Celestial Blues - Cosmic, Political and Spiritual Jazz 1970 to 1974

The ten tracks range from the evidently spiritual such as Gary Bartz's classic Celestial Blues or Joe Henderson & Alice Coltrane's astounding collaboration on Fire, to less obvious but just as relevant recordings by drummers Roy Brooks and Joe Chambers. Charles Earland's contribution bears a remarkable resemblance to Henrietta Our Hero a stand-out track from The Epic , whilst Carlos Garnett and Azar Lawrence's mix of saxophone, strings and voices could be a template for Washington's whole sound. The compilation is completed by fine examples of the era's jazz from Hampton Hawes and Bayeté Umbra Zindiko. Oliver Nelson's Aftermath is an apt closer.