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Phil Dawson Quintet
Don't Waste Your Ancestors' Time
Funkiwala - Cat No: FWLP011
- updated:2025-06-05
Praised by the late Tony Allen and hailed by Gilles Peterson, master London guitarist PHIL DAWSON — who has performed alongside countless Afro-fusion legends including Mulatu Astatke and Hugh Masekela — returns with the PHIL DAWSON QUINTET for their long-awaited new album, the first in three years since their debut mini-album! This time out, it's an ambitious new direction that attempts a fresh fusion of Afrobeat and Afro-Brazilian grooves with improvisation and dub!!
Track List
Phil Dawson,UK guitarist and producer, learned his trade with legends like South African jazz trumpet giant Hugh Masekela, Nigerian Afrobeat co-creator Tony Allen, Ethio- jazz pioneer Mulatu Astatke, and Ghanaian afro-rock dons Osibisa as well as a large handful of Brit Jazz and cultural fusion projects.
'Don't Waste Your Ancestors' Time'creates a new blend of Afro- and Afro-Brazilian grooves, high-level improv and dub, and boasts an array of collaborators that push the music in new directions - spoken word artistKhadijatou Doyneh(Heliocentrics); saxophonistTony Kofi(Abdullah Ibrahim, Jazz Jamaica, Cymande etc), top pianistSam Leak(Aquarium),Afrobeat maestroDele Sosimi,who vocalises in contexts he's not been heard in before; progressive UK tenor playerJohn Martin; Ruby Rushton'sNick Walterson trumpet; Nigerian singerBiola Dosunmu(Estuary 17); Bellowhead and Dele's horn arranger, trombonistJustin Thurgur,as well as a cameo fromTamar Collocutor.The album's title paraphrases novelistWole Soyinkain a plea to all not to throw away what their ancestors fought for - whether that's through ignoring spiritual heritages, allowing ourselves to be divided and conquered, or turning a blind eye to contemporary injustices....
Track listing and info
Ghanaba
A tribute to master drummer and cultural fusion pioneer Kofi Ghanaba (Guy Warren) that spans Ghana highlife, hints of William Onyeabor, Joao Donato-style keys, and sections of both Elvinesque polyrhythm and baiao... featuring Tony Kofi on tenor sax doing his Pharaoh thing, and Rowland Sutherland with a dazzling flute solo.
Tony Kofi - tenor sax; Rowland Sutherland - flutes; Maurizio Ravalico - percussion; Matheus Nova - bass; Marius Rodrigues - drums; Phil Dawson - guitar, synth, Hohner clavinet
Ile (part 1)
Yoruba multi-vocals from Dele Sosimi and Biola Dosunmu, together with mind-bending solos from Sam Leak (piano), John Martin (tenor sax) and Rowland Sutherland (flute) in a Kamasi-meets-late Coltrane mode, morphing into a vintage bossa stew and dedicated to the gods of abundance.
Dele Sosimi and Biola Dosunmu - vocals; Rowland Sutherland - flute; John Martin - tenor sax; Justin Thurgur - trombone; Tom Allan - trumpet; Sam Leak - piano; Phil Dawson: guitars, electric piano, fx; Maurizio Ravalico - percussion; Basile Petit - double bass; Marius Rodrigues - drums
Pralaya
Cosmic interlude with a hint of 'He loved him Madly' that tectonically moves into electro- samba vibes.
Phil Dawson: guitars, electric piano, fx; Basile Petit: double bass; Maurizio Ravalico: percusssion; Marius Rodrigues: drums
Shifting Sands (Mainline)
A poem by Khadijatou, philosophising from her immediate surroundings in a backdrop of warped highlife guitar and 'Filles de Kilimanjaro'-inspired Fender Rhodes with flute commentary from Rowland.
Khadijatou Doyneh - vocals; Rowland Sutherland - flute; Basile Petit - double bass; Phil Dawson: guitar, Rhodes; Maurizio Ravalico - percussion; Marius Rodrigues - drums
Now Rise Up
Bikutsi meets dub, building to a joyous cacophony of flute and percussion.
Nick Walters - trumpet; Rowland Sutherland: flute; Maurizio Ravalico - percussion; Phil Dawson - guitar, fx, electric piano; Matheus Nova - bass; Marius Rodrigues - drums
Ile (part 2) a.k.a Ile (Iyesa)
A unique blend of Afro-brazilian ijexa (iyesa) groove and Yoruba vocal from Dele and Biola, with a lyric on the spiritual side of hard work...
