Pharoah Sanders - Oh Lord, Let Me Do No Wrong (1987)

Although Pharoah Sanders was originally considered a firebrand, thanks to his wild early free jazz work in the '60s, his later records are actually more in the tradition of players like his one-time leader John Coltrane and, especially, Rahsaan Roland Kirk. The title track from this 1987 session could have been on any of Kirk's Atlantic albums, a mixture of gospel sway and free jazz honk that builds into a hypnotic swoon under Leon Thomas' rich baritone vocals. (Thomas also appears on his own composition, the blues "If It Wasn't for a Woman," and the closing "Next Time You See Me.") On the extended, relaxed take of Coltrane's "Equinox," Sanders doesn't try to copy his former boss' phrasing, but there's certainly a Coltrane-like elegance to Sanders' lyrical solo. In fact, Sanders' playing on the standard "Polka Dots and Moonbeams," which also features a lovely Vince Guaraldi-like piano solo by William S. Henderson III, is downright pretty. Oh Lord, Let Me Do No Wrong is a mellow and peaceful set by a player who no longer needs to make noise; whether old-school fans will appreciate this is debatable.

by Stewart Mason at All Music Guide

Style:
Free Jazz

Tracks:
01 Oh Lord, Let Me Do No Wrong
02 Equinox
03 Polka Dots and Moonbeams
04 If It Wasn't for a Woman
05 Clear Our of This World
06 Next Time You See Me

Line-up:
Pharoah Sanders - tenor saxophone
Donald Smith - electric piano
William S. Henderson III - acoustic piano
Tarik Shah - bass
Greg Banoy - drums
Leon Thomas - vocals