The Ramsey Lewis Trio – The In Crowd

★★★★★ = Classic, essential listening

Sounds like?

swinging bop

Moods

Effortless cool, the quintessential jazz dinner-party album

Thoughts

I've been searching for this for unpretentious but engaging jazz and the trio here nails it. There's a comfortable loose feel to this, as if they know what they've got is gold.

When I refer to jazz dinner albums it means bop but not so technical that it's distracting. This succeeds with it's cool, samba like swing, busy downtown vibe and appropriate moments of somber builds.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/The-Ramsey-Lewis-Trio-The-In-Crowd/release/4746742

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsFST-7Hx-Y

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koSylsFxxpM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_SwYDL5Imc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nm4-JSKi9k0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aX8BS_nINfI

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The Ramsey Lewis Trio – The In Crowd

Description: Album Review of The Ramsey Lewis Trio – The In Crowd


Rating: 5 out of 5

 

Donald Byrd – Ethiopian Knights

★★★★★ = Classic, essential listening

Sounds like?

jazz with funk rock chops

Moods

Top notch jazz-funk

Thoughts

these are long cuts that give way to extended jams. Patience is rewarding:

'the emperor' is funky strum guitar and groovy picking bass line gives way to solos from xylophone and Byrd on trumpet. It's great.

'Jamie' is a brief chilled out piece in comparison, gospel like at times with the organ.

'Little rasti' brings back the groove where things are ever so slightly dirtier (think as if it were the late show at a jazz club as opposed to a cleaner early show on 'the emperor'). Things kick off with a drum solo and then get into a groovy set of solos this time include Wawa guitar, keys and of course a very confident Byrd.

I'm hard pressed to think of better funk rock jazz from this or any of the era. On par with Miles and a must for fans of the genre.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Donald-Byrd-Ethiopian-Knights/release/890204

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtKcvoeO2vA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhiYaTLP8xM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAycZvJwtIA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=av4j96aEDAA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvHQGXdvbDc

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Donald Byrd – Ethiopian Knights

Description: Album Review of Donald Byrd – Ethiopian Knights


Rating: 5 out of 5

 

Quincy Jones – Walking In Space

★★☆☆☆ = Eh, fine

Sounds like?

soulful jazz arrangements

Moods

big band jazz-funk

Thoughts

Arrangements are rich and instrumentation as good as any with exceptional guitar work (best displayed on the bluesy standout 'love and peace').

However it's missing a certain rawness the great jazz-funk of the era holds, limits the appeal.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Quincy-Jones-Walking-In-Space/release/2560746

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWoqvBFeCrI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebvHk62DUtA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJgTzLsvCKQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXQ4r4y3Wdc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aASXNyc6xmY

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Quincy Jones – Walking In Space

Description: Album Review of Quincy Jones – Walking In Space


Rating: 2 out of 5

 

Idris Muhammad – Power Of Soul

★★★★☆ = Quality release and suggested listening

Sounds like?
Funky soulful jazz

Moods
Feeling Fine

Thoughts
Not crazy about the title track (though the guitar work is good) but the rest of the album is really good:
* ‘Piece of mind’ is hip and soulful with an easy free-floating vibe.
* ‘Lorans dance’ is a masterpiece and one of my favorite tracks in recent years: cool, nocturnal, soulful.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Idris-Muhammad-Power-Of-Soul/release/3643207

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Idris Muhammad – Power Of Soul

Description: Album Review of Idris Muhammad – Power Of Soul


Rating: 4 out of 5

 

Idris Muhammad – House Of The Rising Sun

★★★★☆ = Quality release and suggested listening

Sounds like?
Upbeat kinda groovy quick jazz funk

Moods
Having a good time with some smart ass music

Thoughts
I love Muhammad’s drumming which gives this an incredibly quick backbeat that only a true master can provide. Add in some punchy bass and solos that carry with energy and character, has a 70s grit to it.

