The Spiritual Jazz Of Mrufa Nate Morgan

Pianist/Composer Nate Morgan was one of the key players in the unique stable of artists that recorded for the powerful, yet woefully overlooked Nimbus record label of Santa Barbara, California some 30 years ago. 'Journey Into Nigritia' and 'Retribution, Reparation' are two of three dates that Morgan cut for the label, and with his modal approach that draws from the same well of spirituality as 'A Love Supreme,' they are in my opinion among the best of the label's many fine and varied offerings.

As a brief background, Nimbus was a short-lived independent that mined the same rich musical vein as the great Strata-East, Black Jazz and Tribe labels who preceded. Along with majors like Impulse!, they collectively set the bar for spiritual jazz in the post-Coltrane years. Nimbus operated from the mid-70's to the early 1980's with pianist Horace Tapscott the company's most notable name. His labelmates, despite their relative obscurity, were considered to be among the foremost purveyors of soul and spiritual jazz from the Left Coast underground of the period. Tapscott formed and recorded the ever challenging Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra, while Kaeef Rauzadun put together the equally evocative Creative Arts Ensemble with Henry Franklin, George Bohannon and vocalist B.J. Crowley, bringing to mind the transcendent recordings of Doug and Jean Carn for Black Jazz. Nimbus also showcased the talents of unknown yet compelling players like alto saxophonist Gary Bias, flautist Adele Sebastian and pianist Curtis Clark, as well as the righteous tones of Jesse Sharps, Billie Harris and Dadisi Komolafe.

The Nimbus roster as a whole echoed the avant-garde leanings of Chicago's AACM, although a few contributors like Morgan leaned more toward modal meditations offering propulsive, rhythmic nuance and infinite intensity, each player searching for and finding supreme expression. Morgan and his cohorts could also slip into a post-bop bag with equal alacrity, as demonstrated in 'One Finger Snap' and 'Come Sunday,' both included in this week's mix.

Selections from Morgan's 'Journey Into Nigritia and 'Retribution, Reparation' are liberally featured here, representing my personal 'best of' compilation. The tracks from 'Journey' are marked with a single asterisk and showcase Dadisi Komolafe on alto sax, Jeff Littleton on bass and Fritz Wise, drums. 'Retribution' has Danny Cortez/trumpet, Jesse Sharps/reeds, Joel Ector/bass and Wise, again on drums. These selections are marked with a double asterisk.

1.) Mrafu*
2.) Morning Prayer*
3.) Mother*
4.) U.G.M.A.A.GER**

5.) Impulse**
6.) Come Sunday**
7.) Journey Into Nigritia*
8.) One Finger Snap**
9.) Retribution, Reparation**

To download, click here and peace go with you, Brother.

Update 05/2008: I recently discovered that the Nimbus label lives on in the form of Nimbus West Records, owned and operated by Tom Albach, out of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Albach appears to be in the process of re-releasing the entire Nimbus catalogue on both vinyl and compact disc. Additionally, nearly all of the releases are also available as digital downloads directly from the label's site. For more information, please visit Nimbus West.