Dele Sosimi, Biola Dosunmu - vocals; Phil Dawson - electric piano, guitar, fx; Rowland Sutherland - flute; Maurizio Ravalico - percussion; Matheus Nova - bass; Marius Rodrigues - drums
'Don't Waste Your Ancestors' Time'creates a new blend of Afro- and Afro-Brazilian grooves, high-level improv and dub, and boasts an array of collaborators that push the music in new directions - spoken word artistKhadijatou Doyneh(Heliocentrics); saxophonistTony Kofi(Abdullah Ibrahim, Jazz Jamaica, Cymande etc), top pianistSam Leak(Aquarium),Afrobeat maestroDele Sosimi,who vocalises in contexts he's not been heard in before; progressive UK tenor playerJohn Martin; Ruby Rushton'sNick Walterson trumpet; Nigerian singerBiola Dosunmu(Estuary 17); Bellowhead and Dele's horn arranger, trombonistJustin Thurgur,as well as a cameo fromTamar Collocutor.The album's title paraphrases novelistWole Soyinkain a plea to all not to throw away what their ancestors fought for - whether that's through ignoring spiritual heritages, allowing ourselves to be divided and conquered, or turning a blind eye to contemporary injustices....
Track listing and info
Ghanaba
A tribute to master drummer and cultural fusion pioneer Kofi Ghanaba (Guy Warren) that spans Ghana highlife, hints of William Onyeabor, Joao Donato-style keys, and sections of both Elvinesque polyrhythm and baiao... featuring Tony Kofi on tenor sax doing his Pharaoh thing, and Rowland Sutherland with a dazzling flute solo.
Tony Kofi - tenor sax; Rowland Sutherland - flutes; Maurizio Ravalico - percussion; Matheus Nova - bass; Marius Rodrigues - drums; Phil Dawson - guitar, synth, Hohner clavinet
Ile (part 1)
Yoruba multi-vocals from Dele Sosimi and Biola Dosunmu, together with mind-bending solos from Sam Leak (piano), John Martin (tenor sax) and Rowland Sutherland (flute) in a Kamasi-meets-late Coltrane mode, morphing into a vintage bossa stew and dedicated to the gods of abundance.
Dele Sosimi and Biola Dosunmu - vocals; Rowland Sutherland - flute; John Martin - tenor sax; Justin Thurgur - trombone; Tom Allan - trumpet; Sam Leak - piano; Phil Dawson: guitars, electric piano, fx; Maurizio Ravalico - percussion; Basile Petit - double bass; Marius Rodrigues - drums
Pralaya
Cosmic interlude with a hint of 'He loved him Madly' that tectonically moves into electro- samba vibes.
Phil Dawson: guitars, electric piano, fx; Basile Petit: double bass; Maurizio Ravalico: percusssion; Marius Rodrigues: drums
Shifting Sands (Mainline)
A poem by Khadijatou, philosophising from her immediate surroundings in a backdrop of warped highlife guitar and 'Filles de Kilimanjaro'-inspired Fender Rhodes with flute commentary from Rowland.
Khadijatou Doyneh - vocals; Rowland Sutherland - flute; Basile Petit - double bass; Phil Dawson: guitar, Rhodes; Maurizio Ravalico - percussion; Marius Rodrigues - drums
Now Rise Up
Bikutsi meets dub, building to a joyous cacophony of flute and percussion.
Nick Walters - trumpet; Rowland Sutherland: flute; Maurizio Ravalico - percussion; Phil Dawson - guitar, fx, electric piano; Matheus Nova - bass; Marius Rodrigues - drums
Ile (part 2) a.k.a Ile (Iyesa)
A unique blend of Afro-brazilian ijexa (iyesa) groove and Yoruba vocal from Dele and Biola, with a lyric on the spiritual side of hard work...
Dele Sosimi, Biola Dosunmu - vocals; Phil Dawson - electric piano, guitar, fx; Rowland Sutherland - flute; Maurizio Ravalico - percussion; Matheus Nova - bass; Marius Rodrigues - drums
A wonderfully assured modern spiritual Afro-jazz, highlife and psychedelic crossover. Six tracks featuring Afro free-jazz improvisation and spoken word.
Built around a quartet with PHIL DAWSON on guitar, electric piano, clavinet and synth, plus arrangement and production, the record features spoken word artist Khadijatou Doyneh (Heliocentrics), master saxophonist Tony Kofi (Abdullah Ibrahim, Jazz Jamaica, Cymande, etc.), top pianist Sam Leak (Aquarium), Afrobeat legend Dele Sosimi, progressive British tenor player John Martin, Ruby Rushton trumpeter Nick Walters, Nigerian singer Biola Dosunmu (Estuary 17), and Bellowhead and Dele Sosimi horn arranger/trombonist Justin Thurgur, among others.
You'll be captivated by an Afro-beatnik worldview that resonates with the recently released new album from The Last Poets. (Original Japanese text by COMPUMA)