HERE COMES THE FAMILY

I have had lots of requests for a repost of this bomb from Archie Shepp and The Family of Percussion - so here it is. First posted at OIR september 2006. The Family of Percussion (Peter Giger,Trilok Gurtu,Doug Hammond and Tom Nicholas)are joined by Archie Shepp on this hard to find 1980 release from Nagara in Germany. On "Here Comes the Family"the Family establish the basic form of the piece with their rhythmic and vocal opening with Shepp's flute fluttering above it all.Then he lets rip with what the liner notes call 'Poetic Recitation'but would probably be called rapping these days over a funky percussive backdrop .This tune is why the lp remains in such demand - a big play list favourite of djs world wide. Next up is Shepp's "Street Song" the best cut on the lp for me,on which he blows his tenor freely over the drums,congas,bells and gongs.The piece ends in a crescendo of percussion culminating in a gong crash which fades into silence."Euterpe's Favorit"has Shepp back on flute with the family weaving a mystical feel behind him on bells,whistles,water pipes,gongs,rattles and drums. "Ardopetori"starts side 2 with a mid tempo infectious rhythm established by shakers and log drum which builds slowly with Shepp soloing freely again on tenor. "For Ti Roro"wraps it up and begins with the gentle,caribean sounds of steel drums until Shepp's soprano bursts in with a frenzy of excitement.This is the most free track with all the musicians reacting to each otherboth collectively and singularly until it finishes fittingly with the sound of the congas. This came out on lp and cd but quickly dissapeared without trace.if you want a copy you gonna have to dig hard and have deep pockets!