The writing is great too, taking pop and turning them into jazz songs (really well done, not just half-baked covers) Sudan is a great piece where I feel the band gels more and feels slightly less arranged. (Admittedly the track I said to myself ok this is a really good album). I don’t want you know more is a greater closer. Bit new Orleans brass with a floating keys line and funky get up and dance drum beat, ends with the right energy.

Allmusic got it right:

But the complete disregard for the political correctness of “Jazz” itself, in order to get the deeply funky and soulful grooves across, is what makes this set so damn special and even spiritual in its inspiration. Jazz purists lost all credibility when they slagged this one off, caught as they were in tainted, even racist views of the past that made no allowances for jazz musicians to actually follow their time-honored tradition of mining the pop music of the day to extend the breadth and reach of jazz itself. Anybody who wants to believe that George Gershwin is somehow more important than George Porter Jr. is already lost in his own cultural fascism. Muhammad, who understands this better than anyone, pulled out all the stops here and blasted out one amazingly tough, funky slab. Brilliant.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Idris-Muhammad-House-Of-The-Rising-Sun/release/3429650

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Idris Muhammad – House Of The Rising Sun

Description: Album Review of Idris Muhammad – House Of The Rising Sun


Rating: 4 out of 5

 

Gene Harris – Instant Party

★★☆☆☆ = Eh, fine

What’s it sound like?
Light groovy jazz

Thoughts
Great playing is on display here but I didn’t find anything that memorable. This would work well as jazzy daytime background music.

More Info
https://www.discogs.com/Gene-Harris-Instant-Party/release/6358953

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Gene Harris – Instant Party

Description: Album Review of Gene Harris – Instant Party


Rating: 2 out of 5

 

Roy Ayers – Virgin Ubiquity (Unreleased Recordings 1976-1981)

★★☆☆☆ = Eh, fine

What’s it sound like?

Roy Ayers signature funk jazz constructed with pop/r&b vocalists.

Thoughts

I’m not intimately familiar with his catalog but this veers to the lighter side as an r&b album. I found the singers lacking in personality but roys funk is in full effect. I like the instrumental tracks like green and gold featuring a solo vibraphone.

Nothing special, he’s got better stuff.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Roy-Ayers-Virgin-Ubiquity-Unreleased-Recordings-1976-1981/release/245053

Listen!

Youtube





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Jimmy McGriff – Electric Funk

★★★☆☆ = Good!

What’s it sound like?

Funky instrumental rhythm and blues

Thoughts

Dirty like the meters with the great Jimmy McGriff on organ. This recording is particularly rich which makes it a great example of the era. Not a lot of variety but it’s constantly building and unfolding, made especially effective by the use of brass.

The 2nd half after bird wave is where it’s at.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Jimmy-McGriff-Electric-Funk/release/2557960

Listen!

Youtube





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Cortex – Troupeau Bleu

★★☆☆☆ = Eh, fine

What’s it sound like?

Classic jazz-rock fusion with a French touch

Thoughts

Exceptional Jazz fusion with strong keys playing. Unfortunately I really dislike the scatty female vocals featured throughout and found it tough to listen past them; they really date the album.

The second half is better starting roughly with ‘chanson d’un jour d’hiver’ through the end.

I don’t see myself revisiting this anytime soon.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Cortex-Troupeau-Bleu/release/934193

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Jimmy McGriff – Friday The 13th. Cook County Jail.

★★★☆☆ = Good!

What’s it sound like?

Electric Blues-jazz driven by guitar

Thoughts

Side 1: the freedom suite 1 and 2 tracks are great blues; raw, fast and dirty.

Side 2: Green dolphin street kicks things off with a clarinet solo, setting the pace with calmer standards that were just OK.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Jimmy-McGriff-Friday-The-13th-Cook-County-Jail/release/2320710

Listen!

Youtube





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More Info:

https://www.discogs.com/Jimmy-McGriff-Friday-The-13th-Cook-County-Jail/release/2320710

Listen!

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Youtube: