Call to Action / Call to Prayer

The composer and drummer Charlie Apicella brings along The Griot Speak and Iron City for these spiritual and cosmic tracks that illustrate a very worldly vision of jazz.

"Call to Action: An Invocation of Those Who Came Before" starts the listen with William Parker's mesmerizing bass and Juma Sultan's playful percussion for the soothing opener, and "Call to Action: With One's Elders" follows with a busier approach of flute via Daniel Carter which suits the drumming from Apicella and adventurous spirit.

Deeper into the listen, "Call to Prayer: Zen Flesh, Zen Bone" strategically places Carter's sax and Sultan's shaker with much appeal, while "Call to Prayer: Il Nostro Sogno" is percussively daring and welcomes organ thanks to Brad Whitely for the unpredictable album highlight.

Residing close to the end, "Call to Prayer: These Boxes Are Mostly Empty" comes with a hypnotic delivery of jazz fueled ideas and global rhythm, and "Call to Prayer: Cascading Wave of Change" exits with well timed flute, rowdy keys and thumping drums.

A highly eclectic affair that touches on NYC's loft scene of the '60s as well as hard bop sensibilities, there's no lack of droning, grooves and swirling, urban energy that showcases fascinating improvisation to be enjoyed here.