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For the Love of Peace
Listen to Charnett Moffett Profile on NPR "Day to Day" program
US Radio Stations AirplayRadio add date 5/13/2004JazzWeek #41 as of 6/18/04 JazzWeek Top Adds #5 for the week of 5/13/04 CMJ Jazz at # 11 as of 6/18/04 57+ In “Medium” To “Heavy” Rotation as of 6/18/04 120+ Stations “In Play” as of 6/18/04 Reviews
Jazz Improv MagazineIn a time when "Marsalis" echoes in notoriety, For the Love of Peace stands as a musically superb Moffett family manna. Five of the group's seven contributors descend from this obviously open-minded clan. The music is expertly played. Charnett Moffett's spirituality empowers those of like mind to engage the music that way; secular musicians will surely enjoy the bassist's original compositions and his unique signature on the instrument. Charnett makes a serious case for bass a s the focal point of music. On "I Love the Lord," he makes snappy use of string dynamics to set a highly interesting groove in which piano, drums and trumpet unfold. Charnett's place in the groove is the staging point for greatly liberated playing by Codaryl Moffett on drums, Mondre Moffett on trumpet and Scott Brown on piano. Charnett's improvisation makes acoustic strings vibrate with cerebral electricity. "Numbers" is a multi-channel universe of improvisation. When all players have their own discourse, convergence best describes the collective result. Codaryl Moffett may come closest to making drums the frame in which trumpet, bass and piano furiously engage. Moffett calls it "freedom with discipline": true. Without advanced understanding, the musicians could never play this stuff. Codaryl lays some serious stick on his first solo foray, particularly in the spellbinding effect of rolls all over the traps. This qualifies as inspired improvisation. The next trilogy of songs calls on the spirit world. In music, as with words and thoughts, Charnett Moffett's religion defines him as a player. As we enter "Free Spirit," Codaryl enters a permanent role as a force of brushed syncopation. He snaps to and from the downbeats for the rest of the record. "Remember what peace there may be in silence." "The dull and the ignorant, too, have their stories, vocalizes Angela Moffett. The band makes sizzling support of "Go Placidly." "The Calling" contains beautifully sedate vocal underscore by Charisse Moffett. Although Charnett's bass naturally carries the melody, vocals and trumpets contrast to make this an incantation. Charisse continues the incanted underscore on "The Shepherd." In Two minutes, "Who Took My Shopping Cart" overwhelms pretences of homelessness with unnerving honesty. Anyone who has ever felt removed from "home" (in whatever form) will applaud this social commentary. Moffett and band do a great job of arguing that ignorance is the will to devastating fantasy. Moffett suavely times the back half of the record with songs that extend from an interlude of 43 seconds ("Prayer") to the album's three-movement sojourn, "For the Love of Peace." "Spirit of Blues" offers a swing that is more deeply extended on "Mercy and Grace." Naturally, time permits. The holistic progression is marked by several waves of frenetic improvisation. The final two songs are Charnett Moffett's contribution to jazz bass. "The Movement of Freedom" is humorously correct. The fingers move, period. The freedom is a result of the movement and anyone who loves smoke and fire ought to enjoy this four-minute expression of voltage. "For the Love of Peace" puts every spotlight of musical curiosity in the fingers of Charnett Moffett and the native of New York makes a virtuous adventure of percussive tones. The album's title track realizes the bassist's potential. Charnett Moffett's personal and musical ethos makes For the Love of Peace an enterprise of absolute relevance. The Moffett family makes its case for social citizenry as surely as its best bassist makes his case for music. - Jazz Improv Magazine - Gregory J. Robb V5N2
JazzTimes MagazineThe opening moments of For the Love of Peace set the standard for what will follow. "In the Beginning" starts with Charnett Moffett bowing his bass, pulling thick rich tones from his instrument that buttress the somber accompaniment of his brother Mondre's trumpet and the cascading piano textures played by a person identified as "J.S." (Scott Brown plays piano on the majority of the disc.) After this introduction, the piece follows the structure of a raga, with Moffett standing front-and-center in a group that also includes his brother Codaryl on drums. Listen carefully because it's easy to miss his wife, Angela, and sister Charisse's wordless vocals that linger in the background. Moffett, a tireless virtuoso whose career has included lengthy stints in the bands of Ornette Coleman and Wynton Marsalis, has created a highly personal work that heads in several different directions