Voyager by Steve Cohn, Larry Roland, Daniel Carter & Marvin Bugalu Smith

A few thoughts from fellow artists and reviewers...

"Music is Healing Medicine. Sound is vibration and we know that vibration touches every part of our physical being, then we understand that sound is heard not only through our ears but through every cell in our bodies. Cymbals are representative of tones that encompass frequencies that the human ear might not hear but every cell in the human body can react to as instruments like drums and GONGS can actually produce and represent the motion of the Universe and help align a person's cells in a balanced way. This can actually help destroy cancer cells and promote and stimulate the growth of new, healthy cells. Studies are being done and results are being documented in the medical field even though there is little media coverage because large pharma corporations can't make money if the news gets out that sound vibrations which are in constant motion generate healing frequencies. The person who understands the mystery of sound also knows the mystery of the entire universe. The example in this wonderful CD shows this. Listen to all the musicians here and feel the groove that is carried forward by Marvin Smith. Words were not exchanged here and the music was heart to heart and never rehearsed or discussed in the studio. It's interesting as humans can sometimes interfere with what is planned in the Universe. This music is HEALING MEDICINE. I have felt this often performing with a few of these musicians when the music was never premeditated. Beautiful things take place when it happens naturally without any individual trying to take control. The moment a heard and felt the GROOVE, I knew the session was special. Everything blended together and I felt the vibrations of all the sounds entering my body. After listening, I felt like spreading my arms like wings and flying. GREAT CD."

Steven Habib, LOVE ALWAYS and ALWAYS LOVE.

“I thoroughly enjoyed the Voyager CD."

Oscar Sanders, Award-winning author/spoken word artist/filmmaker

"STEVE COHN / DANIEL CARTER / LARRY ROLAND / MARVIN BUGALU SMITH - Voyager (Tube Room Records; USA) Featuring Steve Cohn on piano, shakuhachi, trombone & Fender Rhodes, Daniel Carter on trumpet, tenor & soprano saxes, Larry Roland on bass & poetry and Marvin Bugalu Smith on drums. There is a growing number of local musicians who I’ve noticed over the long stretch of time since I first started going to jazz, rock and avant gigs from 1968 onwards. NJ-based pianist & multi-instrumentalist, Steve Cohn, is one of those players who I caught during the Loft Jazz days of the early eighties. Over more than a dozen albums, Mr. Cohn has established himself as a gifted pianist, composer and bandleader. Mr. Cohn recently came to visit and left us with four of his previous LP’s as well as couple of his own CD’s. This disc is his latest and it was accorded in a studio in Brooklyn in May of 2018. The rest of the quartet includes another multi-instrumentalist, Daniel Carter, who seems to play with just about everyone who is interested in improvising, no matter what their background is. Bassist Larry Roland was once a member of the World Experience Orchestra (legendary/unknown Boston large ensemble) and more recently has been an MC at the Vision Fest, was well as playing in various improv situations here in NYC. Veteran drummer, Marvin Bugalu Smith, has worked with Sun Ra & Archie Shepp and more recently in a quartet with Dave Sewelson.
During the Loft Jazz days (from mid-70’s to the early 80’s), being a multi-instrumentalist was more common than it is now, with many musicians freely choosing between a wide variety of instruments. Groups like the Sun Ra Arkestra and the Art Ensemble of Chicago, were influential in showing the way. This quartet starts off with piano, muted trumpet, acoustic bass and drums, swirling their lines together organically. For the longest piece here, “Taking Off”, Mr. Cohn plucks strings inside the piano while the rhythm teams spins quickly underneath, as Mr. Carter continues play cerebral muted trumpet. Elder drum wiz, Bugulu Smith is in particular fine form here, center the quartet with his mature, thoughtful playing. I like the cerebral, organic vibe that is going on here, free but with no screaming or extreme eruptions. As a mostly acoustic studio recording, the sound is superb, warm, clean and well-balanced. When Mr. Cohn switches to electric piano, midway, the quartet gets a sly, seventies laid back groove or vibe. Throughout this disc there is a strong feeling of a quartet of elders who work especially well together with nothing to prove other than a willingness to work together as a united quartet. It sounds as if the quartet is about to break into a standard on “Home”, as they toy with an old melody for a bit. There are segments when the quartet take off sailing freely, yet sound like focused and inspired. Mr. Cohn left us with 4 albums and several CD’s. Time to check them out and let you know what I find."

Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG