Norman Conners - Dance Of Magic 1972

This album is drummer Norman Connors earliest and most rewarding date as a leader. Recorded with a who's who of fusion titans including trumpeter Eddie Henderson bassist Stanley Clarke, and keyboardist Herbie Hancock, Dance of Magic channels the lessons drummer Norman Connors learned in the employ of Pharoah Sanders, Sam Rivers and Sun Ra, marshaling Latin rhythms, electronic textures, and cosmic mysticism to create nondenominational yet deeply spiritual funk-jazz. The sprawling 21-minute title cut spans the entirety of the record's first half, capturing a monumental jam session that explores the outer edges of free improvisation but never steps past the point of no return. Connors' furious drumming is like a trail of bread crumbs that leads his collaborators back home. The remaining three tracks are smaller in scale but no less epic in scope, culminating with the blistering "Give the Drummer Some."

All Music Guide

1 Dance Of Magic (21:00)
2 Morning Change (6:29)
3 Blue (10:20)
4 Give The Drummer Some (2:22)

African Percussion, Baliphone - Anthony Wiles

African Percussion, Congas - Nat Bettis

African Percussion, Shakers - Babafemi (track: A)

Alto And Soprano Saxophones - Gary Bartz

Bass - Cecil McBee (tracks: 1, 2) ,
- Stanley Clarke

Drums - Norman Connors

Flute - Art Webb

Percussion - Airto Moreira (tracks: 2, 3, 4) ,
- Alphonse Mouzon (tracks: 1, 2) ,
- Billy Hart (tracks: 2, 2, 3

Piano, Fender Rhodes Electric Piano - Herbie Hancock

Tenor And Soprano Saxophones - Carlos Garnett

Trumpet - Eddie Henderson

Vocals - U.B.F. Singers, The (track: 1)