Album Notes

HIGHER GROUND:
"Higher Ground brings us into that 'get up, get down' sacred ground, called 'deep thought', called
spirit sound ground, called 'healin'/talkin' blues ground."
Nana Camille Yarbrough (Iron Pot Cooker)

S. Pearl Sharp’s second poetry w/jazz CD, she is backed on 14 cuts by pianist Lanny Hartley, bassist Edwin Livingston, guitarist Val Ewell, Derf Reklaw on percussion and flutes, Amos Delone Jr. on saxophone and flute, and drummer Mekala Session. Esteemed sculptor and poet John Outterbridge joins voices with S. Pearl on a poem suite, and singer Johan Beckles and Pacifica radio host ("Rise") Mark Maxwell are also featured. Produced by S. Pearl Sharp and Mark Maxwell.
Fabulous fold-out packaging with session photos!

"A great album of righteous jazz and poetry, in a mode that’s every bit as great as the hippest sessions
like this from the 70’s. Sharp’s got a nicely appointed yet deeply personal approach to her words, and
gets support in a range of jazz modes that are sometimes fierce and sometimes gentle.”
Dusty Groove Records

"I love your CD! It's now on my ipod." Yvette Freeman (Actress, "E.R.")

S. Pearl has four published volumes of poetry, including TYPING IN THE DARK, and the poetry w/jazz CD ON THE SHARP SIDE.
She has performed with vocalist Dwight Trible, bassists Nedra Wheeler, Bob Cunningham and Robert Miguel Miranda, the Nate Morgan Quintet and Judicanti Responsora, among others. Non-fiction includes "Black Women For Beginners" (distr. Random House), and her essays are heard on NPR.

An award winning filmmaker, S. Pearl merged poetry with film in the short "Back Inside Herself" (2009 re-mix currently on YouTube), the feature doc "Life Is A Saxophone" on poet Kamau Daa'ood, and the multi-award winning doc "The Healing Passage/ Voices From The Water" (clips on YouTube). www.aSharpShow.com