but always manages to sound focused and spotlight the leader's staggering technique. "I Love The Lord" is built on an A Love Supreme-type vamp, with a theme gradually taking shape in the middle of Mondre's trumpet solo. "Numbers" heads in a free-bop direction - what Moffett calls the "Freedom with discipline" concept - with the four musicians building to a frenzy that never collapses on itself. This time Moffett bows so feverishly, it's a wonder he didn't start a fire. A number of tracks seem to catch the group in the middle of performance. In two cases this makes for tracks that last less then a minute. On the other hand, the title track works as a suite for solo bass, which leave my ears impressed, but it could have been shorter than 10 and a half minutes. - JazzTimes Magazine - Mike Shanley 11/04
All About Jazz NYBassist extraordinaire Charnett Moffett has mined all his musical and familial influences in his latest release, For the Love of Peace, which enjoyed an official and successful CD release event at Jazz Standard (Sweet Rhythm) a few months back. Joining him on the disc is the Moffett Family Band featuring brothers Codaryl Cody Moffett (drums/percussion) and Mondre Moffett (trumpet/fluegelhorn), sister Charisse (vocals and wife Angela (spoken word). Pianist Scott Brown plays on most tracks sharing the duties with J.S. (presumably executive producer Jessica Shih). The disc opener, "In the Beginning", is a raga-influenced symphonic intro. Charnett starts bowed, soloing then plucking with a flamenco sensibility as Cody supplies the rattlesnake percussion. "I Love the Lord", in thematic and musical structure, rings similar to John Coltrane's "Acknowledgement" down to the mantra-like chanting of the title. "Numbers", an impressionistic burner, opens with a drum riff from Cody, after which Mondre sprints out of the box with a skittering, shrieking trumpet, pulling Charnett and Scott Brown in tow. The leader bows up high notes, sawing away like a man possessed as Brown and Cody race to keep up. "Free Spirit" finds Charnett on the electric fretless bass, Mondre on flugelhorn and Cody playing brushes like a boxer hitting the speed bag, everyone improvising off the melody. "Go Placidly" is a spoken word, life-affirming blueprint recited by Angela and accompanied by a driving rhythm centered on Mondre's muted trumpet. Charnett employs an unusual technique on "The shepherd" which could be described as playing "pizziarco" - that is, striking the bass bow against the strings instead of plucking them or playing straight arco. Mondre's soulful trumpet solo, while Charisse murmurs in the background. "Who Took My Shopping Cart?", a poem by Shih and recited by Angela with additional vocalizing by Charisse, is set to music by bassist Charnett. The poem is told from the point of view of a homeless woman and shows how "ordinary" and "meaningless" are such relative terms. As though we've entered a jazz club in the middle of a set, "Spirit of Blues" fades in just in time to get a snapshot of Mondre's dynamic trumpet, followed by a surprisingly upbeat and spirited piece- "Mercy and Grace". There's more great trumpeting from Mondre, slick piano playing by Brown, excellent brushwork by Cody and the usual strong pizzicato from Charnett, who returns to the fretless bass and shares dialogue with Brown on "The Movement of Freedom". Mondre gradually insinuates himself into the conversation, note by note, until becoming a full-fledged interlocutor in a hot three-way debate leading up to the title track, an impassioned East-Indian based three-part solo tour de force by Charnett who explores every dimension of the bass to express his love of music and his hope for humanity. - All About Jazz NY - Terrell Holmes 10/04
O's Place Jazz NewsletterBassist Moffett quickly establishes his prowess
on "In the Beginning". He wrote all of the tunes. This is a bit of a
family affair with Codaryl Cody Moffett (d), Mondre Moffett (t), Angela Moffett
(poetry), Charisse Moffett (v) along with pianist Scott Brown. Charnett employs
the premise of "Freedom with Discipline" throughout the set allowing
the musicians enough space to explore while maintaining a strong sense of
harmony. The titles of the songs ("The Shepherd",
"Forgiven", "Prayer"...) suggest a religious tone. While
this is not the gospel, we found For the Love of Peace to be inspirational. - O's Place Jazz Newsletter - D. Oscar Groomes 10/04
