One of many projects on Strata-East spearheaded by bassist, composer, and arranger Bill Lee (legendary director Spike Lee’s father), The Descendants of Mike and Phoebe’s only album, A Spirit Speaks, enlists Lee’s brother and sisters—Cliff Lee, Grace Lee Mims, and Consuela Lee Moorhead—to form a group named in tribute to their enslaved ancestors. Combining elements of jazz, gospel, soul, and blues, among other influences, A Spirit Speaks has become one of the most sought-after albums from the catalog. Pressed on 180-gram vinyl at RTI, mastered by Kevin Gray (Cohearant Audio) with audio cut directly from the original analog tapes and featuring never-before-scene photos with new liner notes in a glossy tip-on gatefold deluxe package, this one-of-a-kind album can be celebrated with the care and attention it deserves.
