Warren Kime – Children of Time

Warren Kime may be best known to record collectors for his trio of Brass Impact LPs on the Command label released in the mid-to-late 60’s. An excellent overview of his career and how these LPs came to be can be found here: http://www.spaceagepop.com/kime.htm.

There’s one LP the Space Age Pop overview missed, though, as his “Children of Time” concept album on Candle Records seems to have almost fallen off the face of the earth.  Expressing his Baha’i faith by writing and recording a song cycle wherin the Old World Order gives way to the New, Kime expands on his brass impact sound, bringing in new elements such as sunshine pop harmonies, groovy go-go sounds, the occasional fuzz guitar, and some funky rhythms that wouldn’t sound out of place on one of David Axelrod’s productions.  The last half of the track "Unity" in particular may be of interest to those Waxidermists into the funky groove thang.

Packaged in a strange, almost unworkable die cut gatefold sleeve with very little information on the outside, it’s no wonder that “Children of Time” didn’t make much of an impact. Quite the opposite of the packaging his Command LPs, perhaps this was a reaction to the commercialization of his previous efforts.  I almost left it in the bin at the Sedona, Arizona Goodwill, until I noticed Kime’s name reading vertically up the center stripe in 12 point type.  The LP does gain a brief mention in a scholarly article by E. Taylor Atkins published by the University of Illinois Press in 2006 called The Sacralization of Jazz in the American Baha’i Community, wherin it’s mentioned that Kime “was discouraged by official Bah?'? reactions to his concept album.” Regardless of the reception the LP received upon release, I find it a fascinating excursion and quite listenable.  Well worth seeking out a copy.

The Old World Order (Carnival of Life)

The New World Order (Walk With Me Now)

The New World Order (Unity)

Filed under: Jazz, Lounge / Exotica, Pop / Rock, Xian / Religious