Philip Cohran & The Artistic Heritage Ensemble

The Malcolm X Memorial (A Tribute in Music)

★★★½

No matter what you believe, it's fairly understood that Malcolm X was a polarizing and influential figure in his time, and even to this day. And this suite of an album works throughout his entire life in music. It doesn't seem just like any straightforward jazz album either, it twists and turns and revolves around his life; as well as incorporating different musical genres within it. 

Starting this album off is the molasses-like "Malcolm Little". A hodgepodge of blues and early jazz music, it's hopeful and somewhat uplifting too. It transitions into this real soundtrackesque theme called "Detroit Red", which reminds me of a flashback that could happen in some blaxploitation film. It's grimy and dirty but with a groove that is hard to resist, all while keeping a big band jazz sensibility to it all. 

This is a live recording and you can definitely hear the crowd applauding many times. When you head into the vocal and tribal song, "Malcolm X", you get this feeling of where this was recorded. To me it's almost like some underground militant facility and that this recording was never supposed to leave it. The final track represents the Malcolm that returned from his pilgrimage and they obviously reference his conversion with Arabic instrumentation and themes. 

Overall I think this is a good suite album that works as a musical tribute to Malcolm X's life, but that's about it. It's nothing too technical or out there, but the most exciting part is definitely the last few minutes of the final track. That's where all their emotion pours out from and it's touching. I bet this would've affected me more if I had seen it live, maybe then I'd recieve the full power of it all. 

Favorite Song:  El Hajj Malik El Shabazz