Walter Bishop: Soul Village

Editor's Choice

Rating: ★★★★

Record and Artist Details

Musicians:

Ed Soph (d)
Steve Khan (g, v)
Randy Brecker (t, flug)
Walter Bishop (p)
Victoria (perc)
Geogr Young (as, ss)
Gerry Niewood (ts, fl)
Mark Egan (b)

Label:

Soul Brother

November/2014

Catalogue Number:

CD SBCS66

RecordDate:

1977

Much loved in fusion circles, this beautiful album has been crying out for a CD rebirth for many a year so its overdue arrival is welcome. To a certain extent it picks up nicely where the likes of Herbie and Chick left off in the early 1970s, but Bishop finds his own space within the vocabulary those two icons carved out, and he wrote a string of quite fabulous original pieces that moved from swish jazz-funk to skipping calypso to soulful ballads, with absolute coherence. Punchy horn lines, sharp rhythm guitar playing and slinky Rhodes from the leader are all major plus points, but the absolute star of the show is bass guitarist Mark Egan. His Pastorius-influenced phrasing is bolstered by a gorgeously round, bulbous tone that gives a bouncy low end to the ensemble. Striking a balance between the listenable and the danceable, this gem of an album should not be overlooked second time round.

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