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mystic voyage

Right from the start, the track “Mystic Voyage” from the album of the same name is slick. Captivated… by what must be a synth string arrangement(no string credits in personnel info) we are musically given an example of this master vibists’ technique. Mellow understated jazz-funk.

Roy’s string arrangements are nothing short of remarkable in terms of authenticity in clarity and timbre.

Add to this vibes, vibes, vibes! His facility on the vibraphone is at least as good as any of the giants of the genre, and better than quite a few.
Not to mention the electric piano, arp, and clavinet.

This track was the first of his I heard back in ‘75, and I knew I had to see him live.

His studio albums have always been tight, from this album forward. He seemed to have a knack for assembling just the right cats to interpret his sound. Take particular notice of native Detroiter Ricky Lawson’s timing on the drums.

This album put him on the map, and as a result, flaws in his early live performances(i.e. sound quality, engineering etc.) would eventually disappear, and subsequent shows with new material/albums became top notch.

This is a must have for any jazz-funk novice or devotee.

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Track Listing

1. Brother Green (The Disco King)
2. Mystic Voyage
3. Wee Bit
4. Take All The Time You Need
5. Evolution
6. Life Is Just A Moment
7. Life Is Just A Moment
8. Funky Motion
9. Spirit Of Doo Do
10. Black Five

All songs written or co-written by Roy Ayers except “A Wee Bit” (Calvin Brown), “Take All The Time You Need” (Nick Ashford/Valerie Simpson), “Funky Motion” (Ronnie Foster) and “Spirit Of Doo Do” (Edwin Birdsong/Michelle Birdsong).

Roy Ayers Ubiquity: Roy Ayers (vibraphone, vocals, Arp synthesizer, electric piano, Clavinet, percussion); Chicas (vocals); Joe Brazil (soprano saxophone); Calvin Brown (guitar, vocals); Byron Miller (bass, background vocals); Ricky Lawson (drums); Willie Michael (percussion); Chano O’Ferral (congas, bongos); P. Craig Turner (programming).

Additional personnel: Edwin Birdsong (vocals).

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in a special way

I first got hip to Gene Harris from the “Astral Signal” album, released the previous year(’75). “In a Special Way” is his next, and between the two, the former was the more popular and hence, the more familiar.

Both albums mark a departure from a simpler production approach to one more complex. I like it!
“Theme for Relana” is an update in style reflecting the young-up-and-coming style to the jazz influenced music of the time.

Careful listening reveals smatterings of a Lonnie Liston Smith-style bass line feel, along with haunting EWF vocal harmonies and guitar grooves. Notice can also be taken of the splendid french horn riffs during the changes, as if harkening the hunting call:”the fox has been run to ground”.

Through it all, Harris’ facility on piano comes through in staccato fashion like light rain will contain smoldering embers.

All in all, this track is an excellent blend of the new and old, and comes very highly recommended.

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Gene Harris - In A Special Way [1976]

personnel:

George Bohanon (tb) Sidney Muldrow, Marnie Robinson (frh) Azar Lawrence (ts) Ed Green (vln) Charlotte Politte (el-p, syn) Jerry Peters (el-p, syn, string ensemble, arr, vo) Gene Harris (key) Lee Ritenour (g, el-g) Al McKay (el-g) John Rowin (el-g, arr) Chuck Rainey, Verdine White (el-b) James Gadson (d) Harvey Mason (d, per) Mayuto Correa (per) Phillip Bailey (per, vo) Merry Clayton, Ann Esther Jessica, D.J. Rodgers, Sigidi, Stephanie Spruill, Denise Williams (vo)

01 Theme For Relana
02 Rebop
03 Zulu
04 Always In My Mind
05 Love For Sale
06 It’s Your Love
07 Soft Cycles
08 Five_Four
09 Naima

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spectrum

The driving drums and their trademark tonality underscore the Cobham technique. Add to this the distinctive fender-rhodes harmonics and driving bass line groove, and the stage is set for a “knock your socks off” performance. Stratus is definitely one of his best on the album.

Recorded in 1973, Spectrum is Billy Cobham’s debut effort as a bandleader.

Jazz purists of the time expressed a resistance to funk as viable part of the “straight ahead” jazz arena… fine, whatever! This is still undeniably jazz.

As pure funk, it’s too jazzy, and too jazzy and funky to be pure rock. Hence the “fusion” of all three, creating it’s own category.

The band is comprised of some of the up and coming young lions of the time including: Jan Hammer on keyboards and synthesizer, a former Mahavishnu alumnus, along with Cobham, Tommy Bolin on guitar, who would later be a member of the James Gang and Deep Purple, Leland Sklar on bass, who would go on to play with Phil Collins.

All of which shared a fusion-like mindset, the result of which being the right cats at the right time.

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personnel:

Producer William E. Cobham, Jr.
Engineer Ken Scott
Personnel Billy Cobham - percussion
Lee Sklar - electric bass
Jimmy Owens - flugelhorn, trumpet

Also: Ron Carter, Ray Barretto, Joe Farrell, Jan Hammer, John Tropea, Tommy Bolin

track listing:

1. Quadrant 4
2. Searching For The Right Door / Spectrum
3. Anxiety / Taurian Matador
4. Stratus
5. To The Women In My Life / Le Lis
6. Snoopy’s Search / Red Baron