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Really great re-issue of this lost 1979 gem from trumpeter, Charles Shaw (not related in anyway to Charles “Bobo” Shaw!). A super nice LP of some pretty wild styles, oddball grooves and fairly tripped out blowing. The untreated recording approach gives this a really obscure atmosphere that we are liking a lot down here! TIP! The KS re-issue series goes and grows from strength to strength.
Never one to get pinned down to a single style, Charles has lent his bluesy burnished tone to spiritual jazz heavyweights like John Coltrane, Rashied Ali, and Elvin Jones, while also complimenting the funk soul brothers and sisters such as Donny Hathaway, Marvin Gaye, The Ohio Players, and Rick James - just to hit the tip of the iceberg.
While Cha Cha earnt his rep playing on classics such as Curtis Mayfield's 'Superfly' and 'Freddie's Dead' and The Tempations' 'Papa Was A Rolling Stone', it was as a band leader that he was able to combine his free spiritual modes with a funky dip for your hip.
'Kingdom Come' was his second album for Smithsonian Folkways back in 1979, and the opener 'Melted Soul' sets the tone for the LP - a tripped out mixture of funky heavy drums, echoey guitars and modal piano that sounds like some late 70's Sun Ra jam, and is far too short for it's own good. Elsewhere though, Charles loosens out into extended tracks, namely 'Kid Zaro', 'Right On', and 'Mr Zip', at times sounding like Phil Cohran or Joe McPhee, but keeping a distinct AEC or Black Renaissance style funk to proceedings. 'Kingdom Come' is Cha Cha Shaw's search to find the common melodies in different disparate styles, and combines abstract free jazz tones with spiritual gospel modes, while jamming over late 70's funk back beats. Way ahead of his time, and still taking cha-cha-chances! |
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