Darius Jones - Raw Demoon Alchemy (A Lone Operation) [CD]

After separating from his partner of 10 years, saxophonist Darius Jones set out on tour to capture a moment in time, to crystallize the beginning of something at the end of something else. Born from a live performance -- his last night on tour -- Raw Demoon Alchemy (A Lone Operation) unearths a deep and profound vulnerability that isnt just personal but also delves into the macro-level divisiveness of our current political climate, evoking sadness, rage, and confusion while still holding for glimmers of hope for the future.

With four of its five tracks, Jones selects compositions from artists who are not just unapologetically Black but also notably ones that he regards as world builders. From Sun Ra, Ornette Coleman, and Roscoe Mitchell right up through the present with Georgia Anne Muldrow, Alchemy draws immeasurable strength from each of these artists who dared to envision and create an entire universe unto themselves, on their terms.

With Figure No. 2, Jones offers us a modern-day version of the blues. Courtesy of Muldrow, her refrain encapsulates the vast breadth of the Black experience in America, transforming our deep-seated pain into our beauty and armor of resilience. Jones also proudly rests on the shoulders of Coleman and Mitchell, two of this musics known improvisers who often stood alone in this musics ever-changing landscape. He pays homage to Mitchell with Noonah, which in the late 1970s was initially met with jeers from an audience, that is, until his 21+ minute long version overtook them.

On Alchemy, Jones balances the emotional heft of closure with the simple act of standing alone as he taps into an unknown power of his lone voice, finding a newfound strength and enthusiasm that will carry him and its listeners beyond the uncertainty and doubt of not knowing.

1. Figure No. 2 2. Sadness 3. Beautiful Love 4. Nonaah 5. Love In Outer Space

• Format Detail: CD Not available on DSPs. [w/ download card]
• Format: CD
• Genre: Jazz