Earthship
Sangeeta Michael Berardi | Sunjump Records (2008)


By Dan McClenaghan

There's a lot of talent vying for our ears in jazz, which translates to many top rate artists falling into the underappreciated category. Guitarist Sangeeta Michael Berardi (b. Sept. 2, 1939, in Waterbury, Conn.) is one of those singular musicians who hasn't gotten his due.

Berardi, who was primarily based in Woodstock, N.Y. during his most productive years, has worked with Archie Shepp, Joe Diorio, Sonny Simmons, Perry Robinson and Roswell Rudd—something of a who's who in the avant garde genre.

Earthship was recorded in 1996 in Woodstock. The disc was released on a limited basis—what might be called a bootleg—in 2007. It has now been officially released on pianist John Esposito's Sunjump Records.

Berardi's guitar is a soaring, swooping, melodious jet turbine of an instrument, owing as much perhaps to Jimi Hendrix as to any jazz guitarist. The atmosphere of Earthship is one of deep spirituality, much like John Coltrane during the saxophonist's Impulse! Records years.

Berardi is joined here by John Esposito on piano and multi-reed player James Finn, along with Hilliard Greene on bass and Peter O'Brien on drums. The group opens with the monumental, Coltrane-esque title tune, a searing fire-in-the-belly fourteen minutes of song. The tune throbs in on a meditative groove, but soon enough everybody's wailing—Finn on tenor sax, Esposito, and especially Berardi, backing Finn with ice crystal chords beside Esposito's dense, McCoy Tyner-like sound. And when Berardi takes his solo, it's as if he is diving in from the stratosphere.

"Trane's Church" has that same warp drive sound, but in a trio setting—turbulent drums and scorching guitar licks bookended by some Art Ensemble of Chicago-like bells. "Six for Rashied" explores more of the Coltrane Impulse! sound, with James Finn's tenor sax reaching for outer space.

"My Favorite Things" (the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic that was redefined by Coltrane) gets another redefinition here, with Berardi bringing a radioactive shimmer of brash spirituality to the tune—an American songbook jewel soaring toward Nirvana.

It's a shame there is so little of Sangeeta Michael Berardi's music available on CD. The release of the excellent—from start to finish—Earthship is a step towards introducing his singular sound to the audience he deserves.


Track listing: Earthship; Sahara Song; Coltrane's Love Lights Our Way; Six for Rashied; Eleutheria; Trane's Church; Evening, Woodstock; Onedaruth; My Favorite Things.

Personnel: Sangeeta Michael Berardi: guitar, pedals; John Espoito: piano, drums (3, 6, 8); James Finn: tenor sax, flute, bass clarinet, bells; Hilliard Greene: bass; Peter O'Brien: drums.

Style: Free Improvisation/Avant-Garde
Published: November 21, 2008

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New from Sunjump..

SANGEETA MICHAEL BERARDI With JOHN ESPOSITO/JAMES FINN /HILLIARD GREENE/PETE O'BRIEN - Earthship (Sunjump CD 04; USA) Featuring Sangeeta Michael Berardi on guitar, James Finn on tenor sax & flute, John Esposito on piano & drums, Hilliard Greene on bass and Peter O'Brien on drums. I hadn't heard of Mr. Berardi before he did a duo disc with Joe Giardullo on Boxholder a couple of years ago. It turns out that Sangeeta has a rare album out from 1980 where he collaborates with Archie Shepp, Roswell Rudd, Eddie Gomez, Mario Pavone and Rashied Ali. Sangeeta's main inspiration is John Coltrane and most of the titles of the original compositions here refer to Trane. The title track is first and has a lovely Trane-like melody and vibe with the dark, robust, warm-toned tenor of James Finn over the top. Sangeeta takes a great solo on this piece, which in some ways reminds me of Tisziji Munoz, only much slower [both have been musician's musicians since the '70s]. Esposito also plays a swell McCoy Tyner-like solo here as well. "Coltrane's Love Lights Our Way" is mostly a duo for guitar and (Elvin Jones-like) drums. It sounds even more Munoz-like (tone-wise) and has a fine, spiritual quality that warms the heart. I dig the way that Sangeeta's guitar swirls on "Eleutheria" giving it a more sax-like tone. I also like the way the sax and piano play in different tempos that still seem to connect on another level. This wonderful offering concludes with the one standard that made Coltrane famous, "My Favorite Things". Sangeeta layers a couple of different guitar parts here, one with a shimmering, echoed quality. The main guitar line has one of those studio distortion tones that were so popular during the fusion heyday of the 70's, which does give me some nostalgia for the days before jazz/rock sped up too much and became somewhat excessive. A second disc from these sessions will be released next year (2009), I can hardly wait! - BLG
CD $14

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CD Review: Sangeeta Michael Berardi

Earthship

by Erik Lawrence, March 26, 2009

Although I have never met or heard him live, I admire guitarist Sangeeta Michael Berardi. His dedication to art through music, poetry, prose, and drawing has often been a challenging journey. But the music he makes on Earthship belies the depth of his vision, his truth. Teamed on this album with advanced Woodstock- and New York-based players saxophonist/flutist James Finn, pianist John Esposito, bassist Hilliard Green, and drummer Peter O’Brien, Berardi delivers uncompromising expression, melody, energy, and communication. This recording is pure and honest, deeply from of the Coltrane mold, but filled with unique individual thought and original ideas. Berardi’s voice rings most true, he is a seasoned storyteller with invention and wisdom to bestow along the way. Yet there is also plenty of room for the band members to have their say. There is seamless weaving between composition and group improvisation, structure and group invention.

This is a tradition that can only be handed down from master to master. Berardi, almost 70 now, was on the free-jazz scenes with his own Manhattan loft in 1980, the East Village in the ’70s, Chicago in the ’60s. In 1996 he took musicians who honored this tradition, produced this masterwork, then sent his sidemen off to continue their own ascensions. Often I question reviewing a CD that was not recently recorded. The moment I pressed Play my questions were set aside and I just listened. What more could you ask of a CD?

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"...dark-toned electric musings... might serve as a good antidote for listlessness or general malaise." --Glenn Astarita, All About Jazz