James Weidman - Spiritual Impressions (INNER CIRCLE MUSIC February 2018)

JAZZ NEWS
A valued pianist, James Weidman has been a sideman and accompanist in many settings over the past 30 years, from Abbey Lincoln, Cassandra Wilson, Steve Coleman to Kevin Mahogany and the Grammy nominated Joe Lovano Us Five. His latest recordings as a leader include Truth and Actuality and October.

Feeling on Inner Circle Music. Weidman's music fits into the modern mainstream of jazz without being predictable. With original chord changes and voicings, his mastery is demonstrated with various changes in rhythm and time. Weidman is on the faculty of William Paterson University.

The Spirituals is a genre of music created in the 19th century by the Black people trapped into a forced labor system during the turbulent period that ultimately led to war and liberation. This poignant music was both an expression of devotion to their God and an expressed longing for freedom from the state of bondage.

These two concepts were not mutually exclusive. Just as in the scriptures, where God delivered the Israelites from Egypt-land and Daniel from the lion's den, surely this same God would deliver every man, woman and child from the inhuman, involuntary servitude that had existed in the south. The Spirituals is music whose tones and rhythms range from the jubilant, to the mournful from song to song. In the 20th century in Black churches, these songs were often included as part of devotional services that preceded the actual Sunday Service. They were often sung during communion and baptisms. They were sung by choirs in arrangements by Black composers who while trained in the European classical music tradition, understood the importance of the legacy of these works. Today, more than ever, it is important to note that the musical testaments that are evoked from these collections of songs serve not just as windows of some exclusive history of African-Americans but indeed, it is an important part of the shared history of all Americans.

The music as conceived by James Weidman is re-interpretations and sonic re-imaginings of these historic songs. Besides piano, James plays melodica on "No Hiding Place" and organ on "Wade in the Water." All the tunes on Spiritual Impressions, are arrangements of the spirituals except for "African Spirals" that is a homage to the ancestral continent and the ancestors of the people brought here in the middle passage. The spiritual, "Walk Together, Children" the last track on the album is a solo piano piece performed by Weidman.

Ruth Naomi Floyd is the vocalist. Weidman has had a long association with Floyd as producer and arranger on three of her critically acclaimed recordings. Multi-reed instrumentalist, Anthony Nelson plays tenor, soprano saxophones, bass clarinet and flute, Harvie S plays acoustic bass and electric bass, and Vince Ector plays drums, djembe, sangba for an indelible experience and journey of the collective spirit.

James Weidman, piano, organ, melodica

Ruth Naomi Floyd, voice

Anthony Nelson, tenor, soprano saxophones, bass clarinet and flute

Harvie S, acoustic and electric bass

Vince Ector, drums, djembe, sangba

1. Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel 6:06 arranged by James Weidman

2. Deep River 7:19 arranged by James Weidman

3. No Hiding Place 4:34 arranged by James Weidman; Ruth Naomi Floyd Sesac Naru Music

4. Prelude To Freedom Troubled Waters 1:23 composed by James Weidman

5. Wade In The Water 5:41 arranged by James Weidman

6. 6 Nobody Knows The Trouble I See 5:12 arranged by Aaron Graves Imani's Faith Publishing BMI

7. Joshua Fit The Battle Of Jericho 6:21 arranged by James Weidman

8. You Hear The Lamb A Cryin 7:19 arranged by James Weidman

9. African Spirals 6:36 composed by James Weidman

10. Let My People Go 5:36 arranged by James Weidman

11. Walk Together Children 4:35 arranged by James Weidman