The Pharaoh's First Stand
The names that Pharaoh Sanders (aka Ferrell Sanders) has played with would likely astound anyone remotely interested in jazz. The stylistic impulses that he has followed have made him an important part of music history. Beginning his career at a time when not only musical changes were taking place, but social ones as well, Sanders embraced a sort of mystical humanism that imbued his playing with a range of colorful tonalities and immense feeling unable to be replicated by his peers.
He’s lived in the South, the Bay area and for stints in New York as well. And it’s that last place that in 1964, John Coltrane happened to hear him perform. That appearance changed the trajectory of his career – and probably Coltrane’s as well.
Sanders’ tenure with Coltrane and his band led to an association with Alice, his wife. And after the passing of his boss, Alice Coltrane and Sanders worked on a number of land mark ‘60s jazz recordings, injecting a sense of eastern religiosity into the mix of Black American culture.
Since then, Sanders has continued recording and toured incessantly. And to celebrate the New Year’s crowning, Sanders has scheduled a three day, four set stand at the amenable Yoshi’s in Oakland (and yes, the location needs to be specified as a result of an SF proper location being established.)
And from January 2nd through the 4th, you can see Sanders as he works through his classic compositions and blows a few free notes into the New Year’s air. There’s even a matinee show on Sunday, so bring out the little ones.
