Hear, Sense and Feel

The debut album from the Chicago-based sextet The Awakening, 'Hear, Sense and Feel' merges the spiritual and Afrocentric explorations of the AACM with the rhythmic sensibilities of soul-jazz and funk. The album's sound is defined by this unique synthesis, pitting the modal and sometimes free-jazz horn improvisations of players like Ari Brown against the lush, electric keyboard textures and solid grooves provided by co-leader Ken Chaney and the rhythm section. Released on the influential Black Jazz Records label, the recording is imbued with a politically and spiritually conscious ethos, featuring spoken-word passages and a dynamic interplay that reflects the diverse backgrounds of its members, who were drawn from both avant-garde and soul-jazz ensembles.