Downbeat MagazineBassist Charnett Moffett's For The Love Of Peace is a little bit variety show and a little bit concept album. The former teenage prodigy demonstrates his still-fierce playing, on both acoustic (arco and pizzicato) and fretless bass, and he offers an ambitious program - original compositions garnished with background vocals and spoken word - that handily reflects his Ornette Coleman-influenced "Freedom With Discipline" philosophy. Moffett's bowing and plucking on the slow, mournful "In The Beginning" hint at traditional Indian music, and he recapitulates several similar figures on the closer, a virtuosic extended solo piece that meanders a tad too often. He also plays unaccompanied on the short tracks "Forgiven" and "Prayer." The exuberant, rhythm-intensive "Free Spirit" has Moffett's tricky fretless lines doubled by brother Mondre Moffett's trumpet. Although the playing throughout is consistently accomplished, the compositions occasionally sound incomplete and unfinished. - Downbeat Magazine - Philip Booth 9/04
Cadence MagazineWith fourteen reflective pieces that he's furnished for this first album in a new series, Charnett Moffett inspires and praises. "A Love Supreme" can be heard threading its way carefully through a part of the session. Not that the session runs dreamy with its spirituality. This is Jazz wrought through many years on the road with his father's family band. Recalling an early start in his career, a part of the session has been given a Far Eastern semblance. Sister Charisse adds meditative, wordless vocals, as brother Mondre sears the air with passion. Their cohesive, three-way force on "The Shepherd" provides a moving experience. With harmony rooted in Eastern Asia folk music, the piece forms a universal epithet. The pianist for this piece, identified as J. S., gives the ensemble a powerful sense of the exotic Orient. With lyrics provided by producer Jessica Shih and a stirring recitation by Angela Moffett, "Who Took My Shopping Cart" reminds us that the plight of the homeless in cities everywhere requires our attention. Charnett Moffett uses bowed acoustic, fretless, and a fiery pizzicato double bass to depict his intended spiritual messages. Harmonious and completely in tune with his family and friends, the leader's bass issues its strength through free form expression and through thematic melodies. One piece evokes prayer, while another evokes a call to action. Modern and harmolodic in its concept, the session grabs your emotions and tugs. Moffett's title track, which runs suite-like through various World Music themes, carries with it a bass lover's treasure. Soloing for over ten minutes, the leader gives his audience a message to remember. His performance, appeals to the average Jazz outsider as well as to the Jazz fan. Essential musical elements remain at the heart of Moffett's music. Thus, he's able to convey music as a "universal language" to all, while providing deeply profound Jazz statements. - Cadence Magazine - Jim Santella 8/04©Cadence Magazine 2004. Published by CADNOR Ltd. One Final NoteFor a session so dominated by one player,
Charnett Moffett's For the Love of Peace possesses a rarified sense of
selflessness. As composer, leader and bassist, Moffett presides over a spiritual
celebration, one colored by the tradition of the Indian raga and American
harmolodics. The session seems more a religious rite—albeit one shaped by a
personal searching not codified by theology—than a musical recital. - Onefinalnote.com - David Dupont 7/04
Commuter WeekThere are four members of the bowed string family: violin, viola, cello and double bass. Of the four, the last, when standing straight up, is bigger than most people. It's an instrument that is usually meant to accompany, its deep voice creating the harmonic foundation for the ensemble. To sing, to allow the instrument's voice to soar above the rest.. what musician wouldn't want that? But when little is written for solo double bass, who's going to do the soaring? And who's going to do it well? There's Ron Carter. And then there's Charnett Moffett. Moffett has taken the bass, this most unwieldy of instrument, and made it sing like a star...like Pinza or Ramey or Franco Corelli (to use an operatic metaphor). He has played bass his entire musical life... since the age of seven. Why the bass? In a musical family where everybody plays an instrument... or sings... the bass wasn't taken. These days Moffett is playing the fretless electric bass and the acoustic upright. And composing. Hence this newest CD, For the Love of Peace, all original, all Charnett Moffett. Last month I was fortunate enough to hear Moffett and his family (the Moffett family band includes brothers, Codaryl an Mondre, drums and trumpet respectively, sister Charisse on vocals and wife, Angela doing spoken word... as well as pianist and the only non-family member, Scott Brown on piano) perform at the CD Release Party during which Moffett and band played the entire recording from start to finish. Words that come to mind to describe the music that night... extraordinary, challenging, muscular, amazing. From start to finish, a virtuosic performance. You'll use the same words to describe the CD. From the first track, "In the Beginning," to the last, the title track, "For the Love of Peace"... a ten minute solo tour de force that will blow you away. Moffett will capture your mind and your soul. My personal favorite track besides the last? It's "Numbers," in which you hear this marvelous dialogue between bass and trumpet, with occasional comment by the piano. - Commuter Week - Miriam Allenson 6/04
