A Prayer Before Dawn


A Prayer Before Dawn is an album led by saxophonist Pharoah Sanders recorded in 1987 and released on the Theresa label that year.

Reception

In his review for AllMusic, Al Campbell commented: "A Prayer Before Dawn is one of Pharoah Sanders' gentle, reflective dates....It is the opposite of Sanders' characteristic fire-breathing tenor of his Impulse days, but there is nobility in taking this tranquil direction; Sanders refuses to repeat himself. He demands you listen with open ears, dropping preconceived notions." Writing in the Chicago Tribune, Jack Fuller wrote: "There is a sweetness about some of the cuts on this 1987 recording by tenor saxophonist Pharoah Sanders that becomes almost cloying at times....like Archie Shepp and so many other fine jazz exponents from earlier times, he has returned to the basics".

Track listing

All compositions by Pharoah Sanders except as indicated
  1. "The Light at the Edge of the World" - 5:08
  2. "Dedication to James W. Clark" - 5:15
  3. "Softly for Shyla" - 5:21
  4. "The Greatest Love of All" - 8:23
  5. "Midnight at Yoshi's" - 5:57
  6. "Living Space" - 4:32
  7. "After the Rain" - 6:34
  8. "In Your Own Sweet Way" - 7:08 Bonus track on CD reissue
  9. "The Christmas Song" - 7:25 Bonus track on CD reissue

    Personnel