The third release from Night Dreamer’s essential “Direct-to-Disc” sessions sees an incrediblemeeting between legendary US saxophonist Gary Bartz and leading UK spiritual jazz ensemble,Maisha, featuring two Bartz classics and three brand new joint songs written by both Bartz &Maisha in close collaboration.

Having cut his teeth playing with the likes of Charles Mingus, Max Roach, Art Blakey and finally in1970, Miles Davis at the peak of his electric period, Gary Bartz became a leading figure of theearly-to-mid 70s spiritual jazz movement, releasing a string of ground-breaking albums onlegendary NYC jazz label Prestige Records with his NTU Troop, featuring classics such as“Celestial Blues”, “Uhuru Dance” and “I’ve Known Rivers”, before collaborating on Blue NoteRecords with the Mizell Brothers on the anthemic jazz funk of “Music Is My Sanctuary”. An oeuvremuch loved by soul jazzers and hip hop fans alike.

Led by drummer Jake Long, Maisha have been central to the UK’s jazz explosion, and have fastbecome the UK’s most exciting and in-demand young spiritual jazz ensemble, from steller showsat Jazz re:freshed, Total Refreshment Centre & Church of Sound and supporting the Sun RaArkestra, to releasing their critically acclaimed debut LP, “There Is A Place” on Gilles Peterson’sBrownswood Recordings in 2018. Theirs is an organic & explosive sound that blends influencesfrom afrobeat and broken beat to Persian music, with a deep love and understanding of jazz,particularly the heritage of spiritual jazz led by titans such as Pharoah Sanders, Alice Coltrane andof course, Gary Bartz.

Which makes this collaboration even more special. Bartz was first invited to share a stage withMaisha by Gilles Peterson to headline the inaugural We Out Here festival. Their chemistry was richand instantaneous, certainly a two-way street, with the young musicians reinvigorating thelegend’s performance and wowing the intergenerational festival audience. A European tourfollowed, including a London Jazz Festival highlight at the Royal Festival Hall, celebrating the 50thanniversary of his album “Another Earth”, originally featuring fellow legends, Pharoah Sanders,Charles Tolliver, Stanley Cowell, and John Coltrane’s own bassist, Reggie Workman.Now the relationship has evolved into a special straight-to-disc recording for Night DreamerRecords, that captures the vitality of their collaboration. Whilst Bartz and Maisha reinvent classicBartz compositions “Uhuru Sasa” and “Dr Follows Dance”, extending the pieces into long pieceimprovised grooves, their recording session gave birth to three brand new joint compositions,written the very same day. These include the propulsive “Leta’s Dance” that magically combinesthe Bartz’ soulful musical lyricism with Maisha’s African-jazz influences, and the organic jazz funkof “Harlem to Haarlem”, featuring a hot solo from guest trumpeter Axel Kaner-Lidstrom of Cykada& Levitation Orchestra fame.

Like previous Night Dreamer efforts from afrobeat star Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, and the beautifulcollaboration between Brazilian stars Seu Jorge & Rogê, the album was recorded in Haarlem’sArtone Studio, a stones throw from Amsterdam, in just one-take, straight-to-disc, avoiding postproductionembellishments and retaining the purity of the performance lost in modern recordingtechniques.

This record really is an event, in and of itself, a meeting of talents, minds, generations andzeitgeist moments, captured in a unique and pure manner. The music does not disappoint, asMaisha have been inspired to reach new heights whilst we find Bartz truly reinvigorated, and bothartists in tune to the spirit of the other.

• 1. Harlem To Haarlem
• 2. The Stank
• 3. Leta's Dance
• 4. Uhuru Sasa
• 5. Dr Follows Dance