A rich, arresting set of jazz tunes you will fall in love with. Many of them alternate between impassioned sung verses and exuberant instrumental passages, pushing you into choppy waters before reeling you back in. A few African jazz classics like “Eré Méla Méla” provide a smoky, alluring counterpoint to the romance. Towering over this chapter is the alarming “Sinnerman,” the rare gospel song that inspires more fear than love.
1. Mulatu Astatke
Yegelle Tezeta
2. Art Ensemble Of Chicago
Theme De Yoyo
3. Weather Report
Birdland
4. Abbey Lincoln & Max Roach
Freedom Day
5. Philip Cohran and the Artistic Heritage Ensemble