‘Elevation’ By Pharoah Sanders Joins The Verve Vault Series
The album is a spiritually resonant final Impulse! studio statement that bridges the raw fire of earlier albums with a deeper, more spacious sound.
Elevation, originally released in 1974 on Impulse! Records, finds tenor saxophonist Pharoah Sanders expanding his spiritual jazz vision on an album that balances ecstatic expression with focused ensemble interplay. The album will be reissued on 180-gram all-analog vinyl on March 13, 2026, as part of the Verve Vault Series.
Produced by Ed Michel and recorded in 1973 across a live performance and studio sessions, Elevation features a dynamic ensemble including Joe Bonner on piano, John Heard on bass, and Michael Carvin on drums. Leon Thomas contributes vocals on the opening live track, “Greeting to Saud (Brother McCoy),” recorded at the Ash Grove in Los Angeles, while Kenneth Nash adds layered percussion and Michael White appears on violin. The album’s open forms, modal grooves, and spiritual themes underscore Sanders’s ongoing search for transcendence and cultural affirmation through sound.
With chant-like melodies, circular motifs, and immersive rhythmic textures, pieces like “The Gathering” and the title track reflect a more meditative and exploratory side of Sanders’s aesthetic. Elevation marks the culmination of his Impulse! discography — a cohesive and spiritually resonant final studio statement that bridges the raw fire of earlier albums with a deeper, more spacious sound.
The Verve Vault Series presents all-analog 180-gram vinyl reissues of essential albums from the Verve, Impulse!, Mercury, and associated catalogs. Mastered by Ryan K. Smith from the original analog tapes and pressed at Optimal, each release combines exceptional audio fidelity with meticulous attention to detail — from mastering to jacket reproduction. The series prides itself on highlighting both iconic titles and overlooked gems from the 1950s through the 1970s.
