Alice Coltrane’s Journey in Satchidananda has a feel unlike any other album I know. Deep bass jazz grooves are infused with world music-flavoured harp and percussion. A touch of India is combined with the smell of jazz cigarettes in clubs across Europe and the US.
Alice Coltrane spent years studying mysticism, and it’s a fair bet that this was influenced her choice to make this album. The title track inspiration was the name of her guru, Swami Satchidananda. The different tracks tell stories about Coltrane’s life and spiritual journey.
Whether it is the diverse cultural references this music triggers, or something else entirely, this album is other-worldly. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t think this is completely different from anything they’ve ever heard before. I saw this album years before I made the choice to buy it. The album with the crazy-looking name was a hard sell but, once I bought it, I never regretted it.
No-one knows where your mind goes when you’re tapping on a keyboard, the rare occasions when you can suspend endless thoughts about the past and the future; the worries of work, study, and your love life. This is an album that can send you to that other place, one you won’t want to miss.
Released
1970
Lyrics
No lyrics to distract you. Not a word. This is a full body immersive experience record.
Mood
The same mix of sounds that makes this album unique is what makes it so immersive and effective to work to. Alice Coltrane has created a sonic world that takes me somewhere other than the present and my workaday worries, and is excellent for study. Depending on the day I’ve had, it can be hard to switch off. Music like this is like an instant drug that allows me to focus.
You will find that this record is an effective tool to create mood. My mood changes just seeing the front cover of this album showcasing Alice with her frizzy hair and kaftan. You need this album if you’re a writer – whether it’s to work through an essay or other academic projects, fiction, technical, or non-fiction.
Good to work to
Anything demanding deep focus is a fantastic record to work to. This is great when you need to think, but not necessarily the best thing for speed work.
Like
It has the jazz vibe, with classic sax and bass grooves, but the harp and percussive style give it a world music ethereal style that is unlike most other music (that I know of). Despite these differences in style it contains enough familiar parts to be accessible, and within a short time the eclectic mix feels familiar.
The Artist(s)
Alice Coltrane’s music haunts the space between the mystical and the eclectic in a way unknown to any other works. She was the great-aunt of electronic musician, Flying Lotus, and second wife of jazz legend, John Coltrane.
Alice Coltrane studied classical music and jazz, soon becoming a professional. She eventually had children to, and married John Coltrane and played in his acclaimed groups. The list of musicians she played with before and after Coltrane died, shows you the esteem she was held in. This album is always one of the top albums in jazz and world music retailers’ lists.
Featuring
Alice Coltrane on harp and piano
Phaoroah Sanders on soprano saxophone and percussion
Vishnu Wook on oud
Charlie Haden on bass
Cecil McBee on bass
Tulsi on tambura
Rashied Ali on drums
Majid Shabazz on bells and tambourine
Other works
I have dabbled in her back catalogue of albums and there are some gems, but don’t expect to find another journey exactly like this one. There are contemplative albums featuring different instruments, but I can’t tell you which one you’ll like. A few good ones you might want to try are Astral Meditations and Transcendence. Needless to say there are ones I loved and ones I didn’t, but Journey in Satchidananda is the only one I would say is a stone cold classic.
Where can I buy it, and in what formats?
This album is always in print, whether in vinyl, CD or MP3. If you’re looking for this album you’ll find it under jazz, although you could equally find it in the world music section. It’s always in print because it’s a classic.
The Verdict
Buy it now. If you can, get it on vinyl, so you can fully appreciate the crazy cover art.