Alice Coltrane: “Kirtan: Turiya Sings.” (Impulse) 
In the early 1980s, Alice Coltrane recorded a collection of devotional songs with just her voice and a Wurlitzer organ. Subsequently, her vision inspired her to adorn the piece with synthesizers, strings and even sound effects. She would ultimately make it available as a sort of inspirational gift: A cassette released for her spiritual community, The Vedantic Center in California..
Jump ahead to the not too distant past and her son, musician Ravi Coltrane discovered the recording. He and Alice had worked together on “Translinear Light.” This turned out to be his mother’s final recording, sadly. But many consider it among her best. And not just because of Ravi’s presence. She had always had a knack for infusing cosmic and mindful sounds with her unique improvisations. It’s no secret she was a muse to her late husband John Coltrane in his final journey of spiritual music.
After some struggle to honor his mother’s vision, Ravi opted to return the recording to its original, stripped down sound. This trove will be welcomed by fans of Alice, spiritual adherents to what the music is really conveying, as well as adventurous seekers of something beyond the mundane. It’s certainly beyond the earthly plane.
Read some of Ravi’s commentary: https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/ravi-coltrane-alice-kirtan-turiya-sings/
Back to Planet Earth we go. “Jobim Forever” by Antonio Adolfo is a collection of highly predictable and well-trod fare from the greatest of modern popular Brazilian composers: Antonio Carlos Jobim. Does the world really need another version of “Girl From Ipanema?” My resounding and, admittedly, jaded voice opted to pass on that opening salvo. There are a few less hackneyed gems here, however, that will be worthy of a spin or two: “Estrado Del Sol” and “Inutil Paisagem” are nicely explored. To be fair, like the Beatles, it is nearly impossible to find a Jobim tune that can’t be hummed or at least recognized by the entire globe. I suppose that makes him worthy of the tribute.