Practical.orgAnswers the question " Can a bass
player anchor a concept album /" with a resounding yes. Charnett Moffett is
one of the most creative bassists on the jazz scene today as evidenced by his
work with Mcoy Tyner and others. This very fine CD is full of wonderfull music
with Moffett's bass always in the forefront. Using a small group that includes
family member (wife, daughter, sister ? ) I'm not sure but the results are very
much worth checking into. I loved Charnett's performance on Land of The Giants
and at a recent live performance that I was lucky enough to catch. This cd has
some incredible moments. Check out track # 7 and the scorching bassline that
drives that tune. Very well done. Deserves a large audience. - Practical.org - Ray Marsella 6/04
PopMattersCharnett Moffett is a phenomenon on bass. He has a huge sound, and it is to the fore here not as personal display but an important distinctive characteristic of his little family ensemble's sound. He is, it seems, a religious man, and his CD almost entirely a devotional work. It opens with hardly less than a short raga, which in Charnett's hands the double bass has no bother with. His group consists of himself, his brother Mondre on trumpet and flügelhorn, and their brother Codaryl, like their late lamented famous father Charles, the drummer. Scott Brown plays piano, and so it seems does J.S., presumably Jessica Shih, whose liner note is heartfelt. Two Moffett ladies make vocal contributions, Angela (Mrs. Charnett) adapting the line from Twelfth Night to "if music be the food of life ... " as an intended meaningful spoken intrusion half-way through the second title. It's called "I Love the Lord" and Charnett's sister Clarisse sings a vocalise (using the human voice as a musical instrument, wordless and without the vocables of what grew up in jazz as "vocalese"). All the music on this CD is repetitive, doubtless deliberately, apart from an occasional item so short as to raise the wish it had been played twice. Even the CD's title tells you this isn't secular music. "Numbers" follows and is FREE JAZZ such as got blown when Charnett's father was Ornette Coleman's drummer. Mondre has a wild flying blow, and the drummer produces thunder. The band's plainly excited, but not everybody will share an interest in what might possibly happen in a performance according to the ancient doctrine of free individual expression. The inspiration's not sustained, though the bassist and drummer work hard. That old New Thing exercise may help identify this CD as, on the whole, a musical version of conceptual art, rather than a strictly musical conception. Now we have a generalised Middle-Eastern style dance piece, the same rhythm again and again, with what might as well be a written solo release or transition for bass, before more of the same. Then we have a passage of spoken moralising, "Go Placidly", decorated somewhat by the fact of being pronounced over a brief quartet performance the notes say is on chords of "I Got Rhythm" -- though the band's too far to the rear for that to matter. A "celestial mood piece" follows, including more vocalise, with another long bass episode. Then there's "The Shepherd", an "oriental dance piece" with trumpet and vocalise lines over a strong bass figure. After "Forgiven", a bass solo timed at 38 seconds, Angela Moffett reads out a not very good poem not very well. It is by Janet Shih, writer of the line notes, and this return to oldtime Poetry and Jazz is really a kind of semi-amateur literary-musical art. The poem "Who Took My Shopping Cart?" is excessively impressionistic, with some ill-judged rhymes imposed by the metrical scheme and creating nonsensical lines. The idea's good, the poem's not realised. The bass solo "Prayer" is a little short of three-quarters of a minute, and the band's "Spirit of Blues", at only a minute-and-a-quarter, seems to be there as some oblique kind of statement rather than for its own sake as music. There wasn't enough of it to sustain any comment on the sheer musicmaking abilities of this quartet. I have no idea how the titles "Mercy and Grace" and "The Movement of Freedom" relate to the actual music anybody would hear on this CD. The former's nearly three minutes were musically perhaps the most interesting on this CD after the opener. The latter's four minutes are dedicated again to a practice of repetition not disdained in the ten-and-a-half-minute title track and closer. Charnett Moffett has a knack of coining interesting rhythmic figures, and there is a good tune here -- I think. The problem is that I heard it so often during the those six hundred and thirty-seven seconds I'm tempted to give credit for the fact to sheer repetition. This is pleasant enough and mostly self-engrossed music, which not every hearer will find as foreign as I've described it. It's a matter of letting you know what you might be getting. - PopMatters.com - Robert R. Calder 6/04
