Groove Holmes - Comin' on Home (Blue Note)
Totally fabulous organ funk from the Hammond-maestro! Great versions of
Jobim's "Wave", Bobby Timmon's "Dis Here" and a weird, psychedelic version
of Weldon Irvine's classic "Mr. Clean". Personal favourites: Groove's own
"Groovin' for Mr. G", the gritty "Don't Mess with Me" and Irvine's "Down
Home Funk". There are many organ players but only one Groove Holmes!
Eddie Henderson - Sunburst (Blue Note)
This has got to be some of the funkiest music ever recorded on Blue Note!
Henderson sounds a lot like 70s Miles (in fact, the record comes across as
an intelligent fusion of post-Bitches Brew Miles and pre-Headhunters Herbie
Hancock) and Bennie Maupin never cease to amaze me. Favourites: all the
tunes, but especially "Galaxy", "Sunburst", George Duke's "Explodition" and
(of course) "The Kumquat Kids".
Sergio Mendes - Pel=E9 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
This is a real gem! Can't decide which side of the record cover I like
best: Pel=E9 in full effect on the front or Mendes looking extremely slick o=
n
the back. Plus it's a really good album that features Gerry Mulligan and
Oscar Castro Neves, among others.Favourite cuts: the various supersmooth
versions of Pel=E9's own main theme "My World is a Ball" (!) and the fast
"Back to Baur=FA".