Search - Bheki Mseleku :: Beauty of Sunrise

A fine pianist with spiritual overtones

10/30/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"    Bheki Mseleku- Beauty Of Sunrise Verve 531 868-2 Graham Haynes (cornet & flugelhorn), Ravi Coltrane (tenor sax),Bheki Mseleku (piano), Michael Bowie (bass), Elvin Jones (drums), James Spaulding (flutes), Ralph Peterson (drums), Daniel Morena (congas) Bheki Mseleku hails from South Africa and plays piano. The word spiritual often comes up in conversation in relation to BM and his style of playing, and it is this spiritual aspect of BM's music that makes him such a calm and serene player in the field of contemporary jazz. He strikes me as not being the sort of person who is easily thrown off course, a man with a purpose and mission. BM says he has been here before in another time and body and that he feels he was a musician back then as well. Like Coltrane or Bach or any other great composers he feels he has come back to alter the energy that is subconsciously at work affecting us all. BM refers to it as the universal vibration. Some would call it love as Earth is the planet of love. He also surrounds himself with some serious players and in the past has kept company with folks like Elvin Jones, Joe Henderson, Pharoah Sanders to name a few. Stylistically he reminds me of Bud Powell or even McCoy Tyner. BM has been himself quite influential in the U.K jazz scene since the early eighties. This is his fifth release and possibly his finest to date .What you hear here are melodies strongly reminiscent of Blue Note recordings back in the sixties, driving tunes, long runs of the piano, strong support from the rhythm section, African influences. There is a sense of joy in this album. Listen to Aja and Suluman Saud for proof of this. The latter track has genius written all over it and for me is fast becoming a personal favorite and a much played piece on the show. BM is such a likable player. Like another favorite Keith Jarrett, he has a habit of vocalising and singing along with what he is playing, but mercifully he has kept this to a bare minimum on this recording. There is a surprising sense of freshness and vitality on this recording. Credits must go to Graham Haynes for some extraordinary cornet and flugelhorn playing. Haynes has a real laid back feel to his playing. This compliments BM's style very nicely. As well as Michael Bowie on bass. Elvin Jones is still a great drummer, sharing the credits on four tracks with Ralph Peterson.      "