A really formative album – not just as part of the key second chapter of alto genius
Lou Donaldson, but also as the start of a huge generation of jazz funk grooves to come! The key element here is drummer Idris Muhammad – working in the group of
Donaldson, but under his birth name of Leo Morris – and still already graced with that fantastic sense of rhythm that has him stretching out the beats, and creating grooves that would push the 60s soul jazz generation into more electric funk modes in the decade to come! The record's a perfect bridge between the two generations – with long tracks that draw plenty from Idris' drums and
Lou's alto – plus work from Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Lonnie Smith on organ, and the young George Benson on guitar – still hard and soulful, in that style he had been using in the 60s group of organist Jack McDuff. If you know the heavily sampled side of
Lou Donaldson's work, you'll know the greatness you're getting here – on cuts that include "Dapper Dan", "Midnight Creeper", "Bag Of Jewels", and "Love Power".
(Part of the Blue Note Tone Poet series – heavy cover and vinyl!)