Mister Magic cover

Mister Magic

Released

Excellent 1974 jazz funk set from GWJ, who at this point was probably at peak funkiness in a career where his music would become progressively softer and smoother as time went on. “Earth Tone” is a huge sprawling expansive odyssey of a track, part supercharged funk instrumental, part contemplative and brooding soul jazz  that goes through a few different changes over its twelve minutes, including moments of discordance and near musical chaos that wouldn’t really feature in his work going forward. “Passion Flower” is a gentle, drifty, sentimental palette cleanser before side two unleashes its two funk monsters, the epic “Mr Magic,” nine minutes of premier jazz funk vamping and Washington improvisation and the equally big “Black Frost,” which essentially follows a similar path at a slower tempo and with a moodier feel.

Harold Heath

Suggestions
Source cover

Source

Nubya Garcia
Zawinul cover

Zawinul

Joe Zawinul
Captain Fingers cover

Captain Fingers

Lee Ritenour
Sambatek cover

Sambatek

Kirk DeGiorgio
Acid Jazz Vol. 2 cover

Acid Jazz Vol. 2

Various Artists
Black Drops cover

Black Drops

Charles Earland
Return to Forever cover

Return to Forever

Return to Forever, Chick Corea
Electric Funk cover

Electric Funk

Jimmy McGriff
School Days cover

School Days

Stanley Clarke
The Shakedown cover

The Shakedown

Tenderlonious, The 22archestra
We Out Here cover

We Out Here

Various Artists