In many ways, this trio recording is a milestone in the career of this young Californian. Duke unveils more of his early experiments with the ARP synthesizer, as well as a new creativity on such more conventional keyboards, as the Wurlitzer, Fender Rhodes, and the clavinet. As a result, "Faces in Reflection" is characterized by a wide variety of tonal hues. The journey moves from the explosive "The Opening" on to the tender-tinged "Capricorn", which Duke had snatched from the Cannonball Adderley repertoire. Adderley had been the second major player he had worked with during that early period; Frank Zappa was the first. Two impressionistic solo intermezzi segue into the funky fusion escapade "Psychosomatic Dung", with superb interplay between drummer "Ndugu" and bassist John Heard. The title piece's secretive synth lines are the moments of calm before Duke's passionate love affair with Brazil on the B side. The most surprising excursion on this side is the vibrant and rhythmically intricate adaptation of Milton Nascimentos' "Maria Três Filhos", counterbalanced by the synth laboratory of "North Beach". Duke himself cherished the recordings; he stated that, "This was the first LP that really said what I wanted to say."
Release date:
October 19, 2018
Label:
Install our app to receive notifications when new upcoming releases are added.

Recommended equipment and accessories
-
Phono Preamps - Top Picks
A selection of the best phono preamps for your turntable setup
-
Nagaoka MP-110H Cartridge
Features a high-quality elliptical stylus that provides excellent tracking and minimizes distortion, delivering a detailed sound reproduction with an output voltage of 5.0 mV
-
Audioengine A2 Plus
Precision-engineered 2.75-inch woofers and a 0.75-inch silk dome tweeter, featuring built-in DAC and Bluetooth connectivity for seamless integration.
-
Nobsound Little Bear T7 Tube Preamp
Delivers rich, warm audio through its high-quality vacuum tubes, featuring multiple inputs and adjustable gain
-
Pro-Ject Phono Box DC Pre-Amp
Compact, high-performance phono preamplifier for both MM and MC cartridges, delivering a clean, detailed signal with minimal noise.
Featured Upcoming Vinyl
-
Raekwon THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES OCEAN CRANFIRE
Corey Woods p/k/a "Raekwon"
September 19, 2025 -
We Came As Romans ALL IS BEAUTIFUL... BECAUSE WE ARE DOOMED (Neon Pink / Purple Marble)
Sharptone
August 22, 2025 -
Between The Buried And Me The Blue Nowhere [4xLP]
Inside Out Music
September 12, 2025 -
Sir Richard Bishop Hillbilly Ragas
Drag City
September 26, 2025 -
Jennie Ruby Vinyl
Columbia Records Group
August 22, 2025 -
The Vintage Caravan Portals [2xLP]
Napalm Records
September 26, 2025 -
Supertramp Crime Of The Century (Half-Speed)
A&M
August 29, 2025 -
Galaxie 500 CBGB 12.13.88
Silver Current
August 8, 2025 -
Jehnny Beth You Heartbreaker, You
Fiction Records
August 29, 2025 -
John Maus Later Than You Think
Young
September 26, 2025 -
Dusted Angel This Side Of The Dirt (Orange)
Heavy Psych Sounds
September 26, 2025 -
Rise Against Ricochet (Canary Yello; Amazon Exclusive) [2xLP]
Loma Vista Recordings
September 12, 2025 -
Neptunian Maximalism Le Sacre Du Soleil Invaincu
I, Voidhanger Records
August 29, 2025 -
The Last Dinner Party From The Pyre
Island
October 17, 2025