Jazzman deliver the Spiritual Jazz collection you never knew you needed with Volume 9, showcasing the oft-overlooked spiritual side of Blue Note Records. Alfred Lion & Francis Wolff’s jazz behemoth has always stood out to us for their bebop mutations and scholarly, innovative approaches to form (and perhaps most importantly, clean lines) in the 1950s and 60s, but we admit we’ve categorically neglected the spiritual side of their late 60s / 70s output, instead favoring the Mizell Brothers’ jazz-funk sound of mid-career hallmarks by Donald Byrd, Bobbi Humphrey et al. Admittedly, I wasn’t familiar with most of the tracks included on Spiritual Jazz 9, but there’s even an Andrew Hill tune (on Part 1) taken from an album I’ve never even seen or heard of (“Poinsettia” from One For One, 1975) and he’s my favorite Blue Note pianist. The coveted collection is split into two double vinyl sets (here’s the other one); highlights on Part 2 include Joe Henderson’s “El Barrio,” Wayne Shorter’s “Indian Song,” Freddie Hubbard’s “Blue Spirits” and Booker Ervin’s “Gichi.” Also includes selections by Jackie McLean, Duke Pearson, Hank Mobley, Pete La Roca and Solomon Ilori. Housed in gatefold jacket with extensive liner notes, recommended.

• black double vinyl pressing
• includes rare tracks from the Blue Note Records catalog
• housed in gatefold jacket
• exclusive physical release, no digital
• tracklist: SIDE 1 1. Bobby Hutcherson - "Verse" 2. Pete Laroca - "Basra" SIDE 2 1. Wayne Shorter - "Footprints" 2. Elvin Jones - "At This Point In Time" 3. Andrew Hill - "Poinsettia" SIDE 3 1. Eddie Gale - "The Rain" 2. Duke Pearson - "Empathy" 6. Bobby Hutcherson - "Searchin' The Trane" SIDE 4 1. Duke Pearson - "The Phantom" 2. Freddie Hubbard - "Assunta"
• music label: Jazzman 2019

reviewed by nick nightingale 02/2019