Sir Edward (AKA Harold Vick) – The Power Of Feeling
Jazz Room Records have stepped things up a notch with their latest reissue, a fine piece of A&R from label head honcho Paul Murphy who recently paid a visit to us in the shop to hand deliver this item.
One of the great unsung saxophone hero’s: Harold Vick worked as a sideman with Hammond Legends Jack McDuff, Jimmy McGriff, Big John Patton, and Larry Young. He played on and off with Walter Bishop, Jr. and worked with Philly Joe Jones, Howard McGhee, Donald Byrd and Ray Charles. He also appeared with Dizzy Gillespie, King Curtis, and from 1970 to 1974 was first pick saxophonist for Aretha Franklin’s band. He played in Jack DeJohnette’s Jazz-Rock band Compost from 1971 to 1973, recording with them in 1972 which is around the same time as this recording—probably the reason it is under the pseudonym of “Sir Edward”. Add to that an absolutely top notch band, including bassist Wilbur “Bad” Bascomb, Jumma Santos on percussion and the mellow vibes of Omar Clay and this is a must have soulful jazz outing.
The set starts with the percussive anthem Keep On Moving On, some exemplary reed-work from Sir Edward solidifying his talents from the outset, set atop of some shimmering Rhodes played, no less, by the insurmountably talented keysman Joe Bonner who shines throughout the album, hitting on more soulful tones than his latter-day Theresa era fanship would recognise in his playing. Where is the Love is an excellent latin-tinged cover of the Ralph McDonald penned Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway track, centring in on a Martillo lick from percussionist and time-keeper extraordinaire Jumma Santos allowing space for a gentle and understated guitar solo from George Davis to crop up later in the track.
One of the albums highlights is the cover of the Stylistics classic people make the World Go Round, a poignant and socially riveting composition of the day, taken very seriously by the albums respective players in this instance. Bonner’s ability to bend melody and find notes where not many people can takes the listener on a deeper, intensely atmospheric journey, accompanied by Omar Clay on marimbas and George Davis temporarily putting down the guitar to provide some brilliant flute solos, only to pick it back up to close out the track—a fantastic cover. Stocking Cap is raw, unrefined, nasty-ass stankin’ funk to its core, certainly when listening to Vick’s electric saxaphone playing which he channels through a wah-wah pedal. I can only think of the faces that were pulled in the studio at the time of recording as wah-wah guitar and saxaphone collided to create offensive levels of funk, the sort of music that George Clinton experiences in states of deep sleep paralysis.
Betcha By Golly Wow, another stylistics cover is light and breezy version paying due tributes to the original, with some fantastic drumming from David Lee, plenty of airy ghost notes and snappy snare hits channeling more of a Funk and Soul musical dimension then straight ahead Jazz, although when matched against personell such as Bonner and Vick and Davis’ incessant crying guitar, Jazz-Funk and Fusion are categories that the music sits comfortably within. Peace KD, the final track on the album is written in tribute to Kenny Dorham, a track that touches on spiritual modes and a straighter sound, upright bass, grand piano although licks of electric guitar are peppered in the mixture for good measure.
Buy the LP HERE
Listen to the tracks HERE
John Patton – Soul Connection
One of the most influential and underground Hammond organists of the 1960’s was “Big” John Patton as he was then known. If it was the groove that you wanted Patton was your Man and he made several albums for the legendary Blue Note label, many of which went on to sell for eye watering prices. As his style went out of favor, some of the recordings never saw the light of day until almost 20 years later and at the same time Patton slipped into the background. He resurfaced in the 1980s and went into the studio. Among his albums Soul Connection, originally released in 1983 on Nilva Records has now been re-released on what many consider to be the Re-Issue Label of these times; Jazz Room Records.
Patton had a strong band with him on this record. Avant Garde trombonist Grachan Moncur III fits in just nicely with some funky lines and solo’s. Acid jazz Guitar Hero Melvin Sparks rides in the all important funk grooves but the revelation has to be saxophonist Grant Reed, who you may know from the Jazz Room Release of “Shamek Farrah & Folks” and who was a mainstay of the Mongo Santamaria set up. Jazz Exile Alvin Queen has been part of the sound set ups of Junior Mance, Stanley Turrentine and Charles Tolliver, among others. The whole album sounds as if it was laid down in a Rudy Van Gelder session in the mid 60’s and then languished in a vault somewhere, waiting until the fan base had returned. That time is now, this is a Funky Organ Groove with a Spiritual Soul Swing!
Buy the LP HERE
Check out the tracks HERE
