Multiphonic Tribe "Now Is The Time" on Sugar Hill

m_dejean

What's up with this record? Seems like a bit of an anomaly in the Sugar Hill Records discography. I've googled my way to the knowledge that this is Dick Griffin's second LP, originally released on the Trident label:http://www.jazzdiscography.com/Labels/trident.htmBut why the hell did Robinson reissue some pretty non-commercial spiritual jazz in 1980 amidst all the rapp and disco? I know they tried to be a versatile, e.g. by putting out a Jack McDuff LP (which was disco-cheesy anyway), but still. Anyway, it's an OK session, even though the playing seems a bit haphazard at times. The title track features Lonnie Liston Smith's brother Don on vocals.Are those other Trident titles in a similar vein as "Now Is The Time"? I've never come across any of them.

ariel_calmer

I have no idea about the history, but hip-hop labels did release the odd bit of jazz/african music. ("drum spirits" on NIA anyone?) Griffin's strata-east LP ("the eighth wonder" was re-released on sugar hill as well.

On trident I have....

TRS-501: keno duke - "crest of the wave" (different album from his strata-east one)
TRS-504: dick griffin - "now is the time" (reissued on sugar hill)

I know of another with "gemini" in the title, but I forget the leader on it.

None are really going crazy over, but I dig the title track on "now is the time" and some of the keno duke ("Uschi I").

m_dejean

I have no idea about the history, but hip-hop labels did release the odd bit of jazz/african music. ("drum spirits" on NIA anyone?) Griffin's strata-east LP ("the eighth wonder" was re-released on sugar hill as well.

I didn't know "Eighth Wonder" was re-released on Sugar Hill too. It was actually SoulOnIce's mention of it on waxidermy that made me pull out "Now Is The Time" again.

What's the deal with that "Drum Spirits" LP? Tribal drumming?

ariel_calmer

Yeah drum spirits is pretty much an african percussion LP a la folkways.

On.... NIA.