Johnny Hammond's 1972
soul-jazz beauty is another stunning example of great creativity at
Creed Taylor's
Kudu label through the mid-'70s. Arranged by
Bob James,
Hammond's trademark B-3 work is showcased here on six extended cover versions of tunes from the
pop vernacular. The lineup includes guitarists
George Benson,
Eric Gale, and
Melvin Sparks, saxophonists
Grover Washington, Jr. and
Pepper Adams, bassist
Ron Carter (playing electric as well as double bass), and drummers
Bernard Purdie and
Billy Cobham! There are grooves galore in this wondrously mixed set, from the smoking guitar breaks in the read of
Aretha Franklin's
"Rock Steady" to the syncopated organ pyrotechnics in
"It's Impossible," with
Washington playing his ass off around
Hammond's organ breaks, and the beautiful horn arrangements by
James in
"Peace Train." The funky-butt glimmer in
"I Don't Know How to Love Him" could have been played by the
Stax/
Volt horns with a
Funk Brothers rhythm section.
James weaves a string section in harmonic counterpoint to
Hammond's organ in the melody, creating a moving tapestry of textures against the backbeat. But nothing can prepare the listener for the closing cover of
Jagger and
Richard's
"Wild Horses," with a military snare beat providing an unlikely intro to an
"All Along the Watchtower"-like progression that transforms itself seamlessly into a darkly minor reading of the original melody, with beautiful fills by
Benson and
Sparks. When the horns kick in during the refrain with plenty of fuzz guitar and bass over the top, the listener falls headlong into the magic of dirty groove and roll. ~ Thom Jurek
