Idris Muhammad - drums
Eric Gale, Joe Beck, Will Lee, Wilbur Bascomb
- guitar, bass
Leon Pendarvis, Don Grolnick, Roland Hanna
- piano
George Young - tenor saxophone
Ronnie Cuber - baritone saxophone
David Sanborn - alto saxophone
George Devens, Idris Muhammad - percussion
plus ensemble and vocalists.
Produced by Creed Taylor
Recorded at Van Gelder Studios 1975
1. The House Of The Rising Sun
2. Baia ( Boogie Bump )
3. Hard To Face The Music
4. Theme For New York City
5. Sudan
6. Hey Pock A-Way
7. Pipe Stem
8. I Know You Don't Want Me No More
This is yet another fine
disc in the latest batch of Creed Taylor productions
to once again see the light of day. Like so
many of the others it comes from a time when
Jazz was becoming a little more pop influenced
- in the sense of soul type rhythms and horn
riffs. This particular session has some particularly
fine backing vocals reminiscent of those found
on the Stax label. For all of these more commercial
aspects the music herein is always tasteful
and great for either listening or dancing
to.
Idris Muhammad is one of
Jazz's ubiquitous percussionists, equally
at home here or with more avant-garde musicians
such as David Murray. The recordings under
his own name are always a joy particularly
in their diversity of style and influence.
Muhammad seems to have technique in abundance
but never allows it to interfere with his
artistic integrity.
The other players here are
all from the top drawer and there are many
excellent soloists on display. No credit is
given for the particularly fine trombone work
but I assume it to be Fred Wesley who is listed
amongst the personnel of the ensemble. Sanborn
has some good passages and there is much fine
guitar playing on display. The material is
a good mixture of the original and the popular
and the whole project is well worth the remarkably
low purchase price.
Dick Stafford
CD Reviews
CTI 5127962
