Wickedly funky work from the Jazz Crusaders – a pivotal set that has them electrifying their groove a bit more from the 60s, yet still not hitting the smother sound of later years! The core soul jazz mode of the group's start is still nicely in place – hard-hitting grooves from Wayne Henderson on trombone, Wilton Felder on bass, Stix Hooper on drums, and Joe Sample on keyboards – really opening up in an electric mode that's warm, but never mellow – really giving the album a strongly righteous undercurrent. Added to the mix are guitars from Arthur Adams and Freddy Robinson – both of whom really open up the groove and underscore the funkier elements – and again, in ways that have a lot more edge than on later Crusaders dates. The whole thing's great, filled with hard groovy cuts – and titles include a great version of "Golden Slumbers", plus "Jazz", "Jackson", "Rainy Night In Georgia", "Time Has No Ending", "Hard Times", and "Funny Shuffle". CD
Includes the songs "Imam", "Zikr", "For Monk", "Zimbabwe", "Mandela", "The Mountain", "Pule (Rain)", "Chisa", "Toi-Toi", "Calypso Minor", "Tsidi", "Cape Town", "African Marketplace",and "Mountain Of The Night". CD
(Out of print,spine has a cutout notch.)
3
Abdullah Ibrahim & Ekaya —
African River ... CD Enja, 1989. Used ...
Out Of Stock
One of the great larger group recordings that pianist Abdullah Ibrahim gave us in the 80s – from a moment when he was able to use added horns to really expand that amazing sense of color and rhythm he'd brought to his music on earlier trio recordings! There's a sense of musical vision here that really lives up to Abdullah's majestic look on the cover – a fantastic merging of flute and tenor from John Stubblefield, soprano and alto from Horace Alexander Young, tuba and baritone from Howard Johnson, and trombone from Robin Eubanks – all vibrant horn players who seem to have just about every tone and mood covered with their horns – given this wonderfully warm support from Buster Williams on bass, and Brian Adams on drums. All titles are originals by the leader – and tunes include "Chisa", "Sweet Samba", "Duke 88", "The Wedding", and "Joan Capetown Flower". CD
4
Abdullah Ibrahim & Ekaya —
African River ... CD Enja (Germany), 1989. Used ...
Out Of Stock
One of the great larger group recordings that pianist Abdullah Ibrahim gave us in the 80s – from a moment when he was able to use added horns to really expand that amazing sense of color and rhythm he'd brought to his music on earlier trio recordings! There's a sense of musical vision here that really lives up to Abdullah's majestic look on the cover – a fantastic merging of flute and tenor from John Stubblefield, soprano and alto from Horace Alexander Young, tuba and baritone from Howard Johnson, and trombone from Robin Eubanks – all vibrant horn players who seem to have just about every tone and mood covered with their horns – given this wonderfully warm support from Buster Williams on bass, and Brian Adams on drums. All titles are originals by the leader – and tunes include "Chisa", "Sweet Samba", "Duke 88", "The Wedding", and "Joan Capetown Flower". CD
A damn soulful album from Ghanaian percussionist Rim Kwaku Obeng – recorded in LA at the end of the 70s, with loads of sweet clubby touches in the mix! Rim gets in plenty of tight percussion – lots of which showcases his rim-heavy approach to the drums – and also plays keyboards and sings a bit too – in a larger group that mixes in some very hip LA funky elements, a bit like some of the criss-crossing that Hugh Masekela did on his Chisa Records sessions! The style makes for a great bit of funky club with lots of deeper acoustic percussion elements in the sound – and titles include the massive break classic "Funky Drummer", plus "Nothing Is Free", "Spend Your Money", "Gas Line", "Sunkwa", and "Believe In Yourself". Special package – also includes the bonus 12" tracks "International Funk (voc)", and "International Funk (inst)". CD