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Celebrating Silentes: Gigi Masin, Rod Modell, Aube, Maurizio Bianchi and more, with test pressings and rarities
Celebrating Silentes: Gigi Masin, Rod Modell, Aube, Maurizio Bianchi and more, with test pressings and rarities
Julius HemphillDogon A.D.Back to the record
AllMusic
★★★★★

“It's one of the first records of the era that reflects a jazz artist melding the emotional candor of popular Black musical traditions -- blues, soul, R&B, and gospel -- with the vocabulary and spirit of free jazz without compromising either in the process.”

Thom Jurek

Dogon A.D. marks the now-classic debut by saxophonist, flutist, and composer Julius Hemphill; it was recorded in St. Louis in December 1972 with cellist Abdul Wadud, drummer Phillip Wilson, and trumpeter Baikida Carroll as accompanists. Originally issued with three selections on the musician's Mbari label (the complete session wouldn't fit on an LP), it was re-released by Arista Freedom, which relegated the fourth track, "The Hard Blues," to the 1975 follow-up Coon Bid'ness as its opening cut. The track was restored to Dogon A.D. during the CD era. The "A.D." in the album's title stands for "adaptive dance," drawn from the spiritual creation story of the Dogon people of Mali, in West Africa.

Originally published by AllMusic.Read it on AllMusic

6 other reviews

All About Jazz

“Listed by Ben Ratliff of the New York Times as one of 100 essential jazz recordings, Dogon A.D. is a timeless masterwork culled from the crossroads of African-American music traditions and one of the most important jazz reissues of the year.”

The Absolute Sound

“Nothing he would produce later had the raw power of his early work, which combined an avant garde sensibility with a feeling for blues playing as deep as any Texas saxophonist from Arnett Cobb to Ornette Coleman.”

Point of Departure

“Timeless tunes, an original group sound, liberatory cello – their appeal does not wear thin.”

Point of Departure

“Few albums have ever announced so unequivocally the arrival of a major new talent; it’s simply one of the most vital and exciting jazz albums ever recorded.”

NPR

“Hemphill's genius was to combine the Chicagoans' dramatically spare sound with a heavy backbeat.”

JazzTimes

“It became a highly coveted release for good reason: Hemphill’s raw alto and flute are joined by Baikida Carroll (trumpet), Abdul Wadud (cello) and Philip Wilson (drums) for a session based in heavy grooves despite the somewhat spare instrumentation.”