Track of the day: Idris Ackamoor and The Pyramids, Thank You God, Strut

Track of the day: from Idris Ackamoor and The Pyramids and a track from late-September's Afro Futuristic Dreams - praise song 'Thank You God'. Go for the longer 13-minute version on Spotify - you'll see there is also a shorter one streaming but you …

Published: 13 Jul 2023. Updated: 10 months.

Track of the day: from Idris Ackamoor and The Pyramids and a track from late-September's Afro Futuristic Dreams - praise song 'Thank You God'. Go for the longer 13-minute version on Spotify - you'll see there is also a shorter one streaming but you need the arc of the piece shaped in full. Three years on from Shaman, Ackamoor (sax, keytar, organ), Margaux Simmons (flute), Sandra Poindexter (violin) and Bobby Cobb (guitar) on the album look to themes including police brutality, celebrations of the ancestors and cosmic journeys. But for now you get into a flow state too via the repetition in the guitar riff and the wave upon wave of Pharoah Sanders-like explorations that dwell on a ''peace and tranquility'' heartfelt benevolence that works like a charm on this lead-off piece.

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Jon Regen, Satisfied Mind ****

Are you allowed to be satisfied? What a controversial thought. Creatively Regen's restlessness sidesteps complacency and his dissatisfaction is not to find decent tunes and simpatico collaborators. So no wonder because the material is strong and …

Published: 12 Jul 2023. Updated: 10 months.

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Are you allowed to be satisfied? What a controversial thought. Creatively Regen's restlessness sidesteps complacency and his dissatisfaction is not to find decent tunes and simpatico collaborators. So no wonder because the material is strong and the company mighty there is a sunny feel, a whole bunch of top names (Ron Carter, Tim Lefebvre, Jeremy Stacey, Dave McMurray for goodness' sake) on an album of mostly originals in the pop-jazz domain to inspire a satisfied mind. The title track is the much covered song of the country fiddler and songwriter Red Hayes and Jack Rhodes' from 1954 and features the great Larry Goldings known for his work with Sweet Baby James himself James Taylor. Produced by Jamiroquai's Matt Johnson songs are Regen and Johnson co-writes in the main. Regen original the missing you see-you-again-in-my-dreams ballad 'Hello Old Friend' which is totally Joel-esque is the best song lyrically and you think too of course of the great Randy Newman in the sound when a few home truths are needed. ''Feel the air black feel the sun grey'' are the words that linger with us most from the song. Regen's solo piano work on the poignant 'For Keith' think ''deep greens and blues for the colours I choose'' to borrow from the Taylor 'Sweet Baby James' lyric which actually seems apt the way the song modally-bright comes over.