Hot on the heels of the Sun Ra re-issue on Kindred - The Antique Blacks when I raised the question, “isn’t it about time were getting Build An Ark’s Love (Part 2)?” And then, as if by magic, the follow-up to Love (Part 1) is here!

Build An Ark launch the second instalment of their fantastic journey into the outer reaches of all things Carlos Niño, you may recall our interview with Mr. Spaceways himsself (see HERE) that he was so in touch with nature and it’s fitting that ‘Nature’ incorporates the sounds of the sea and the shore. Together with ‘Cosmic Tuning’, this is a truly beautiful introduction to an album that’s in touch with the psychedelic 60s as befits its West Coast origins (and recorded, mixed and mastered at impressive sounding Knobworld, Echo Park, California at the end of last year to the beginning of this).

With ‘Ginger’ evoking the mellow spirits of Ravi Shankar (Paul Livingstone on sitar) and Alice Coltrane (Rebekah Raff on harp) this is deep meditative, relaxing, thoughtful, spiritual jazzman (can check out Improvision Day 2!) whilst ‘Say Yes’ incorporates from Jonny Trunk/The Simondsound tape loop rewind business with vocals by Mia Doi Todd.

And talking of great vocalists, no Build An Ark album would be complete without Dwight Trible and ‘What The World Needs Now Is Love’ is perfect is every way. Dwight has travelled the spaceways with Carlos from LA’s Jazz Bakery to the North Sea Jazz Festival, from The Life Force Trio to With Voices. There’s only one complaint, the track is far too short; even though Dwight returns for a duet with Carmen Lundy on a fantastic version of Donny Hathaway’s ‘Tryin’ Times’.

There’s not such an roll call of jazz masters as before (although the mighty Derf Reklaw turns up at the end) as Miguel Atwood-Ferguson comes more to the fore; whilst at it, respect to Emanative for picking up on the d’Wala re-edits of the Nino/Atwood-Ferguson/Timeless Suite For Ma Dukes.

But don’t go thinking this album isn’t jazzy enough for you. The album features four different “improvisational days”. Day 1 features the magical violin of Michael White but I’m currently liking Day 8 the best but then, Day 1 features percussion inspired by Jimi Hendrix (Ed. Buddy Miles?) and Day 10 has yet more sitar, strings of Atwood-Ferguson and Michael White with vocal by Leisei Chen (like a spiritual jazz version of Wobble’s Japanese Dub without the dub).

With Love (Part 2) I think I get what Carlos Niño was telling me about last year. Although I said at this months’ Jazz Chronicles session (see links below) that the album is like Stephen Still does a jazz album but, on reflection, it’s like distilling Donovan’s essence into its purest sound and spreading it musically “across the universe”. It might not be an instant hit on first listen but definitely an album that gets better on every every time you play is - pure “creative soul music” love in every note.

Reviewed: Build An Ark - Love (Part 2) (Kindred Spirits) Cat. No:KS 029 CD/LP
Release date: June 2010
Tracklisting:
A1 Cosmic Tuning
A2 Nature
A3 Ginger
A4 Say Yes!
A5 Improvisation Day 1
A6 Improvisation Day 8
B1 Cadence Of The Love Messengers
B2 What The World Needs Now Is Love
B3 Improvisation Day 10
B4 Improvisation Day 2
B5 Tryin’ Times

Links:
www.kindred-spirits.nl
www.myspace.com/kindredspiritsrecords
www.spacewaysradio.com
Sun Ra Arkestra’s - Mostly Jazz Festival in Birmingham www.mostlyjazz.co.uk Moseley Park, Birmingham’s eleven-acre woodland glade only two miles from the city centre. July 3rd & 4th 2010
Jazz Chronicles with DJs Simon S, Martin Gordon (Brownswood) and Gerry Hectic (FLY Global Music) Saturday 5 June 2010 Sixty Million Postcards, 19-21 Exeter Road, Bournemouth www.sixtymillionpostcards.com