Brothers Together cover

Brothers Together

Hamid Drake · 2002

75 min · 4 tracks · jazz

A sprawling exploration of rhythm and spirituality merging improvisational free jazz with deep meditative grooves.

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Top tracks — play these first

  • →
    Brother’s Together — This nearly twenty-one-minute piece serves as the album's centerpiece, encapsulating the spiritual dialogue between musicians through intricate rhythms and textures.
  • →
    Of Mind & Spirit — This track delves into contemplative themes, using minimalist motifs that evolve over its duration, illustrating Drake's mastery of pacing within improvisation.
  • →
    New Life Dance — The longest track on the album, it combines rhythmic complexity with a celebratory spirit, embodying the essence of community found throughout the project.

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

Instrumental
67 /100
Alpine
Higher than 91% of albums we've rated

The album showcases strong improvisational skills and immersive soundscapes, though it may not have wide recognition.

What we noticed

  • The album consists of four extended tracks, each exploring different rhythmic patterns and textures, with no track under ten minutes.
  • Improvisation is a key feature, with musicians frequently shifting dynamics and motifs throughout the pieces.
  • Each track develops gradually, often starting with sparse instrumentation that builds into dense, layered soundscapes.
Composition 25% of the score
7/10

the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics

Craft 20% of the score
8/10

production, performance, arrangement

Durability 25% of the score
8/10

whether it rewards returning to it

Distinctiveness 18% of the score
7/10

whether it sounds like itself

Sequencing 12% of the score
6/10

running order, pacing, length

Influence 2/10

Little footprint beyond its audience. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.

Tracklist

Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.

  • 1 Brother’s Together 20:56
  • 2 Of Mind & Spirit 9:32
  • 3 Knowing Oneself 16:15
  • 4 New Life Dance 28:54

What to play next

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free jazz

Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata