This 1977 album from Roy Ayers guitarist James is one of the best rare groove jazz funk album ever. Featuring an all star line up inc Narada Michael Walden, Gene Torres and Roy Ayers sidemen Justo Almerio and Phillip Woo with the distinctive vocals of Clarice Taylor. ‘Sweet Power Your Embrace’ is an anthem that has all the hallmarks , driving rhythm, phat beats, eerie keyboards and those vocals ! The more urgent and percussive ‘Free’, ‘I’ve Got My Eye On You’ and ‘Rhythm Of Life’ and the mid tempo dancer ‘Slick City’ are also popular tracks. Also check the...
Jazz is full of unsung heroes, men and women whose talent did not receive full recognition that may be they should. Hank Mobley is one such figure. The tenor saxophonist had the (mis)fortune to be contemporary with arguably the three of the greatest Jazz exponents of this instrument – John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins and Stan Getz, not to mention Dexter Gordon. Mobley’s art was defined by the beauty of his playing – its smoothness and soulfulness – as well as his prodigious writing. Hank was to Hard Bop what Grover Washington Jr was to Jazz Funk, ‘Soul Station is an...
Mark Murphy is the archetypal Jazz singer; the term vocaleese was almost invented for him. His clear diction, pure tone and jazzy delivery earmarked Murphy as a singer of rare talent and one of post Hard Bop’s true singing legends. He combined style, incredible technique and a sense of humour. He displayed a level of improvisation and spontaneity that many contemporary Jazz Musicians would be proud to achieve. Mark was able to find and express the inner meaning of a song, spin it around and deliver it in a new and fresh way. He was always achingly hip, his incredible...
Listen to this show here Frank Wilson - Do i love you (Indeed i do) (Rsd 45) Holland Dozier - Why can't we be lovers (Rsd 45) Marvin Gaye - Come get to this ( Lets get it on RSD lp) Main ingredient - Work to do (Rsd 45) Mary Clark - You got your hold on me (Rsd 45) William de vaughn - Be thankful for what you got (Rsd 12”) Eddie Kendricks - Keep on truckin (Motown funk 2 rsd lp) Meters - Just kissed my baby (Rsd 45) Charles Wright - Express yourself (Rsd 45) Mohawks -...
Often regarded as one of the greatest vibraphone players ever, Roy Ayers began his career as a jazz player, releasing several albums with Arista Records before his tenure at Polydor Records, during which he built and developed a new R&B style, fusing Jazz with the emerging disco sounds as well as drawing on funk. The Roy Ayers Ubiquity formed in 1970 and the unit recorded several albums for Polydor featuring such players as Sonny Fortune, Billy Cobham, Omar Hakim, and Alphonse Mouzon. With influences including the electric side of Miles Davis and the Herbie Hancock Sextet the Ubiquity gradually shed...
There's only a handful of new releases this week. Diane Shaw 'Second Chance' album is now in on Vinyl Lp as well as CD. Toshia Matsuuara (of U.F.O.) has an interesting album on Brownswood and the rare Modern soul Majik 'Back into your heart' is reissued on melodies international. Pre-orders Pre-Order for next week for Monster Disco Orchestra on Far out plus good jazz albums from Dave Liebman and Marrti Vesala. See all the pre-order titles here. We are gearing for Record Store Day next Saturday 21st April. The first product has started to arrive you can see a video here...
‘A Love Supreme’ is arguably the pinnacle of the famous John Coltrane Quartet. Its four parts take you on a spiritual and musical journey that John Coltrane travelled to find the creator and in effect the meaning of life. This sound very intense and whilst the music has moments of great intensity, there is moments of great tenderness and beauty too. ‘Acknowledgement’ is hailed as its defining piece, but ‘Resolution’, ‘Pursuance’ and ‘Psalm’ should be given due reverence too. See all John Coltrane titles here
Guitarist Kenny Burrell alongside Grant Green became Blue Note’s stable guitar man. ‘Midnight Blue’ recorded on January 7 1963 is arguably Burrell’s finest work. His playing is relaxed and fluid and the Latin backdrop provided by percussionist Ray Barretto give the album a Bossa feel. Add the soulfulness of Stanley Turrentine’s meaty tenor sax and you have an album that is a complete delight. The material is sublime as tracks like ‘Chitlins Con Carne’ and ‘Wavy Gravy’ are ample proof. ‘Soul Lament’ is brooding and soulful. Six of the seven tracks are composed are co-composed by Kenny Burrell including the...
Sax player Kamasi Washington arrives with this ambitious concept album, aptly entitled ‘The Epic’. Washington hails from South Central LA and is complimented by a fantastic group plus a 32 piece orchestra and 20 people choir. There are 17 tracks and it is superfluous to pick out individual parts/ tracks. If Spiritual jazz is your thing and you find the music of the Strata East, Tribe or Nimbus labels inspiring then this set is a wonderful journey. That journey encompasses Bop, Jazz Funk amongst other styles along the way. Yet despite the music of ‘The Epic’ being in those traditions,...
Ground breaking album from 1973, one of the first jazz-funk albums and the biggest seller on Blue note at that time. Produced by Larry Mizell this introduced a new sound featuring an all star cast Inc Harvey Mason, Joe Sample, Wilton Felder etc topped by Donald’s brilliant trumpet playing. ‘Flight Time’, ‘BlackByrd’, ‘Love’s So Far Away’ and ‘Mr Thomas’ have that ‘Mizell’ stamp all over them, and are brilliant early jazz funk groovers. The mellow ‘Sky High’ and ‘Where Are We Going’ are equally good. One of the all time great jazz funk albums.
