Dance Of Magic

Description

"Recorded with a who's who of fusion titans Dance of Magic channels the lessons drummer Norman Connors learned in the employ of Pharoah Sanders, Sam Rivers, and Sun Ra, marshalling Latin rhythms, electronic textures, and cosmic mysticism to create nondenominational yet deeply spiritual funk-jazz. The sprawling 21-minute title cut spans the entirety of the record's first half, capturing a monumental jam session that explores the outer edges of free improvisation but never steps past the point of no return...The remaining three tracks are smaller in scale but no less epic in scope, culminating with the blistering Give the Drummer Some." - Jason Ankeny

Press:

"A majestic classic...As with all reissues from the PP People, exquisite re-mastering, sleeve printing and 180g pressing gives the album all the credit and respect it deserves and for this writer, the best copy he's ever owned. For us and for Norman, this was to be the start of something very special and should be welcomed into households near and far." - ***** UK Vibe

"Dance of Magic's 20-minute title track, with its click-clack balaphone, whirl of poloyrhythms and cracking solos, from Herbie Hancock, among others, really sets the tone, while `Morning Change' is a svelte mid-tempo samba glowing up with Rhodes chords, and lyrical work from Eddie Henderson. The set winds up with the drums-percussion blast off `Give The Drummer Some', which is a raucous exchange between Connors and Airto, but the whole album is a hard-edged triumph of ensemble playing." - **** Jazzwise

Norman Connors: drums

Gary Bartz: alto saxophone, soprano saxophone

Art Webb: flute

Carlos Garnett: tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone

Eddie Henderson: trumpet

Herbie Hancock: piano, electric piano

Cecil McBee, Stanley Clarke: bass

Airto Moreira, Alphonse Mouzon, Billy Hart: percussion

Anthony Wiles - percussion, balafon

Nat Bettis - percussion, congas