The Gates of Heaven

Why name this article The Gates of Heaven? Because that is exactly what I envisioned when I first heard the opening notes of Alice Coltrane’s 1971 album “Journey in Satchidananda.” When Cecil McBee walks in with the first notes of the opening bass line, and Tulsi strings in with her tambura, you already know the journey has begun. Soon after, Alice Coltrane enters with her magical harp, broadening the road to Satchidananda, a term which translates as the "Absolute Being," the "Truth" or that "which never changes." Pharoah Sanders is the crucial voice on the record, with masterful soloing, lifting the spirit of the listener further into the collective’s spiritual sonic experience. The interplay between Sanders and Coltrane is mesmerizing. This album might represent all of the abovementioned musician' best performances in their respected careers. If you listen to the album carefully, you’ll understand why did Paul Weller include “Journey to Satchidananda” in a "12 Albums You Must Hear Right Now!" list he compiled for Mojo magazine in 2005. As Thom Jurek of Allmusic stated, the music is “remarkably accessible” for a modal/experimental jazz record.

“Journey in Satchidananda” is the fourth solo album by Alice Coltrane and the title demonstrates Alice's devotion to Swami Satchidananda, her spiritual teacher and one of the most famed “gurus” in the western world. The second song, "Shiva-Loka," or "realm of Shiva" the Hindu god Shiva, the "dissolver of creation." "Stopover Bombay" refers to Alice Coltrane’s five-week stay in India and Sri Lanka in December 1970. "Something About John Coltrane" is based on themes composed by her late husband, John Coltrane. "Isis and Osiris," on which Charlie Haden replaces Cecil McBee on bass, and Vishnu Wood plays the oud, indicates her interest in Middle Eastern and North African music and culture and showcases some of the most powerful bass and drum interplay in the history of vanguard jazz. All at all, a must-hear record for all music enthusiasts!