| Arc of the Testimony | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | October 14, 1997 | |||
| Recorded | Greenpoint Studio,Brooklyn,New York | |||
| Genre | Jazz fusion,free jazz | |||
| Length | 53:27 | |||
| Label | Axiom/Island | |||
| Producer | Bill Laswell,Tony Williams | |||
| Arcana chronology | ||||
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Arc of the Testimony is the second and final album by the Americanjazz fusion bandArcana. It was released on bassistBill Laswell'sAxiom label on October 14, 1997. Unlike the trio configuration on the first album, this project features a spacier, slightly less abstract form of fusion music. Bill Laswell and drummerTony Williams composed and developed the music, and co-produced the album together.
Laswell invited a number of musicians to contribute, including legendary tenor saxophonistPharoah Sanders. Other contributors included alto saxophonistByard Lancaster, and electric guitaristsNicky Skopelitis andBuckethead. Tony Williams died suddenly on February 23, 1997, while this album was still in production, and thus it represents his last recorded work. Laswell's M.O.D. Reloaded label re-released this album in 2021 with a new track entitled "Black Money".
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Robert Christgau | A−[2] |
| The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings | [3] |
In a review forAllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote: "Arc of the Testimony is a freewheeling, unpredictable blend of electronic and acoustic sounds... it finds a common ground between improvisation and post-production studio trickery. All of the musicians... are open-minded and help push the music forward, resulting in a thoroughly involving, challenging listen."[1]
The authors of thePenguin Guide to Jazz Recordings stated: "As a memorial to Williams, this probably isn't as typical as some of the last albums with acoustic groups, but it serves as a forceful reminder of the immense power he was holding in check even when he was playing straight fours and quiet ballad figures."[3]
All music is composed byBill Laswell andTony Williams
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Gone Tomorrow" | 9:39 |
| 2. | "Illuminator" | 6:07 |
| 3. | "Into the Circle" | 9:25 |
| 4. | "Returning" | 4:29 |
| 5. | "Calling Out the Blue Light" | 6:37 |
| 6. | "Circles of Hell" | 7:15 |
| 7. | "Wheeless on a Dark River" | 4:27 |
| 8. | "The Earth Below" | 5:28 |
| Total length: | 53:27 | |
Musicians
Production
