{"product_id":"shamek-farrah-first-impressions-vinyl-lp","title":"Shamek Farrah: First Impressions Vinyl LP","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eStrata East holy grail!\u003c\/i\u003e Alto saxophone player and New York City native \u003cstrong\u003eShamek Farrah\u003c\/strong\u003e released his first album as a bandleader in 1974, shortly after signing to \u003cstrong\u003eCharles Tolliver\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eStanley Cowell\u003c\/strong\u003e’s black jazz powerhouse \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.turntablelab.mom\/search?type=product\u0026amp;q=strata+east\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003eStrata East\u003c\/a\u003e. \u003cem\u003eFirst Impressions\u003c\/em\u003e is a no-nonsense slab of four heavy spiritual jazz pieces that exists at the apex of jazz-funk and free jazz, played by a cast of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.turntablelab.mom\/search?type=product\u0026amp;q=strata+east\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003eStrata East\u003c\/a\u003e regulars who overlap solos but retain a tight groove throughout. Features the Farrah originals “Meterologicly Tuned” and “First Impressions”, slow-burner “Watch What Happens Now” composed by \u003cstrong\u003eFredger Dupree\u003c\/strong\u003e and the funky “Umoja Suite” composed by trumpeter \u003cstrong\u003eNorman Person\u003c\/strong\u003e, who also plays on the record. The highlight, and perhaps Farrah’s finest contribution to jazz, is the eleven-plus-minute title track; \u003cstrong\u003eMilton Suggs\u003c\/strong\u003e rolls out a seriously heavy jazz-funk bassline (later sampled by \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.turntablelab.mom\/search?type=product\u0026amp;q=A+Tribe+Called+Quest\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eQ-Tip\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e) joined by \u003cstrong\u003eKenny Parker’\u003c\/strong\u003es infectious percussion and sublime, reverb-heavy piano licks courtesy of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.turntablelab.mom\/search?type=product\u0026amp;q=strata+east\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003eStrata East\u003c\/a\u003e mainstay \u003cstrong\u003eSonelius Smith\u003c\/strong\u003e (don’t miss Smith’s extraterrestrial thousand-finger workouts around the nine minute mark). Now considered one of the brightest moments in \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.turntablelab.mom\/search?type=product\u0026amp;q=strata+east\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003eStrata East\u003c\/a\u003e's excellent catalogue, original copies often fetch up to $600, with a few represses of questionable origin and authenticity over the years further necessitating this high-quality reissue by the wonderful Superfly Records. Limited pressing of 1000 copies in finely-reproduced Japanese tip-on sleeve with obi strip. Watch what happens now: this record is gone by next week. Recommended!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ehigh quality Japanese tip-on sleeve\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eobi strip\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003elimited to 1000 copies\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003emusic label: Superfly Records 2017\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch6\u003ereviewed by nick nightingale 04\/2017\u003c\/h6\u003e.","brand":"Shamek Farrah","offers":[{"title":"Vinyl LP","offer_id":33233306824,"sku":"fr-3621","price":34.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0105\/4542\/products\/shamekfarrah-firstimpressions.jpg?v=1759268940","url":"https:\/\/www.turntablelab.mom\/products\/shamek-farrah-first-impressions-vinyl-lp","provider":"turntablelab.mom","version":"1.0","type":"link"}