Gary Bartz (saxes, voice); Hubert Eaves (piano, keys); Stafford James (bass); Howard King (drums)There are
certain recordings that do far more than capture a moment in musical history.
They reflect the social and political landscape of their time, the aspirations
of a generation and the determination of musicians to make their voices heard.
Gary Bartz's I've Known Rivers and Other Bodies, recorded live at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1973, is
undoubtedly one of those albums. More than half a century later, it returns to
vinyl in a beautifully presented edition that reminds us just how
extraordinary, and indeed how relevant, this music remains.
The early
1970s were a remarkable period for jazz. The boundaries that had once separated
genres were becoming increasingly blurred, with musicians drawing inspiration
from African rhythms, funk, soul, rock and the burgeoning world of electronic
instruments. Miles Davis had already challenged convention with Bitches Brew, while Pharoah Sanders and
the spiritual legacy of John Coltrane were taking jazz into territory that was
as much about personal enlightenment and cultural identity as it was about
musical exploration.
