Ask the Ages

Critical reception

In a contemporary review for the Chicago Tribune, Greg Kot called Ask the Ages a thrilling and essential album for fans of the guitar: "Despite the volcanic power of his playing, Sharrock's majesty is in the lyricism and warmth he finds in even the most abrasive alleyways." Rolling Stone magazine said it sounded like a "classic free-blowing jazz album from the Sixties had been recorded with the clarity and punch of today's rock". Robert Christgau was less enthusiastic in The Village Voice, giving it an "honorable mention" and sarcastically referring to it as "Bill and Elvin's excellent jazz record". He singled out "Little Rock" as the highlight. In the Pazz & Jop, an annual poll of prominent American critics, Ask the Ages was voted the 15th best album of 1991.

In a retrospective review, AllMusic's Steve Huey cited Ask the Ages as Sharrock's best work, "the most challenging jazz work he recorded as a leader, and it's the clearest expression of his roots as a jazz player, drawing heavily on [John] Coltrane's modal post-bop and concepts of freedom." In the Spin Alternative Record Guide (1995), the record was ranked 88th on a list of the "Top 100 Alternative Albums".

Track listing

1. "Promises Kept" –9:43
2. "Who Does She Hope to Be?" –4:41
3. "Little Rock" –7:12
4. "As We Used to Sing" –7:45
5. "Many Mansions" –9:31
6. "Once Upon a Time" –6:26

(all compositions by Sonny Sharrock)

Personnel