Sounds of Timeless JazzCharnett Moffett turns in a brilliant performance on FOR THE LOVE OF PEACE, a 14-track masterpiece of original compositions written by the bassist/composer. Moffett, the son of drummer Charles Moffett of Ornette Coleman fame and who still frequently plays with the saxophone master, takes his listeners on a 21st Century inspired musical journey that can be compared to John Coltrane’s masterpiece, A LOVE SUPREME. Both are beautiful, profound paeans to God, both showcase the depths of their spirituality and musical visions, and both records exemplify the musicians at the top of their artistic and creative prowess. Joined by Codaryl (Cody) Moffett on drums and percussion, Mondre Moffett on trumpet & flugelhorn, Scott Brown on piano, J.S. on piano, Charisse Moffett and Angela Moffett providing vocals, this recording achieves new levels of imagination. It is reflective and filled with love, memorable melodies, and exotic musical influences. FOR THE LOVE OF PEACE features two main aspects of Charnett Moffett’s musical vision: one that is based upon love and the other upon the concept of freedom and discipline. It opens with the Raga inspired “In The Beginning,” which features Charnett’s splendid arco and pizzicato solo based on the theme of the melody. Its reverent mood sets the pace for the remainder of the spirited program which includes such excellent compositions as “I Love The Lord,” “The Calling,” “The Shepherd,” “Forgiven,” “Prayer,” “Mercy and Grace,” “Spirit of Blues,” and “For The Love of Peace.” Embracing the concept of freedom with discipline, we hear “Free Spirit,” “The Movement of Freedom,” and “Numbers.” On “Go Placidly,” Angela Moffett is featured reciting the motivational poetry that Charnett has based on Gershwin’s chord structure for “I Got Rhythm.” In these days of turmoil, listeners would be wise to pay attention to the message in this song. Whether using harmolodics as on “Mercy and Grace,” and “The Movement of Freedom,” to explore new areas of music or mesmerizing you with his solo virtuosity on the three movement finale “For The Love Of Peace,” Charnett Moffett is definitely in the prime of his career and deserves a special place in your jazz collection. Awesome! - Sounds of Timeless Jazz.com 5/04
Allaboutjazz.comCharñett Moffett inspires his audience and praises the Lord on this spiritual jazz message. Blending Far Eastern music with the kind of gospel message that we’ve all grown to know and to love, the bassist and his close-knit band “preach” to the world in a universal language.Charisse Moffett, his sister, adds uplifting, wordless vocals, as Mondre, his brother, reminds us of what is at the core of jazz. The pianist for “The Shepherd,” identified as J.S., gives the ensemble a powerful sense of the exotic Orient. With lyrics provided by producer Jessica Shih and a stirring recitation by Angela Moffett, “Who Took My Shopping Cart” reminds us that the plight of the homeless in cities everywhere requires our attention. The session contains a balance of passion and reflection. Moffett’s title track allows him to reach out and touch your soul. Soloing for more than ten minutes, he provides plenty of food for thought. The bassist proves his mettle with a highly virtuosic performance that will appeal to a broad audience. - Allaboutjazz.com - Jim Santella 5/04
All Music GuideAlthough Charnett Moffett has considerable potential as a musician and a composer, he hasn't always lived up to it. The acoustic/electric bassist has recorded some excellent albums (including Planet Home and Still Life, both on Evidence), but he has come out with some weak, forgettable ones as well; Beauty Within is arguably the worst offender. Moffett can be great as a post-bop, fusion, or avant-garde player, although some of his contributions to smooth jazz in the late '80s and early '90s were downright embarrassing. For the Love of Peace, thankfully, is among his more noteworthy efforts. Most of this 2003 date falls into the acoustic post-bop category, and Moffett (who wrote all of the material himself) brings a highly spiritual outlook to this project. Those who appreciate the sort of post-bop spirituality that Charles Lloyd, Pharoah Sanders, Yusef Lateef, and Rahsaan Roland Kirk were known for in the '60s and '70s will appreciate where Moffett is coming from on thoughtful items like "The Shepherd," "I Love the Lord," and "Mercy and Grace." Many of the selections are greatly influenced by traditional Indian raga music, and at times, Moffett plays his acoustic bass as though it were a sitar or a South Indian vina (also spelled veena). To a large degree, For the Love of Peace is, as Sly Stone would say, a family affair. Scott Brown appears on acoustic piano, but most of the participants are relatives of the leader, including brothers Mondre (trumpet, flügelhorn) and Codaryl Moffett (drums). Angela Moffett is featured on a few spoken word items, but for the most part, this is an instrumental album — and while For the Love of Peace isn't quite as essential as Planet Home or Still Life, it's a soulful and pleasing demonstration of Charnett Moffett's talents as a bassist/composer. - Allmusidguide.com - Alex Henderson 5/04
