Saxophone’s Pharoah dies
RIPThe esteemed US jazz saxophonist Pharaoh Sanders has died at home in Los Angeles, aged 81.
Born Ferrell Sanders in the San Francisco Bay Area, he struggled on the New York jazz scene until in 1964, John Coltrane asked him to sit in with his band. Pharoah took them to the edge of atonality. He cut his first record as leader that year and never looked back.
Pharoah Sanders was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, and didn’t move to the San Francisco Bay Area – Oakland, to be precise – until he was around 19 years old.
He was a superb musician and a giant of jazz, working with John Coltrane, Alice Coltrane, Sun Ra, McCoy Tyner, Stanley Clarke, the London Symphony Orchestra, and so many others.
You may remember the beautiful “The Creator Has a Master Plan”, with vocalist Leon Thomas – it was somewhat of a crossover hit on FM radio in the 1970s.
Pharoah was unique in both his sound and his musical conception. His passing is mourned by the jazz world.
Thank you, Greg. That’s precise and wonderful information. It’s a bit sad that P. Sanders was overshadowed by Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Dexter Gordon, R. Roland Kirk, and maybe one or two other tenor saxophonists. I’m happy that people today are paying attention to Charles LLoyd. He and Benny Golson seem to be the ‘last men standing’ from the old guard of great tenor saxophonists.
Sonny Rollins is another last man standing though he doesn´t play any more.
Thank you Greg! A giant of jazz … may he “rest in power” (copyright Ron Carter)
Some of the greatest musical nights of my life were attending performances by Pharoah Sanders at the Village Vanguard in NYC during the late seventies. He possessed a raw power unsurpassed among musicians of our time, recalling Ben Webster in that aspect, if in a drastically different style. Bravo for selecting here my favorite album of his. The first track, Harvest Time, will always personify Autumn for me, that being the time of year I first encountered it. Interestingly, Lee Konitz and Art Tatum shared the same October 13 birthday as Sanders who has mournfully left us one day after what would have been the 96th birthday of his mentor, John Coltrane.
Pharoah had a deeply resonant speaking voice reminiscent of Charlie Parker, if more Southern sounding. I was deeply honored to be included with Sanders among Song of the Day selections. Moved to sing along with one of his improvisations note for note, anticipating each note, at the Catalina Bar and Grill in West Hollywood one night, Pharoah opened his eyes while playing several times, looking out in astonishment to see who was doing this. When the song ended, the man in front of us turned around to my girlfriend, and exclaimed how her singing along in perfect unison with Sanders was the most amazing thing he ever heard. You see, I had deliberately sang an octave higher and very softly and discreetly thinking only Sanders would notice. Pharoah didn’t seem to mind though, inviting me backstage to join him and his band after the last set, another great thrill.
http://azuremilesrecords.com/songofthedaydelayedresponse.html
Great tenor sax (born Farrell, not Ferrell, BTW) who I discovered as a teen and got to know a bit as an adult. He was a neighbor of my friend in L.A. and a 100% terrific guy. Sad passing, but his name will be written into the jazz history books forever.
Are you sure it is Farrell? I attended high school with him and it was Ferrell then.
Well, that’s so interesting, and yes, very likely definitive. I was trying to remember if my late friend Phil ever spoke to that (I never asked Pharoah) and just can’t recall. If you google around you will see a 50-50 split. Downbeat, in it’s fairly definitive obit spells it Farrell.
Sad news. One of the greatest – as bass legend Ron Carter said – “has left the stage”. I was fortunate to see him live in Berlin a few years ago. His star was rising when he played on Coltrane´s last albums for Impulse – though I must admit I prefer his much more accessable albums for Venus Records Ballads, Crescent and The Creator has a Master Plan. May he rest in peace!
Very sad news. I found his work with John Coltrane to be too atonal for me, but that’s personal taste.
I heard him perform live once, at Iridium in the late 90’s/early 00’s with McCoy Tyner and Ravi Coltrane. On that occasion, his playing was totally unique, very accessible, and quite unforgettable.