10  THE CRUSADERS — 1

Unlike Miles, The Jazz Crusaders and others in the jazz community, I was not listening to Sly and the Family Stone in the early 1970s. Fact is, I wasn’t really listening to anything other than Top 40 AM radio station 3XY on my transistor. So when, much later, I stumbled across the first Crusaders album in a sale—a double LP packed with music, perhaps to compensate for the shortening of their name—it was a total punt to hand over the bucks.

The risk paid off, as I was caught and held by the funky groove of the opening “That’s how I feel”. After that strong opening things mellowed out with an extended instrumental version of Carole King’s “So far away”, but that was fine with me; my ears were not so adventurous back then. These days I play the Crusaders for comfort but that is not to diminish the playing. Keyboard player Joe Sample is dextrous, Wilton Felder on tenor is solid, while the rhythm section of “Stix” Hooper, Chuck Rainey (bass) sets up and delivers consistent rolling grooves. Larry Carlton on guitar is very tasty too. In sum: a really enjoyable album of mostly original tunes by Sample and Wayne Henderson (trombone) that is guaranteed to cheer you up.

*

9  GRANT GREEN — LIVE AT THE LIGHTHOUSE

A storming live set from the jazz guitarist, recorded at the famous Los Angeles venue. Pulsing Hammond organ from Shelton Laster dukes it out with Green’s percussive groove, while Claude Bartee kicks in some great solos on soprano and tenor sax. This is infectious soul jazz.

*

8  JIMMY SMITH — ROOT DOWN: JIMMY SMITH LIVE!

Another live recording from the US West Coast. Jimmy Smith was the major voice in popularising jazz organ and turns in a lively performance here, accompanied by Arthur Adams on guitar and—like Grant Green above—Crusaders bass player Wilton Felder. An exciting slice of live soul jazz, this music grooves hard. Apparently the Beastie Boys sampled the title track.

This album is also an example of where having the CD adds to the enjoyment. On the original vinyl release three of the tracks are edited, depriving listeners of both the endings and over twelve minutes of performance. The CD also includes a twelve minute alternative version of “Root Down (and Get It)”.

*

7  WEATHER REPORT — I SING THE BODY ELECTRIC

After their stunning debut, Weather Report was destabilised by personnel changes, changing both drummer and percussionist. For the follow-up release they invited guests (such as guitarist Ralph Towner) for this half live, half studio LP. The studio side is deep and  mysterious. If you know the cover art of the first LP, the music here evokes it perfectly. The live side is an edgier beast, more a buzzing body electric. Exploratory soloing, some great interplay between Zawinul and Shorter, and some scuzzy electric piano. Maybe not quite as cohesive as the debut, but excellent.

*

6   LARRY CORYELL — OFFERING

After a most productive 1971 (one live and two studio albums) jazz-rock pioneer Larry Coryell released Offering a couple of years before he formed legendary fusion outfit Eleventh House. As Coryell’s catalogue is large and a mite inconsistent (he occasionally insisted on singing rather than sticking with his outstanding guitar playing) it is worth doing a little research on his LPs. 

There are thirteen of his 1970s albums in the VC collection, and although I don’t know them all equally well, I am confident in recommending this one as worth picking up if you like guitar driven jazz-rock. As well as the leader’s tough but melodic electric guitar, there is some fantastic keyboard work from Mike Mandel (also in Eleventh House) and vivid soprano sax from Steve Marcus. Throughout the album you can hear Coryell’s influences (Hendrix, McLaughlin) but also his own voice. When Coryell died in 2017 the world lost a great and under-appreciated artist.

*

5  McCOY TYNER — SAHARA

Having played with John Coltrane for a significant slab of the 1960s, pianist McCoy Tyner absorbed and was infused by the master saxophonist’s spiritual jazz excursions. The passionate quartet on Sahara features Sonny Fortune on saxes (and flute), Calvin Hill on bass and drummer Alphonze Mouzon playing Tyner compositions as fiery and passionate as anything Coltrane produced. It is bracing stuff that is uplifting and at times terrifying. Like several other albums in this list, there is a side-long composition (the twenty-three minute title track) and four shorter pieces. (Noting this penchant for extended side-long epics, one can’t help wondering whether jazz musicians were inspired by the compositions of a burgeoning progressive rock scene.) 

Sahara is a monster album that proves jazz didn’t peter out at the end of the Sixties.

*

4   HERBIE HANCOCK — SEXTANT

Exploring the territory opened up by Miles Davis, Sextant is a potent example of boiling down the melodies and structure to an underlying skeleton that is fleshed out via improvisation. Very much an electronic jazz album, the music offers a kind of African impressionism as Hancock’s keyboards are joined by the trumpet and flugelhorn of Eddie Henderson, multi-woodwind player Bernie Maurine and Billy Hart on drums. Synth seasonings are provided by Patrick Gleason. A spare yet accessible jazz-rock album with space whispers and funk comets.

ADDENDUM: Although recorded in 1972, Sextant was actually released in 1973.

*

3   HERBIE HANCOCK — CROSSINGS

Crossings preceded Sextant in the same fertile year. It follows a similar template (established on 1971’s Mwandishi) of one side-long piece and two shorter compositions. But the mood here is more thoughtful, the sound more layered and structured. The rhythms still swirl and spin (Billy Hart occupies the drum stool) as solos ascend (Bernie Maupin and Eddie Henderson again shine). Hancock uses the tones of his electric piano with skill and invention and there are enough funky diversions to make this adventurous work a really great listen. I can’t honestly separate these two fabulous Herbie Hancock albums; sometimes I prefer the out there prismatic sprays of Sextant, other times the more pensive Crossings.

*

2  KEITH JARRETT — FACING YOU

This solo piano recording for the ECM label is seen as a landmark album, not just for jazz but for piano music generally. An early ECM release, it feature vibrant, nuanced playing from Jarrett as he expands the boundaries of what jazz piano—or indeed jazz itself—can be. You can hear how this record is a prelude to the live explorations Jarrett so successfully captured on 1975’s famous Köln Concert as the eight original compositions here unfold in a variety of moods. Playful, reflective, propulsive, rhythmic, Jarrett became a legend of jazz for many reasons, and you can hear most of them here.

*

1  CHICK COREA — RETURN TO FOREVER

The album that gave its name to Chick Corea’s jazz-rock group was recorded in February 1972 and released on the ECM label in September. Return To Forever saw the pianist embracing electric jazz and exploring new territory, yet is very much a jazz album with extra colouring. In particular, the side-long “La Fiesta” explores Corea’s latin heritage, subtly and invitingly. Corea wrote (or co-wrote) all the compositions, and all are strong. This LP is a Vinyl Connection favourite (as featured here) and sits near the top of my list of all-time favourite jazz recordings.