Jazzreview.comCharnett Moffett has established some an impressive, and lengthy, resumé during the twenty years that he has been performing professionally. Even before he started with Wynton Marsalis’ group in 1983, Moffett was performing informally with his family of musicians and singers, including with his father, Charles, who established a career playing drums with some of the more adventurous musicians of his generation, including Ornette Coleman, Pharaoh Sanders, Carla Bley and Sonny Rollins. Now that Charles, Sr. has passed, his offspring are carrying on, being represented in Charnett’s latest recording, For The Love Of Peace. While the CD certainly features Moffett’s extraordinary technique on bass, both acoustic and electric, not to mention his ability to transfer spiritual meaning through music, it also becomes a family event as it includes his brothers Codaryl Cody on drums and Mondre Moffett on trumpet; sister Charisse on vocals; and wife Angela on spoken word. For The Love Of Peace (certainly a timely theme at the moment) consists of 14 pieces that commences with Moffett’s bowed Middle Eastern-flavored “In The Beginning,” as if a dawning occurs, and immediately into his testament of faith, “I Love The Lord,” on which Mondre joins in the languid modally based tune after Charnett’s warm pizzicato introduction on acoustic bass. However, the freedom of playing with which the Moffett family is associated actually starts on the third track, “Numbers,” metrically loose and melodically adventurous as Mondre creates his own statement without the confinement of a tightly structured composition. And “Numbers” is where Charnett employs his own imitable technique to engage in freely expressed colloquy with drummer Codaryl Cody. Then on “Go Placidly,” the entire group burns through a restatement of “I’ve Got Rhythm,” Mondre on muted buzzing trumpet and Charnett pushing with walking—well, speed walking—bass, while Angela comes in with words for living like these: “Go placidly/Amid the noise and hate./Remember what peace there may be in silence./Be on good terms with all persons./Speak your truth quietly and clearly./And listen to others,/Even the dull and ignorant/For they too have their stories.” And she does it again when she assumes the attitude of a homeless person on the swaying waltz of “Who Took My Shopping Cart”: “Night falls./Day comes./The cycle of life never seems to cease./Up the hill/Down the alley/This shopping cart holds me dearly.” And so she puts into words the narratives that support the family’s beliefs that otherwise would have been expressed through notes, powerful though they may be. “Mercy And Grace” adopts Ornette’s concept of harmolodics, the piece being played at times as a canon as pianist Scott Brown repeats Mondre’s phrases, and actually makes them dissonant by playing the melody in two-note half-tone chords. On the next track, “The Movement Of Freedom,” Charnett plays bass guitar to pronounce the motive with exacting articulation, Latin in its feel, as Codaryl Cody brushes a rhythm that’s separate in feel and still supportive of the movement. For The Love Of Peace ends with Charnett’s ten-minute solo statement on acoustic bass of “For The Love Of Peace,” which is arranged in three parts that allow for an expanded performance ranging from a subdued introduction to an uplifting middle section and a final technically inspiring final part. While bass players infrequently release their
own recordings, mainly because of their usual status of sidemen, occasionally a
CD of special merit by a bass player is released. Such is the case with
Moffett’s For The Love Of Peace, which comprises a statement of faith
and belief and summarizes his vast range of experiences in a high-profile
career. - Jazzreview.com - Don Williamson 4/04
The Buffalo NewsYou don't just get an intermittently gorgeous and soulful disc led by the bass titan but, in fact, a conclave of the children of Ornette Coleman's great drummer Charles Moffett - drummer Cody, trumpet player Mondre, with sisters Angela and Charisse on vocals. And, beyond that, you get a disc about "love, spiritual and human" (as producer Jessica Shih calls it) that manages to heed the call of Coltrane's "A Love Supreme" without sounding artificial or fatuous. A major surprise, in fact.- Buffalo.com - Jeff Simon 4/04
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