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JAZZ CORNER Presents: Herbie Mann – Stone Flute (1970)

March 25, 2015

JAZZ CORNER Presents: Herbie Mann – Stone Flute (1970)

Artists often fall short when they step out of their trademark sound, but not Herbie Mann, best known for his soulful jazz.  Here on Stone Flute, Mann slides into an atmospheric and spacious sound, much as Miles Davis did on Bitches Brew, developing sparse string arrangements that are inter-laced with his magical flute, creating insightfully light exotic and airy washes of psychedelic blissful wonder.
Opening the album with “In Tangier,” and a sly nod and reference to the original version laid out by the legendary 60’s troubadour Donovan, with Mann creating an intoxicating stoned out celestial flight across the galaxie.  Locked in tight with the mind-bending heyday of the mid 60’s swirling from his flute, he moves into “Flying,” a profound influential Beatles instrumental from The Magical Mystery Tour, creating a vibe that is equally as hallucinatory.  The rest of the tracks are top shelf straight forward thinking jazz that grooves along at a steady pace, exhibiting Mann’s unmistakable restraint to allow things to flower, and then moves on in a contained, yet free spirited manner.
Stone Flute is a unique body of work from the Herbie Mann catalog, with minor hints at late 60’s and early 70’s experiments into the realm of fusion and sound exploration … though not quiet, because it is very accessible.  Nevertheless, this is not an album you’re gonna want to miss, as it goes down easy, holding your attention, without demanding it. 
Herbie Mann – Flute
Sonny Sharrock – Guitar
Roy Ayers – Vibes
Ron Carter – Bass
Miroslav Vitous – Bass
Bruno Carr – Drums
Mickey Rocca – Drums
Gene Orloff – Violin
Manny Green – Violin
Peter Dimitriades – Violin
Selwart Clarke – Viola
Al Brown – Viola
Kermit Moore – Cello
George Ricci – Cello
Review made by Jenell Kesler/2015
© Copyright http://psychedelicbaby.blogspot.com/2015
4 Comments
  1. Anonymous says:

    Be warned this is not freaky-guitar Sonny Sharrock. He just strums and picks obediently, beautifully, I should add.

  2. Anonymous says:

    Great record, and good review. But there's one thing worth mentioning: this is one of the most STONED records ever made. Not tripping, not nodding, just straight-up wasted on cannabis. All the musicians play like they're so baked that they can barely move. Stone Flute: the aural equivalent of couch-lock.

  3. Kevin L Eberhardt says:

    Who plays keyboards on this album? I definitely hear some organ & maybe electric piano.

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