Spnny Sharrock

Sonny Sharrock & Nicky Skopelitis - Faith Moves (1991) {CMP Records CMPCD52 rec 1989-90}
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© 1991 CMP Records | CMP CD 52
Jazz / Fusion / Avant-Garde Jazz / Guitar

Recorded over the course of 1989 and 1990, Faith Moves is a series of duets between Sonny Sharrock and stringed-instrument whiz Nicky Skopelitis, whose taste for world music lends these sessions an exotic flair. The format is actually somewhat similar to Sharrock's Guitar album, where he accompanied himself on some fairly basic compositions that allowed him to soar into an overdubbed stratosphere. Here, of course, he has a partner, but the execution is oftentimes pretty similar, especially on the first half of the album. Six of the nine selections are studio improvisations, with overdubs added later to flesh out the sound or emphasize Sharrock's themes.

Sonny Sharrock Band - Seize The Rainbow (1987) {Enemy Records 88561-8205-2 rel 1992}
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© 1987, 1992 Enemy Records | 88561-8205-2
Jazz / Rock / Avant-Garde Jazz / Instrumental Rock / Experimental Rock / Guitar

The follow-up to Sonny Sharrock's entirely solo comeback album, Guitar, Seize the Rainbow puts the guitarist at the helm of a rock-styled power trio featuring bassist Melvin Gibbs and Abe Speller and Pheeroan akLaff on drums (producer Bill Laswell also plays bass on one cut). The overall sound of the album is surprisingly straightforward, heavy metal-tinged jazz-rock, though the caliber and taste of the musicians makes it something far more than what rock guitar virtuosos of the period were recording. Still, there isn't too much way-out craziness, aside from some of Sharrock's trademark slide-guitar explorations on the spiritual title track and the riff-driven rockers "Dick Dogs" and "Sheraserhead's Hightop Sneakers."

Sonny Sharrock - Highlife (1990) {Enemy EMY 119-2}
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© 1990 Enemy Records | EMY 119-2
Jazz / Fusion / Avant-Garde Jazz / Guitar

Highlife was Sonny Sharrock's first studio album in three years, and it bore witness to several slight modifications in the guitarist's approach. Gone were bassist Melvin Gibbs and drummer Pheeroan akLaff, who had moved on to other projects; they were replaced by Charles Baldwin and Lance Carter, respectively, who joined additional drummer Abe Speller. Dave Snider's Korg synthesizer also makes its studio debut (he had appeared on the Live in New York set), which immediately makes the overall ensemble sound simultaneously brighter and tinnier. Even past the added timbre of the keyboards, Sharrock seems to be searching for ways to push his music forward, as he begins going farther afield for material and revisiting his past in the process.

Sonny Sharrock - Monkey-Pockie-Boo (1970) {Sunspots SPOT 504 rel 2002}
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© 1970, 2002 Sunspots / BYG Records | SPOT 504
Jazz / Avant-Garde Jazz / Guitar

Wow! This is one of Sonny Sharrock's rare early recordings, recorded in France shortly after he had been playing with Herbie Mann. The groove's kind of crazy, and it's amazing that Sonny jumped out so soon after leaving the sort of pop-jazz environs he was in with Herbie – but hey, lots of players got to France in the 60s, and completely let their bag open up – so why not Sonny? Wife Linda's on vocals on the session, and they're backed up by Beb Guerin on bass and Jacques Thollot on drums. Titles include "27th Day", "Soon", and "Monkey Pockie Boo".

Pheeroan akLaff - Sonogram (1989) {Muworks Records MUW1004} (ft. Sonny Sharrock)
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© 1989 Muworks Records | MUW1004
Jazz / Post Bop / Modern Creative / Drums

Drummer Pheeroan AkLaff utilizes an all-star cast comprised of tenor-saxophonist John Stubblefield, altoist Carlos Ward, guitarist Sonny Sharrock and bassist Kenny Davis for this set of generally intense improvisations. There is an unfinished quality about the avant-garde music with the individual solos being much stronger than the somewhat forgettable melodies, and Sharrock's explosive guitar is greatly underutilized.

Herbie Mann - Live at the Whisky 1969: The Unreleased Masters (2016) {2CD Set Real Gone Music RGM-0439}
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© 1969, 2016 Atlantic / Real Gone Music | RGM-0439
Jazz / Jazz Rock / Soul Jazz / Jazz Funk / Flute

While jazz flautist Herbie Mann is often remembered as a pop-jazz player, he was actually a pioneer in popularizing world music and even prog-rock with recordings released on his own Embryo imprint (as part of Atlantic Records). And in the late 60s, he was fronting one of the most progressive and electrifying bands in the world: guitarist Sonny Sharrock, Miroslav Vitous on electric & upright bass, saxophonist Steve Marcus, drummer Bruno Carr, and vibraphonist Roy Ayers. Together, the sextet cut the dynamic Live at the Whisky A Go Go album in 1969, drawn from a four night run at the legendary nightclub on Los Angeles Sunset Strip. Though the band s repertoire was quite varied on these dates, just two side-long tracks, Ooh Baby and Philly Dog, surfaced on the Atlantic Records release.