"Darkness, Darkness" by PHIL UPCHURCH (March 2008 Japan-Only Universal/Geffen SHM-CD Remaster in a Jewel Case) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…Inner City Blues…"

Chicago-born session guitarist Phil Upchurch had put out two albums on Cadet Records - "Upchurch" in 1969 and "The Way I Feel" in 1970 - when he then signed to Tommy LiPuma's new label - Blue Thumb. "Darkness, Darkness" was his debut for that record label and is quite rightly considered by many to be a masterpiece of Jazz-Funk and Soul.

Produced by Phil Upchurch and Tommy LiPuma - it was originally issued as a 2LP set on Blue Thumb Records BTS 6005 in July 1972 in the USA and then subsequently on Island/Blue Thumb Records ILPS 9219 in the UK.

There are two variants of the Japanese CD. First up is a 27 June 2001 standard CD jewel case edition on MCA/Universal UICY-3308 (to locate it use Barcode 4988005272263). It is not a SHM-CD but was cut using the 'Rubidium Atomic Clock' Process and sounds beautiful too (I also have that issue). But what makes this 2008 reissue 'sing' is the new 24-bit remaster combined with the Super High Materials format on which it's pressed (a SHM-CD in industry lingo). The sound quality on this disc is superlative - a truly gorgeous Audio Transfer and a very real advert for what this 'best of the best' format can do. Here are the details for that issue...

Released 5 March 2008 in Japan – "Darkness, Darkness" by PHIL UPCHURCH on Universal/Geffen UICY-93418 (Barcode 4988005506979) also comes in a 5" Mini-LP card sleeve that reproduces the original gatefold artwork front and rear - and has an OBI (different to the 2001 issue) and outer cellophane protective wrap with the SHM-CD sticker. It breaks down as follows (67:06 minutes):

1. Darkness, Darkness [Youngbloods cover, Jesse Colin Young writer]

2. Fire & Rain [James Taylor cover]

3. What We Call The Blues [Phil Upchurch song]

4. Cold Sweat [James Brown cover]

5. Please Send Me Someone To Love [Percy Mayfield cover]

6. Inner City Blues [Marvin Gaye cover]

7. You've Got A Friend [James Taylor cover]

8. Love & Peace [Arthur Adams song]

9. Sweet Chariot [Traditional Song cover]

10. Sausalito Blues [Phil Upchurch song]

PHIL UPCHURCH - Lead Guitar

ARTHUR ADAMS - Rhythm Guitar

JOE SAMPLE of THE CRUSADERS - Keyboards on Tracks 1, 2

DONNY HATHAWAY - Keyboards on Tracks 3 and 10

BEN SIDRAN - Organ on Track 8

CHUCK RAINEY - Bass

HARVEY MASON - Drums On All [except DON SIMMONS on Track 4]

As you can see from the track list and musician credits above, it's heavy on cover versions of the time (the title track itself is written by Jesse Colin Young of The Youngbloods) and the sessions featured the cream of musicians in the field. It was also engineered by Bruce Botnick of Elektra Records production fames (The Doors, MC5 and Love).

Musically - if you were to give "Darkness, Darkness" a comparison - it's "Breezin'" by George Benson and "Free As The Wind" by The Crusaders (both from 1976) - only 5 years earlier. Each track is a jazz-guitar-driven instrumental with a very funky and soulful feel. The quality of songs is also uniformly excellent, even if "Fire & Rain" can sound at times a little like The Shadows doing a cheesy cover version. The two Upchurch originals are superb especially the slow BB King feel of "What We Call The Blues". The playing standard is exceptional - and the warmth of the remaster only accentuates that. It's a joy to listen to - it really is. The title track "Darkness, Darkness" was written by Jesse Colin Young of The Youngbloods and picked up before Upchurch had a go by English Rockers Mott The Hoople who did a cover of it on their "Brain Capers" LP on Island Records in 1971. You can so hear why both like it as a song - it swings and grooves. Other faves include a Jazz-mellow cover of the old Percy Mayfield classic "Please Send Me Someone To Love" and a neck-jerking Funk-guitar work out of Marvin Gaye's wonderful What's Going On album finisher "Inner City Blues (Makes Me Wanna Holler)". Ben Sidran slinks about on the Organ for the Arthur Adams cover of "Love & Peace" – another fab groove and something that sounds 2016 and not 1971.

On the SHM-CD format "Darkness, Darkness" is presently a Japan-only release - and is already deleted, so it will therefore cost you to acquire it - but it's so worth it if you can. If you want a less pricey but equally worthy variant - there is also a May 2014 Higher Plane CD Reissue of the album out of the States on Higher Plane HIPE5502.2 (search Barcode 0639857550224 for that release).

Any guitar player who was the principal sideman to such soul luminaries as Jerry Butler and Curtis Mayfield has got to be up there. Superb stuff and big time recommended...

PS: His second LP for Blue Thumb - "Lovin' Feeling" from 1973 - was also reissued in 2008 on the SHM-CD format on Geffen UICY-93419. 

And at a budget level on the 'Chess Best Collection' Standard CD Series out of Japan - 1969's "The Way I Feel" and 1969's "Upchurch" (with Charles Stepney and Donny Hathaway) were both reissued 27 August 2014 on Universal/Cadet UICY-76555 and Universal/Cadet UICY-76556 (Barcodes 4988005840202 and 4988005840219 respectively). Unfortunately neither is reported to have been remastered and present only so-so sound...