{{About|the album|the genre of the same name|burning spirits (genre)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = Burning Spirits | type = Studio | artist = Sonny Simmons | cover = Burning Spirits.jpg | alt = | released = 1971 | recorded = November 24, 1970<br /><small>Contemporary's Studio, Los Angeles, California</small> | venue = | studio = | genre = Jazz | length = 79:18 | label = Contemporary<br /><small>S7625/26</small> | producer = Lester Koenig | chronology = Sonny Simmons | prev_title = Rumasuma | prev_year = 1970 | next_title = Backwoods Suite | next_year = 1982 }}
'''''Burning Spirits''''' is a double album by American jazz saxophonist Sonny Simmons (credited as Huey Simmons on the initial release), which was recorded in 1970 and released on the Contemporary label.<ref>[http://www.jazzdisco.org/contemporary-records/catalog-3600-7600-5000-6000-series/#s-7625-26 Contemporary Records discography] accessed June 9, 2015</ref><ref>[http://www.sonnysimmons.org/albums1.htm Sonny Simmons discography] accessed June 9, 2015</ref>
==Reception== {{Music ratings | rev1 = AllMusic | rev1Score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref name="Allmusic"/> |rev2 = ''Rolling Stone'' |rev2score = favorable<ref name=rollingstone>{{cite magazine|last1=Palmer|first1=Bob| title=Huey Simmons - Burning Spirits|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=December 9, 1971|issue=97|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/10-jazz-albums-rolling-stone-loved-in-the-1970s-youve-never-heard-20150731/huey-simmons-burning-spirits-20150731|accessdate=12 January 2016}}</ref> |rev3 = ''The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings'' |rev3score = {{Rating|3|4}}<ref name="Penguin">{{cite book |last1=Cook |first1=Richard |authorlink1=Richard Cook (journalist) |last2=Morton |first2=Brian |authorlink2=Brian Morton (Scottish writer) |title=The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings |year=2008 |edition=9th |publisher=Penguin |isbn=978-0-141-03401-0 |page=1301}}</ref> |rev4 = ''Tom Hull – on the Web'' |rev4Score = B+ ({{Rating-Christgau|hm2}})<ref>{{cite web|last=Hull|first=Tom|authorlink=Tom Hull (critic)|date=April 19, 2021|url=http://tomhull.com/ocston/blog/archives/2938-Music-Week.html|title=Music Week|website=Tom Hull – on the Web|accessdate=April 20, 2021}}</ref> }} AllMusic awarded the album four stars with its review by Alex Henderson stating: "''Burning Spirits'' is generally more free jazz than post-bop. But regardless of whether Simmons is playing inside or outside (usually outside), the saxman plays with tremendous conviction on this album."<ref name="Allmusic">{{AllMusic|first=Alex |last=Henderson |class=album |id=mw0000597687 |title=''Burning Spirits'' – Review |accessdate=June 9, 2015}}</ref>
Robert Palmer of ''Rolling Stone'' commented: "Simmons and friends have taken the developments of the past ten years [...] and compacted them into an ever-changing kaleidoscope of spaces and densities that make a lot of what's ''au courant'' seem pale by comparison. If you buy only one LP of 'jazz' music this year, make it this one."<ref name="rollingstone" />
Writing for All About Jazz, Jeff Stockton commented: "it would be nearly 22 years before [Simmons] made another significant recording after ''Burning Spirits''. The harrowing intensity of the solos, the unrelenting quest for transcendence, and the overriding spirituality of the compositions indicate a substantial amount of recovery time was in order... For 80 minutes ''Burning Spirits'' grabs you by the collar and doesn't let go. It's a full dose of old school energy music that's hard to come by these days."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allaboutjazz.com/burning-spirits-sonny-simmons-contemporary-review-by-jeff-stockton |title=Sonny Simmons: Burning Spirits |first=Jeff |last=Stockton |date=August 25, 2003 |website=All About Jazz |access-date=February 22, 2022}}</ref>
== Track listing == ''All compositions by Huey Simmons'' # "Burning Spirits No. 1" - 11:34 # "New Newk" - 11:42 # "Healing Rays" - 15:55 # "Burning Spirits No. 2" - 13:47 # "Things and Beings" - 9:27 # "E=MC²" - 16:53
== Personnel == *Sonny Simmons - alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, English horn *Barbara Donald - trumpet (tracks 1, 3, 4 & 6) *Michael White - violin (tracks 1 & 3–6) *Lonnie Liston Smith - piano (tracks 2 & 5) *Richard Davis, Cecil McBee (tracks 1 & 3–6) - bass *Clifford Jarvis - drums
== References == {{reflist}} {{Sonny Simmons}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Sonny Simmons albums Category:1970 albums Category:Contemporary Records albums