"Say It With Silence" by HUBERT LAWS (2008 Sony Music Japan CD Remaster and Limited Edition) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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Issued in January 1978 on Columbia 35022 in the USA - "Say It With Silence" by HUBERT LAWS has always been a sought-after jazz-funk flute-driven soul LP rarity. 

And now this superb sounding November 2008 CD remaster finally makes it available - albeit as a limited edition import from JAPAN on Sony Music SICP 2122.

Here's a detailed breakdown (33:26 minutes total playing time):

1. The Baron (5:54 minutes)
HUBERT LAWS - Flute & Piccolo
BARNABY E FINCH - Fender Rhodes & Piano
PATRICK KELLEY - Guitar (Solo)
MELVIN ROBINSON - Rhythm Guitar
ROBERT VEGA - Bass
GERRY POWERS - ARP Synth
GREGORY ERRICO and VICTOR FELDMAN on Drums & Percussion

2. False Starts (6:20 minutes)
HUBERT LAWS - Flute
JOE SAMPLE - Fender Rhodes & Piano
ROBERT POPWELL - Bass
ANTHONY LEWIS - Drums
MELVIN ROBINSON - Guitar
DEBRA LAWS - Lead Vocals

3. Love Gets Better (5:09 minutes)
HUBERT LAWS - Alto Flute
BARNABY E FINCH - Piano
MELVIN ROBINSON - Guitar
ROBERT VEGA - Bass
GREGORY ERRICO and VICTOR FELDMAN on Drums & Percussion
RONNIE LAWS - Soprano Sax & Vocals
ELOISE and DEBRA LAWS - Backing Vocals

4. It Happens Everyday (7:41 minutes)
HUBERT LAWS - Alto Flute & Flute
RONNIE LAWS - Soprano Sax
JOE SAMPLE - Fender Rhodes & Piano
ROBERT POPWELL - Bass
ANTHONY LEWIS and VICTOR FELDMAN on Drums & Percussion
WOODY MURRAY on Vibes
VARIOUS SESSION PLAYERS - Violins, Cellos, Trumpets & Trombones

5. Say It With Silence (8:20 minutes)
HUBERT LAWS - Flute & Piccolo
JOHNNY LAWS - Lead Vocals
RONNIE LAWS - Tenor Sax
MARK GRAY - Fender Rhodes & Piano
MIKE RICHMOND - Bass
DANIEL GOTTLIEB - Drums

As you can see from the short playing time, it's a bare-bones reissue of the album with no extras or outtakes and the booklet is basic - functional at best. It is REMASTERED however - and beautifully so - very subtle, really warm and with virtually no hiss on any of the tracks. And when the sound needs muscle, the mastering has it - a sweet, sweet transfer and a great job done.

Musically, the album is flute-driven smooth jazz funk/soul with one or two of the tunes punctuated with vocals. Some people love this kind of Seventies jazz - others see it as elevator music - it is of course somewhere in between. Favourites include the Steely Dan "Aja" jazz funk of "The Baron" and "Love Gets Better" and the almost Jack Nitzsche melodramatic finisher, "Say It With Silence". 

The opening track for Side 2 of the original LP is "It Happens Everyday", a JOE SAMPLE song that would eventually turn up on his debut solo LP "Rainbow Seeker" for ABC Records in 1978 - a huge favourite of mine. (There's a fairly good 1996 GRP CD remaster of "Rainbow Seeker" - I cannot recommend that album enough.)

"Say It With Silence" is an excellent reissue and word is that this release is limited to only a few thousand - so buy now. Recommended.

PS: This CD is part of the Japanese-only "Vintage In 70's Vol.2" Series.
The other nine titles are:

1. "Dreams" - DREAMS (Sony Music SICP-2114)
2. "Imagine My Surprise" - DREAMS (Sony Music SICP-2115)
3. "Two" - THE GEORGE DUKE/STANLEY CLARKE PROJECT (Sony Music SICP-2116)
4. "Magic" - BILLY COBHAM (Sony Music SICP-2117)
5. "Carnival" - MAYNARD FERGUSON (Sony Music SICP-2118)
6. "Inner Worlds" - JOHN McLAUGHLIN (Sony Music SICP-2119
7. "Believe It" - THE TONY WILLIAMS LIFETIME (Sony Music SICP-2120)
8. "The Love Connection" - HUBERT LAWS ((Sony Music SICP-2121)
9. "Alivemutherforya" - BILLY COBHAM (Sony Music SICP-2123)

They're available through various Amazon retailers or the excellent Japanese specialists cdjapan.co.jp

PPS: Special Thanks to TIM SQUIER of Revival Records for the lend of the CD