“With A Heartbeat” is a kind of concept LP. It has a central idea at its core. It finds legendary bassist / producer Bill Laswell operating on his preferred border of dub, jazz and non-Western musics, with a circle of friends, who also happen to be celebrated virtuoso performers: saxophonist Pharoah Sanders, cornet player Graham Hayes, guitarist Nicky Skopelitis, with Jeff Bova on keys and Trilok Gurtu on voice and tabla. None of this is out of the ordinary for the perpetually prolific Laswell, however, what makes this set different are the cardiology recordings provided by Dr. Jean-Louis Zink. These, of course, are the heartbeat of the album’s title, and form the pulse that the 4 extended tracks are built upon. The underlying aim of all Laswell’s fusions is to demonstrate humanity’s commonality, the things that bind us, regardless of history, politics or race, and here he uses the slow, steady “lub dub” pump, something everyone shares, to further illustrate this.  

The opening track, “Across Time”, is really a showcase for Sanders, who effectively solos for 13 of its 17 minutes. Initially, softly fluttering, through to short, stuttered blasts. Breath bitten into sharp bleats. Each emission like a carefully chosen word in a philosophical or spiritual text. Climbing to calling, pleading, soaring, skronking skyward, toward the cathartic, the ecstatic as Laswell’s behemoth bass rumbles beneath. Having peaked, the piece closing with the calming, psychedelic strains of Skopelitis’ electric sitar (1). 

Every player, though, gets a spot to shine, both individually and collectively. “Gamaka”, a term lifted from Indian classical music, is another epic, that starts with the same serene sitar buzz, but in this case Haynes’ horn takes the lead. Laswell sends in a funky drum break, and combined with his B-line, this creates a `90s baggy-esque beat. The rhythm is definitely danceable, but the details are hypnotic, meditative. Skopelitis carving out atmospheric electric guitar arcs, while Gurtu’s percussion frantically flickers through filter and EQ. Its second half introducing Laswell’s shakuhachi sounding flute, before breaking down to koto-like colourings, the zing of harp, zither strings and sampled seabirds. The mood joyful and jubilant (2). 

Bill Laswell’s “With A Heartbeat” can be ordered directly from Glossy Mistakes. 

NOTES

(1) I was reminded of the Laswell produced collaboration between Sanders and Jah Wobble, “Gone To Croatan”. 

(2) Here, again, I thought of Wobble. This time his underrated work on Brian Eno’s “Spinner”.