Wilber Morris, bass | Michael Wimberly, drums | Ijeoma Thomas, spoken word, percussion | Oluyemi Thomas, bass clarinet, c-melody sax, flute, musette, percussion

SPECIAL GRATITUDE TO THE SPIRIT OF JEANNE LEE, WILLIAM & PATRICIA PARKER, JOHN LEE, RENT ROMUS, CONTINUED THANKS TO THE CREATOR. RECORDED 31 MAY IN NEW YORK CITY AT VISION FESTIVAL 2OO1,8 & 9 NYC 1999. COMPOSITIONS BY IJEOMA & OLUYEMI THOMAS. ENGINEER: ALEN STEFANOV. OLUIJEO UNIT Music (ASCAP), MORBASS PUBLISHING (BMI), BEE HUM BLE PUBLISHING. PRODUCERS: OLUYEMI a IJEOMA THOMAS, MICHAEL WIMBERLY. MASTERING: MW PRODUCTIONS & SOUND DESIGN. COVER ART ENTITLED, ‘WITHIN’ : OLUYEMI THOMAS

Tracklist: 1. PROOFS (FOR ALAN SILVA) [10:32] 2. SECRETS OF IMPERFECTION [8:28] 3. THE UPPER CHAMBER HOUSE OF PRAYER [6:59] 4. RIGHTEOUS INTENT [5:36] 5. ASK ERIC//IRON SOUL (FOR ERIC DOLPHY) [4:13] 6. MOTHER AFRICA (FOR WILBER MORRIS) [7:12] 7. IN ONE HEART (FOR JEANNE LEE) [8:02] 8. DIRECT FOCUS [8:29] 9. BEAUTY IS HIDDEN [8:31]

Positive Knowledge | Photo by Peter Gannushkin

Oluyemi & Ijeoma Thomas of Positive Knowledge

has recorded & performed together for the past two decades, composing and sharing their joyful Creative World Music Systems with lovers of music and poetry around the world. Ijeoma Thomas – Wordsmith, spoken word artist, poet vocalist and teacher believes “all art is a gift of the Holy Spirit.” Composer, teacher & multi-reed musician (bass clarinet, saxophones) Oluyemi Thomas brings elements of life and work to the flow & he believes: “The musician’s art is among those arts worthy of the highest praise…” As a great enhancement to their compositional approaches, Positive Knowledge continues to perform throughout the United States, Africa, Asia, Europe, South America, Israel, Canada, and the Caribbean Islands which has resulted in a rich multifaceted vocabulary to date. They have recorded or performed with such artists as Cecil Taylor, Wadada Leo Smith, Roscoe Mitchell, Alan Silva, Peter Kowald, Henry Kaiser,William Parker, Miya Masaoka & Gino Robair, “Kidd” Edward Jordan.

IN ONE HEART

FOR JEANNE LEE

IN SKIN SOUND
A TELEPATHIC EMBRACE
TRANSPARENT LANGUAGE AND
EPIDERMAL VISIONS
ORGANIC MEMBRANE MUSIC
OSCILLATING SPHERES OF CONTINUOUS
CYCLE BREATHS
JUXTAPOSITION OF MOLECULES BENEATH
THE OPINION OF SKIN
THAT FEARLESS BLUE LIGHT IN YOUR THROAT
VOCAL VELVET FLOWING SILKNESS
BEYOND WORDS BEYOND WORLDS
BEYOND HEARING THE TASTE OF TOUCH SEEING
ESSENCE RISING FROM EACH PORE
LIKE SOULS REJOICED
WAKING IN SKIN THIS HISTORY NEVER LOST
FOUND LUCIDLY STRETCHED
STRONGER THAN DESTRUCTION YES
YOU WERE RIGHT
IT IS AMAZING

– IJEOMA CHINUE THOMAS

Ijeoma Thomas | Photo by Peter Gannushkin

Whether you’re intrigued by the boundless possibilities of improvisational jazz or just hate felines, Live in New York is a testimonial to the limitless possibilities of jazz. – Andrew Magilow, Splendid

If anyone doesn’t remember that some of the major new thing figures such as Eric Dolphy, Dewey Redman and Pharoah Sanders were either Californians or spent considerable time there, Thomas’ playing will prompt you. – Ken Waxman, Jazz Weekly

…one of those rare occasions where the mix of poetry and jazz succeeds on so many levels; setting an example for the genre. – Steven Loewy, All Music Guide

POSITIVE KNOWLEDGE LIVE IN NEW YORK is a sleeper of an unadulterated avant garde free jazz disc. – Christopher

The most exciting moments are when Oluyemi is wailing on the bass clarinet or sax while Ijeoma is embroiled in a nearly possessed rant that is in perfect harmony with the soaring free-jazz style of the music. – Jerry Kranitz, Aural Innovations

This is a particularly spirited and powerful set throughout and will certainly take us a great journey of timelessness and communion. – Downtown Music Gallery, New York

Oluyemi softly supported Ijeomi’s recitation, leading to another stratospheric improvisation.” – Rex Butters

You don’t get more soulful than this! … it’s a classic that you’ll have to have! – Rotcod Zzaj, Improvijazzation Nation

Thomas shows a distinct flair for heady improvisations constantly stoking the fire of changes. This is a top notch performance. – Jerry D’Souza, All About Jazz

CD version (incl. shipment cost world-wide)