When the Spirit Returns
2000 studio album by Lester Bowie
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When the Spirit Returns is the final album by the American trumpeter Lester Bowie, released in 2000.[1][2] He was backed by his band, Brass Fantasy.[3] The album was reissued in October 2003.[4]
| When the Spirit Returns | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 2000 | |||
| Recorded | 1997 | |||
| Genre | Jazz | |||
| Label | Birdology | |||
| Producer | Lester Bowie, Jean François Deiber | |||
| Lester Bowie chronology | ||||
| ||||
Production
When the Spirit Returns was recorded at Bowie's home studio during the same 1997 sessions that led to The Odyssey of Funk & Popular Music.[5] Gary Valente played trombone on the album.[6] Many of the songs were chosen by Bowie's daughter, who was 15 at the time.[7] "One Love" is a cover of the Bob Marley song.[5] "Count On Me" was written by Babyface.[8] "Unchained Melody" is a take on the Al Hibbler version of the standard.[8] "Waterfall" is a cover of the TLC song.[9] Bowie composed the ending title track.[10]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [11] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |  [12] |
| The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD | [13] |
| The Philadelphia Inquirer | [6] |
The Independent said that the songs "are given the widescreen Bowie treatment, with fat brass licks and plangent harmonies delivered over a tuba-driven pulse that is most effective."[14] The Jerusalem Post noted that "the most striking feature of Bowie's work was his ability to lace even the most amorphous material with tongue-in-cheek humor."[5]
Jazziz opined that "the best cuts combine blaring horns with a thick bassline (played on a tuba) and could be the greatest blaxploitation soundtrack ever—if a movie could be made that was worthy of the music."[10] Goldmine called the album a "collection of outrageous cuts", stating that Bowie had been "the joker" of the Art Ensemble of Chicago.[8] The Philadelphia Inquirer stated that Bowie "easily spins through jazz, soul and reggae with great zest, humor and veritas."[6]
AllMusic labeled When the Spirit Returns "a fitting final project, and easily the most consistent and realized of all the Brass Fantasy albums."[11]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Player Hater" | |
| 2. | "Waterfall" | |
| 3. | "Count On Me" | |
| 4. | "Solitude" | |
| 5. | "Biggie's Ride" | |
| 6. | "One Love" | |
| 7. | "Unchained Melody" | |
| 8. | "Naakurat Na" | |
| 9. | "Save the Best for Last" | |
| 10. | "When the Spirit Returns" |