Guadeloupe.