Pharoah Sanders

The Profile

Pharoah Sanders (born 1940 in Little Rock, Arkansas; died 2022) was an American jazz saxophonist and a leading figure of spiritual and free jazz. After moving to New York in the 1960s, he worked with Sun Ra and joined John Coltrane’s groups, appearing on Ascension and Meditations, then released landmark albums on Impulse! Records.

Collaborated closely with John Coltrane and Alice Coltrane; recorded The Creator Has a Master Plan on Karma; collaborated with Floating Points and the London Symphony Orchestra on Promises (2021).

Reviewers celebrate Sanders’ intensity, spirituality, and trance-inducing flow. Karma (with The Creator Has a Master Plan) anchors his spiritual-jazz legend; Thembi is praised as accessible, cosmic, and melodic. Black Unity (1971, Impulse!) is framed as a proud, unified statement with a long-form crescendo. Village of the Pharoahs is hailed for hypnotic immersion and evocative percussion. Overall tone: reverent, passionate, and dazzled.