Alice Coltrane - Journey in Satchidananda (1970) [2025 SACD]

“Journey In Satchidananda” is the fourth solo album by American jazz pianist and harpist Alice Coltrane, released in February 1971 on Impulse! Records. The title and title track reflect Coltrane's inspiration by Swami Satchidananda, whom Coltrane had become close to as a student. Coltrane is accompanied on the album by saxophonist Pharoah Sanders, bassists Cecil McBee and Charlie Haden and drummer Rashied Ali. Vishnu Wood also plays the oud on “Isis And Osiris,” while Majid Shabazz on drums and Tulsi on tanpura also contribute to the studio recordings. The editors of AllMusic rated the album five out of five stars, with Thom Jurek stating, “This is a remarkable album that is essential for anyone interested in the development of modal and experimental jazz. It is also accessible.” The album ranked 446th on Rolling Stone magazine's 2020 list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time.” The editors of the list described it as “a meditative bliss unlike anything jazz has ever seen: part earthy blues, part ethereal mantra and a powerful influence on sound explorers from Radiohead to Coltrane's great-nephew Flying Lotus.”
As part of the popular “Verve Acoustic Sounds Series,” Universal Music Japan presents the sonically impressive remastering of this jazz classic as a limited edition Japan SHM-SACD in a mini LP cardboard sleeve with OBI stripe. The original recording sessions for “Journey In Satchidananda “took place on July 4 and November 8, 1970, at the Village Gate and Coltrane Home Studios in Dix Hill, New York.

Tracks:

01. Journey in Satchidananda (A.Coltrane) - 6:40
02. Shiva-Loka (A.Coltrane) - 6:38
03. Stopover Bombay (A.Coltrane) - 2:55
04. Something About John Coltrane (A.Coltrane) - 9:45
05. Isis and Osiris (A.Coltrane) - 11:32

Personnel:

Alice Coltrane - harp, piano
Pharoah Sanders - soprano saxophone, percussion
Tulsi - tambura (#1-4)
Cecil McBee (#1-4), Charlie Haden (#5) - bass
Rashied Ali - drums
Majid Shabazz (#1-4) - bells, tambourine
Vishnu Wood - oud (#5)

Recorded at the Coltrane home studio, Dix Hills, NY on November 8 (#1-4) and live at The Village Gate, New York on July 4 (#5), 1970.