Positive Knowledge / Live in New York
Album: Live in New York   Collection:Jazz
Artist:Positive Knowledge   Added:May 2003
Label:Edgetone Records  

A-File Activity
Add Date: 2003-06-09 Pull Date: 2003-08-11 Charts: Jazz
Week Ending: Aug 10 Aug 3 Jul 27 Jul 20 Jul 6 Jun 29 Jun 22
Airplays: 2 1 1 1 1 1 1

Recent Airplay
1. Oct 05, 2007: Memory Select
Ask Eric / Iron Soul
4. Jun 17, 2005: Memory Select
Direct Focus
2. Jul 21, 2006: Memory Select
In One Heart
5. May 14, 2004: Memory Select -- SF Alt preview (sfalt.org)
Secrets of Imperfection
3. Oct 07, 2005: Memory Select
Secrets of Imperfection
6. Aug 08, 2003: radiomundi
Ask Eric / Iron Soul

Album Review
Craig Matsumoto
Reviewed 2003-06-09
Poetry with free-jazz backing and a richly African sound. The heart of the band is Ijeoma Thomas doing poetry (1,3,5,7) accompanied by Oluyemi Thomas on bass clarinet and other woodwinds, supplemented by bass and drums. Lots of ancillary percussion from the Thomases as well.

There's a death theme throughout, starting with the first song's funereal theme and running through the dedications to musicians who've passed (including Wilbur Morris, the bassist on this CD, who died last year). Ijeoma pours lots of ecstatic shrieks and howls into her reading, so be prepared for that.


1- Slow and intense, plenty of Yoko Ono sounds from Ijeoma
2*- Fast bass clarinet wanderings. Wordless speak-singing from Ijeoma.
3- Both meditative and disturbing, featuring a tart-sounding wind instrument
4*- African flute and bells, peaceful. Fierce bass clarinet later.
5*- Similar to 1, about Eric Dolphy
6- Very nice expressive bass solo. Then a thumb-piano interlude, soothing
7*- Fast, skittery. Includes a band introduction, where you can learn to pronounce Oluyemi and Ijeoma's names!!
8- Bass clarinet and drums, firey playing
9- Soothing flute, then some agile sax-like instrument

Track Listing
1. Proofs   6. Mother Africa
2. Secrets of Imperfection   7. In One Heart
3. The Upper Chamber House ...   8. Direct Focus
4. Righteous Intent   9. Beauty Is Hidden
5. Ask Eric / Iron Soul   .