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70ts Soul, R 'n' B, Funk, Jazz Fusion
Exceptional CD Reissues and Remasters
Not quite as magisterial as Marvin Gaye's "Trouble Man" from late 1972 for sure but Willie Hutch's stab at the Blaxploitation original soundtrack "The Mack" in the spring of 1973 is nonetheless an unfairly forgotten nugget in Motown's Seventies arsenal. Time to rectify that oversight…
US released 19 March 1996 – "The Mack – Original Soundtrack From The Motion Picture" by WILLIE HUTCH on Motown (Master Series) 31453-0389-2 (Barcode 73145303892) breaks down as follows (37:14 minutes):
1. Vampin' [Side 1]
2. Theme Of The Mack
3. I Choose You
4. Mack's Stroll / The Getaway (Chase Scene)
5. Slick [Side 2]
6. Mack Man (Got To Get Over)
7. Mother's Theme (Mama)
8. Now That It's All Over
9. Brother's Gonna Work It Out
Tracks 1 to 9 are the album "The Mack – Original Soundtrack From The Motion Picture" by WILLE HUTCH - released April 1973 in the USA on Motown M 766L and August 1973 in the UK on Tamla Motown STMA 8009
Two 45s were issued off the album:
1. Brother's Gonna Work It Out b/w I Choose You
14 Feb 1973 US 7" single on Motown M 1222F
10 August 1973 UK 7" single in the UK on Tamla Motown TMG 862
2. Slick b/w Mother's Theme (Mama)
21 Jun 1973 US 7" single in the USA on Motown M 1252F
(No UK release)
JOE GASTWIRT has remastered the album from original tapes at Ocean View Digital – and it's a typically fabulous job. There's a huge presence in these transfers – warm and full of genuine Soulfulness.
The gatefold inlay gives the recording basics (no liner notes) – listing super session musicians like Wilton Felder of The Crusaders on Bass, Dean Parks, David T. Walker and Louie Shaldon on Guitars, Bobbye Hall on Congas, Clarence McDonald on Keyboards, Edward Green on Drums – while Willie Hutch handled the Lead Guitar and Vocals. There was also a fairly large horn section with Julia Tillman and Lorna Willard as backing singers.
The track everyone loves is "Brother's Gonna Work It Out" with its sampled movie dialogue and great smooching groove – always gets the lion's share of attention when it comes to this overlooked soundtrack LP. But there's tremendous Soul/Funk in the double-barrelled "Mack's Stroll /The Getaway (Chase Scene)" – all loverman strings and guitar at first then that rapid high-hat and wah-wah finish – great stuff.
"Slick" was also a very cool single – easily as good as say Mayfield's "Superfly" - while the hard-edged Guitar Boogie of "Mack Man (Got To Get Over)" could be Betty Davis sung by a man. "Mother's Theme (Mama)" is very Marvin Gaye even if it is a bit sappy lyric-wise and "Now That It's All Over" is just plain pretty. I also love his vocal work in tandem with the girls on "I Choose You" which could have been a Philly hit.
A wee bit of a gem I've always thought – and even though that gatefold inlay hardly inspires excitement in the trouser area – this CD of "The Mack…" by Willie Hutch has the mutts and nuts where it matters – fabulous remastered sound quality. 'Master Series' is right...
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