Destiny Calling

Traditionally, the griot is the human repository of remembered oral history and traditions regarding West African culture. The griot is a historian, storyteller, praise singer, poet, and/or musician. When the griot speaks, it is from a lifetime of communicating about the ancestors. Here it is about communicating traditions and spurring others to play more creative music.

Charlie Apicella & Iron City is a hard-bop guitar trio. The Griots Speak is a group of free improvisers together with Apicella that formed in 2022.

The combination of the two groups for this recording, according to Daniel Carter, "... was an experiment to stimulate straight-ahead players to improvise freely." The result is an interesting and listenable set of nine tracks.

Charlie Apicella has recorded two solo releases and five CDs with Iron City. He studied composition and improvisation with musical titans Yusef Lateef and Pat Martino and was trained as a historian by Archie Shepp and Dr. Billy Taylor. His guitar playing has been compared to Grant Green. He also produced Destiny Calling.

William Parker and Daniel Carter are long-term free improvisers and bandleaders. Juma Sultan, a name new to me, can trace his musical roots to playing with Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock. All songs were composed by various combinations of the players.

The organist, Brad Whiteley plays quite freely, albeit subdued, on the album. Whether stabbing the notes, moving the groove along, or making shimmering otherworldly sounds he makes this album special. He, drummer Austin Walker, Sultan, and Parker push the songs, changing things up as others solo.

"We're All Here In Spirit" begins with a simple bass, percussion, and drums followed by the organ playing short choppy notes. Carter comes in on trumpet and floats over the rhythmic bed. This song and the following "It's Alright To Run" bring to mind Miles Davis's Bitches Brew. The soloists enter and leave while the band cooks.

The song "I heard it in Passing" features Parker on Pocket Trumpet with Carter on Piano. It passes from an opening slow passage into a free segment. Throughout, the band shows the cohesiveness of the band as it handles the changes in the music.

"If You Know Where To Look" opens with a Parker phrase that is joined by percussion and flute. Midway through Parker changes up the bass line and the rest of the band follows. After disappearing for a few measures, the flute reenters floating above the band.

The album was recorded as a continuous performance. were made, primarily, to indicate the beginning/ending of songs. This gives the album a flow as the band creates different soundscapes.

As is true on other recordings, William Parker anchors the band and provides the underlying groove. Daniel Carter continues to amaze with solos across all of his instruments. This is not to be missed.