T.K. Blue / Follow The North Star
Album: Follow The North Star   Collection:Jazz
Artist:T.K. Blue   Added:May 2008
Label:Jaja  

A-File Activity
Add Date: 2008-07-06 Pull Date: 2008-09-07 Charts: Jazz
Week Ending: Aug 31 Aug 17 Aug 3 Jul 20 Jul 13
Airplays: 1 1 1 1 1

Recent Airplay
1. Aug 03, 2017: No Cover, No Minimum
Southern Rendezvous
4. Jul 30, 2011: Rebop
The Song Of Solomon Northup
2. Jan 17, 2014: No Cover, No Minimum
The Song Of Solomon Northup
5. Aug 29, 2008: No Cover, No Minimum
The Song Of Solomon Northup
3. Dec 09, 2011: No Cover, No Minimum
Southern Rendezvous
6. Aug 15, 2008: No Cover, No Minimum
Follow The North Star

Album Review
Fo
Reviewed 2008-07-06
TK BLUE: Follow the North Star
JaJa, 2008

MODERN JAZZ – Saxophonist TK Blue (Talib Kibwe) presents a postbop suite inspired by the true story of Solomon Northup, a free black man from New York who was kidnapped in 1841, taken to Louisiana and enslaved for 12 years. The disc shines in the slow middle section, which is full of feeling but not melodramatic, maintaining a strong sense of dignity and innate righteousness. Very fine mainstream jazz with an African undertone.

Fo’s Picks: 3, 4, 6, 8, 12

1. 6:02 – gentle kalimba intro, then a rollicking theme, catchy and airy
2. 6:08 – hard-edged intro; then a very happy tune, rolls quickly
3. 2:46 – solo piano, gentle and noble, introduces #4
4. 6:34 – lovely ballad, very warm and tranquil with spirited sax, stately piano
5. 0:47 – brief alto sax fluttering, introduces #6
6. 7:04 – simple sax melody, serious tick-tock march, bluesy piano
7. 1:36 – soft & introspective bass solo, introduces #8
8. 6:10 – resolute sound: soprano sax over a dark march, serious piano
9. 4:09 – heavy spiritual storminess, with a somber ballad peeking through
10. 2:08 – happy sax/trombone duet; a New Orleans sound, leads into…
11. 7:42 – happy midtempo march/strut, upbeat solos all around
12. 6:11 – a cool sneak: alto sax just a li’l bit funky
13. 8:04 – African gospel sound, warmly optimistic, very pleasant

[ Fo ] 6-Jul-08


Track Listing
1. Ancestral Callings   7. Southern Rendezvous (Intro)
2. The Valley Of Paradise   8. Southern Rendezvous
3. The Song Of Solomon Northup (Intro)   9. Valley Of Despair
4. The Song Of Solomon Northup   10. Free To Be Me (Intro)
5. The Capture (Intro)   11. Free To Be Me
6. The Capture   12. Follow The North Star
  13. The Township Diary