Which Way Is East

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Which Way is East
Which Way is East.jpg
Studio album by
Charles Lloyd & Billy Higgins
ReleasedMarch 30, 2004
RecordedJanuary 2001
GenreJazz
Length150:49
LabelECM
ProducerCharles Lloyd, Dorothy Darr
Charles Lloyd chronology
Lift Every Voice
(2002) 		Which Way is East
(2004) 		Jumping the Creek
(2005)

Which Way is East is a double CD album of duets by jazz saxophonist Charles Lloyd and percussionist Billy Higgins recorded in January 2001 and released in 2004 on the ECM label.[1] The album contains the last recordings by Higgins before he died in May 2001.

Reception[]

In his "Jazz Consumer Guide" for The Village Voice, Tom Hull summarized the album as "two old friends converse, contemplate, fart around".[2] In another commentary published on his website, he said of the recording: "Similar types of things have been done elsewhere – Bill Cole and Kali Fasteau are two who regularly work along these lines, but their records feel more like work; this one feels more like play, and its homespun nature puts it over the top."[3]

The Allmusic review by Thom Jurek awarded the album 4½ stars stating "there is crackling energy, humor, warmth, and a complete commitment to expressing what may indeed be beyond real expression. Not since John Coltrane and Rashied Ali's Interstellar Space — though they sound nothing alike — has there been a duet recording of such unfettered communication. Highly recommended".[4] The All About Jazz review by John Kelman stated "While Higgins' passing, at the relatively youthful age of sixty-five, was tragic, we should feel fortunate that Lloyd had the foresight to bring him to his home in January 2001, for this series of impromptu, intimate and ultimately revealing duets".[5] Other professional reviews for the same website were also highly favourable with Mark F. Turner stating "the music is a wondrous journey on many levels. Fervently recommended"[6] Mark Corroto stated "The last recording by Higgins is worth savoring".[7]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic4.5/5 stars[4]
Tom HullA–[3]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings3/4 stars[8]

Track listing[]

All compositions by Charles Lloyd except as indicated
  1. "What Is Man: The Forest" (Higgins, Lloyd) - 3:34
  2. "What Is Man: Being and Becoming" - 4:45
  3. "What Is Man: Civilization" - 4:35
  4. "What Is Man: Sea of Tranquility" - 2:43
  5. "Divans: Prayer, Sanctuary" - 4:12
  6. "Divans: Supreme Love Dance" - 3:36
  7. "Divans: A Wild and Holy Band" - 3:53
  8. "Salaam: Oh, Karim" (Higgins) - 2:30
  9. "Salaam: Akhi" - 5:59
  10. "Salaam: Ya, Karim" (Higgins) - 5:54
  11. "Salaam: Tagi" - 4:15
  12. "All This Is That: Hanuman's Dance" - 13:06
  13. "All This Is That: Sky Valley" - 5:59
  14. "All This Is That: Blues Tinge" (Higgins) - 5:02
  15. "All This Is That: Atman Alone Abides" - 2:56
  16. "Desire: Wild Orchids Bloom" - 6:42
  17. "Desire: Advaita" - 3:35
  18. "Desire: Chomolungma" - 12:57
  19. "Devotion: Sally Sunflower Whitecloud" - 3:06
  20. "Devotion: My Lord, My Lord" (Higgins, Lloyd) - 6:11
  21. "Devotion: Windy Mountain" - 5:36
  22. "Devotion: Through Fields and Underground" - 3:48
  23. "Light of Love: Mi Corazon" - 3:24
  24. "Light of Love: Beloved, Chimes at Midnight" (Higgins, Lloyd) - 5:18
  25. "Light of Love: Take a Chance" (Higgins) - 4:04
  26. "Surrender: Perfume of the Desert" - 4:31
  27. "Surrender: Benares" - 2:21
  28. "Surrender: Amor" (Higgins) - 4:25
  29. "Surrender: Forever Dance" (Higgins, Lloyd) - 1:53
  30. "Surrender: Bis" (Higgins) - 3:44
  • Recorded in January 2001

Personnel[]

References[]

  1. ^ ECM Records catalogue accessed March 11, 2010.
  2. ^ Hull, Tom (July 1, 2004). "Jazz Consumer Guide (1): All True, More or Less". The Village Voice. Retrieved June 22, 2020 – via tomhull.com.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b Hull, Tom (May 23, 2004). "May 2004 Notebook". Tom Hull - On the Web. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b Jurek, T. Allmusic Review accessed March 11, 2010.
  5. ^ Kelman, J. Which Way is East review All About Jazz, April 10, 2004
  6. ^ Turner, M. F. Which Way is East review All About Jazz, April 12, 2004
  7. ^ Corroto, M. Which Way is East review All About Jazz, June 6, 2004
  8. ^ Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 902. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.
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