Description
The 2021 album “Promises” represents a tour-de-force merging the talents of electronic innovator, Floating Points (Sam Shepherd), jazz titan Pharoah Sanders, and the virtuosos of the London Symphony Orchestra. Earning immediate recognition as a masterwork within the world of modern jazz, the project brings together the signature styles of the acclaimed musicians, captivating the listeners with the brilliance of their harmonious collaboration.
The album centers around a leitmotif of seven notes, its narrative unfolding gradually over nine movements. With Sanders’ gentle saxophone tones anchoring the space, the music evolves through sparse, introspective episodes before reaching its climax in a daring second half. As the kinetic energy builds, impressive orchestral arcs interleave with Sanders’ expressive saxophone and Shepherd’s organ strikes. Its mesmerizing cessation emerges as a sonically freeing, evocative experience that engages the cerebral as much as the sentimental.
One cannot appreciate “Promises” without acknowledging the colossal influence of the Coltranes on Sanders’ work. The release process was carefully curated by Luaka Bop, underscoring the reputation they have carved out for bringing archival works to the forefront, like Alice Coltrane Turiyasangitananda’s “World Spirituality Classics 1”. Sanders’ links with the Coltranes, as well as pioneers like Sun Ra and Ornette Coleman, reverberate throughout the album, his performances sparking inspiration amongst the newest generation of jazz artists.
At the same time, Shepherd’s journey into music, from a neuroscience Ph.D. student at University College, London to the founder of Pluto records, is worth noting. Raised amidst the DJ scene’s vibrant vibrancy, his eclectic career is marked by collaborations with talents like James Holden, as well as refining his success as an album artist. His technical expertise combined with a wide-ranging musical understanding set the foundation for “Promises”.
The genesis of the album stems back to a conversation between Sanders and Shepherd. Shepherd’s fondness for Sanders’ work dates back to the time he was still a touring performer, while Sanders had released a limited number of albums during this century. Shepherd’s enthusiasm and ideas intrigued Sanders, leading him to step out of his creative hiatus and dive into the making of “Promises”.
Creating a new path in jazz, “Promises” ingeniously blends the sonic territories of the collaborators. It evolves beyond the borders of jazz through the culmination of Shepherd’s electronic soundscapes, Sanders’ legendary saxophone, and London Symphony Orchestra’s classical eloquence. It explores the minimalistic patience usually associated with classical compositions, along with engaging elements of spiritual jazz. The result is an immersive listening experience that bridges listeners from past, present, and future music enthusiasts.
Throughout his career, Sam Shepherd (Floating Points) expanded his musical boundary, working with artists such as Thundercat, Caribou, and Kamasi Washington. Similarly, Floating Points‘ collaboration with Sanders and the London Symphony Orchestra for “Promises” also implies an intriguing symbiosis with Kendrick Lamar and Marcus Miller, reflecting their mutual commitment to challenge conventions and create music with lasting impact.
Throughout the magnificent tapestry of “Promises”, Shepherd, Sanders, and The London Symphony Orchestra, beautifully intertwine the strands of their distinct domains, mastering an epoch-making crossgenre composition. Creating a legacy with “Promises”, the trio not only camp on the culmination of past musical experiments but also provide a fertile ground for the following generations in jazz and beyond.
