Kahil+el'zabar

While the music on this disc stands as yet another fine addition to Kahil El'Zabar's catalogue of collaborative jazz science, it should be noted first that this trio date is the final recording session of the late bassist Fred Hopkins, who died of heart disease six months after they were completed. Upon first listen, the striking and remarkable thing about Love Outside of Dreams sounds like a trio that had been playing together for no less than five or ten years.

The diminutive but mighty acoustic bassist Malachi Favors was a charter member of the Art Ensemble of Chicago and Kahil El'Zabar's Ritual Trio, and since his passing both groups have suffered. This recording for El'Zabar and his revamped trio including longtime member saxophonist Ari Brown and guest violinist Billy Bang is the first offering with bassist Yosef Ben Israel filling the chair of the late Favors…

On Africa N'da Blues, Kahil El'Zabar's Ritual Trio is joined by tenor saxophonist Pharoah Sanders – and the group couldn't have asked for a more appropriate guest. Like drummer/percussionist El'Zabar, he is a very flexible musician who is comfortable with both inside and outside playing. Sanders' resumé includes everything from composing ethereal, gorgeous post-bop melodies to embracing the most blistering and atonal of free jazz on John Coltrane's post-1964 albums…