Grover Washington Jr - Feels So Good ***

Much joy can be derived from this music even when ignoring the solos and listening exclusively to the rhythm section. Indeed, many have done just that. They’re called hip-hop producers. And it’s easy, especially if one was lucky enough to have grown up at a time when Pharoah Sanders records were played in the same club as Pete Rock & CL Smooth’s, to appreciate why Grover is such a large professor among all dedicated crate digger academics. The grooves, refined from the raw materials of James Brown’s funk, are crying out for sampling, looping and rapping. With that in mind the iron fisted touch of bassist Gary King, a sorely underrated member of the Bob James-led rhythm section that helmed many of Grover’s records from this period, is worthy of recognition alongside the super hot comping of guitarist Eric Gale. Then again, it would be a mistake to dismiss this music purely as fodder for hip-hop’s time machine. The leader’s improvisations, particularly on soprano, have a visceral, almost penny whistle earthiness to them that are eons away from the elevator imitators that he may have spawned.

Kevin Le Gendre