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"…Mysteries Do Unfold…"
Essentially covering his stay at A&M Records between 1969 and 1981 – this rather cool but basic budget-priced CD offers up 14 tracks of quality QUINCY JONES solo and collaborations. As you can imagine The Dude barely puts a foot wrong – with all songs featuring a dizzying array of quality musicians who in 2014 have all but entered legend. Here are the groovy details…
UK released October 2007 - "Summer In The City: The Soul Jazz Grooves Of Quincy Jones" by QUINCY JONES on Universal Jazz Club/Verve 5301956 (Barcode 0600753019566) breaks down as follows (73:18 minutes):
1. Killer Joe
2. I Never Told You
Tracks 1 and 2 are from the album "Walking In Space" released December 1969 in the USA on A&M Records SP-3023
3. Walkin’
Track 3 is from the album "Gula Matari" released August 1970 in The USA on A&M Records SP-3030
4. Brown Ballad
5. Cast Your Fate To The Wind
Tracks 4 and 5 are from the album "Smackwater Jack" released October 1971 in the USA on A&M Records SP-3037
6. Summer In The City
7. Eyes Of Love
8. You’ve Got It Bad Girl
Tracks 6 to 8 are from the album "You've Got It Bad Girl" released June 1973 in the USA on A&M Records SP-3041
9. Everything Must Change
10. Along Came Betty
Tracks 9 and 10 are from the album "Body Heat" released May 1974 in the USA on A&M Records SP-3617. “Everything Must Change” features Lead Vocals by BERNARD IGHNER
11. Tell Me A Bedtime Story
12. Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You)
14. Stuff Like That
Tracks 11, 12 and 14 are from the album "Sounds…And Stuff Like That!!" released June 1978 in the USA on A&M Records SP-4685
13. Velas
Track 13 is from the album "The Dude" released March 1981 on A&M Records SP-3721
The gatefold inlay does at least provide musician credits and at just under 74 minutes and a price tag that borders on peanuts – it's a properly great bargain. The remastered sound throughout is ace as well – really great.
It opens well with the slinky city groove of "Killer Joe". Stretching to the full album cut of 5:11 minutes it features the combined talents of HUBERT LAWS on Flute, FREDDIE HUBBARD on Trumpet and ERIC GALE on Guitar. Both BOB JAMES and TOOTS THIELEMANS turn up on Keyboards and Harmonica for the equally smooth "I Never Told You" (admittedly very hissy). Quincy then goes full-on Vibe Jazz with his instrumental cover of The Carpenters "Walkin'" with MILT JACKSON providing the Vibes.
"Brown Ballad" was written by Ray Brown the Acoustic Bass player in Jones' Band and is a wonderfully languid instrumental featuring TOOTS THIELEMANS on Harmonica. He gives it his "Midnight Cowboy" style while JIM HALL provides the slick guitar solo. Toots turns up again on "Eyes Of Love" only this time accompanied on keyboards by BOB JAMES and DAVE GRUSIN with Ray Brown playing the most exquisite Acoustic Bass runs while Quincy organises lovely String Arrangements.
Genius cover goes to his version of The Lovin' Spoonful's "Summer In The City" with EDDY LOUISS and DAVE GRUSIN on Organ and Guitar with CHUCK RAINEY on Bass. Things finally Funk up with his cover of Stevie Wonder's "You’ve Got It Bad Girl" where he unwisely sings Lead Vocals (sounds uncomfortable) while GEORGE DUKE plinks away on the Electric Piano. We then enter the realms of real genius – the gorgeous "Everything Must Change" with a fantastically warm and expressive vocal lead by BERNARD IGHNER. It's a torch ballad with a Donny Hathaway feel and Soulful vocals from Ighner. The LP it came off ("Body Heat") was actually a Number 1 on the American Billboard R&B charts in 1974.
We enter his commercial take-off period - Herbie Hancock’s slick and funky "Tell Me A Bedtime Story" is a commercial crossover – as is "Superwoman…" with a great Lead Vocal from PATTI AUSTIN. Musicians include RICHARD TEE on Piano, TOM SCOTT on Lyricon Solo, HERBIE HANCOCK on Keyboards with STEVE GADD on Drums. And it ends on the Funky Future of "Stuff Like That".
Mellow, Soulful and Funky and ultimately a top listen throughout – a wee bit of a winner frankly...
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