Bassist Charnett Moffett comes from a royal musical family. His late father was not only Ornette Coleman’s drummer but led his own band, of which Charnett was a member at a young age. Now, joined by his wife Angela, daughter Amarei and son Max–-plus other like-minded musicians-–Charnett has released a new CD, his thirteenth, SPIRIT OF SOUND, which pushes the boundaries of jazz into previously unknown territory.
Charnett composed ten of the eleven tracks on this Motema Music release (the exception is Coleman’s “Lonely Woman”), each one of which investigates a variety of musical sounds and forms: jazz, vocalese, free/world, East Indian ragas and poetry. The result is a sonic journey that is remarkably fresh and adventurous, 21st century jazz at its experimental best.

Charnett, alternating between acoustic and electric bass (plus piccolo bass guitar), leads his cohorts on such numbers as “Seeker of Truth” (words by poet E.E. Cummings), “Hope” (words by Emily Dickenson), “Swing Raga” (percussion by Babatunde Lea), and “Blues Walk Groove” (with wife Angela on tamboura). At all times there is a deep, mysterious, transcendental feeling emanating from this multi-dimensional studio project, which was produced by Motema’s founder, Jana Herzen (who also vocalizes on “Swing Raga”).

“I believe that music is an art of seeking truth and healing,” says Charnett Moffett.
His new album is proof positive of that remark.

(Charnettmoffett.com or motemamusic.com)