Mr. Shing-a-Ling cover

Mr. Shing-a-Ling

Released

Classic late ‘60s Blue Note soul jazz from one of the best to ever do it, alto saxophonist Lou Donaldson, amply supported by funky jazz superstars Hammond player Lonnie Smith and drummer Idris Muhammad. In an album full of top-quality small-combo playing and virtuoso improvisation, laidback but rock-solid 12-bar funky organ-jazz killer Peepin’ is the stand-out track here, an exemplar of what would be christened acid jazz two decades later. Smith’s organ riff at the centre of the tune, halfway between Miles’s So What and James Brown’s Cold Sweat, serves as a low-slung rhythmic base for the band to execute their funk-filled, swinging solo spots, and Donaldson’s Ode To Billy Joe cover takes the same splendidly languid approach. The Humpback and The Kid both groove along at a much faster tempo, and the band even bring a hint of their funk to their take on the smooth The Shadow of Your Smile. A groove-heavy, head-nodding, high-level soul jazz album that remains a joy to listen to.

Harold Heath

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