Reuben Wilson - Bad Stuff!

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop 
Year: 1972
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:03
Size: 164,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:47)  1. Inner City Blues
(5:31)  2. Creampuff
(6:10)  3. Sugar
(6:26)  4. I'll Take You There
(6:12)  5. The Sweet Life
(4:15)  6. Never Can Say Goodbye
(5:19)  7. The Cisco Kid
(3:57)  8. The Last Tango in Paris
(4:55)  9. Superfly
(4:06) 10. We've Only Just Begun
(7:18) 11. Snaps
(6:47) 12. Groove Grease
(5:15) 13. The Look of Love

This Unidisc label two-fer compiles both of Reuben Wilson's sessions for the Groove Merchant label. The first, 1972's The Sweet Life, follows a series of sugary soul-jazz dates for Blue Note. The title notwithstanding, the session is his darkest and hardest-edged to date, complete with a physicality missing from previous efforts. Credit tenor saxophonist Ramon Morris, trumpeter Bill Hardman, guitarist Lloyd Davis, bassist Mickey Bass, and drummer Thomas Derrick, whose skin-tight grooves sand away the polished contours of Wilson's organ solos to reveal their diamond-sharp corners. The material, while predictable (i.e., standbys like "Inner City Blues" and "Never Can Say Goodbye"), is nevertheless well suited to the set's righteous funk sound. The 1974 follow-up, The Cisco Kid, pairs Wilson with a murderer's-row support unit including guitarist Melvin Sparks, trombonist Garnett Brown, bassist Bob Cranshaw, drummer Mickey Roker, and percussionist Ray Armando. Given the talent involved, it's regrettable that the album adheres to such a pedestrian formula, reimagining the same pop and soul covers as virtually every other jazz-funk session issued at the time. Besides the title cut, a reworking of War's Latin soul monster, the material includes readings of "Superfly," "The Look of Love," and "We've Only Just Begun" the energy and intensity nevertheless ratchet up several notches for the Wilson originals "Snaps" and "Groove Grease," elevating the entire endeavor in the process. ~ Jason Ankeny https://www.allmusic.com/album/bad-stuff-mw0001019718

Personnel:  Organ – Reuben Wilson; Bass [Fender] – Bob Cranshaw;  Congas – Ray Armando;  Drums – Mickey Roker; Guitar – Melvin Sparks; Trombone – Garnett Brown

Bad Stuff!

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Reuben Wilson - Set Us Free

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 31:31
Size: 72.2 MB
Styles: Soul-jazz
Year: 1971/2008
Art: Front

[5:09] 1. Set Us Free
[3:30] 2. We're In Love
[4:33] 3. Sho-Nuff Mellow
[4:35] 4. Mr. Big Stuff
[4:31] 5. Right On With This Mess
[3:40] 6. Mercy, Mercy Me (The Ecology)
[5:32] 7. Tom's Thumb

Bass – Richard Davis; Congas – Ray Armando; Drums – Jimmy Johnson; Guitar, Sitar – David Spinozza; Harp – Gene Bianco; Organ – Reuben Wilson; Percussion – Gordon (Spec) Powell; Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Jerome Richardson; Vocals – Mildred Brown, Naomi Thomas, Rosalyn Brown. Recorded July 23, 1971, The Van Gelder Studios, Englewood Cliffs, NJ

Set Us Free, Reuben Wilson's final album for Blue Note, was issued in 1971. Since that time it has become an immortal and much sought classic by beatheads for a single track: "We're in Love." DJ Premier sampled it liberally -- for its Hammond B-3 vamps, backing vocals, and decorative percussion -- for use on rapper Nas' smash "Memory Lane." Hip-hop fans suddenly had to hear more, and as a result not only is Wilson active again on the circuit, but there has also been terrific interest in his catalog. Not only did Blue Note's Michael Cuscuna reissue this all but forgotten nugget for the label's killer Rare Groove series (before August 2008 it had never been available on CD in America), but Chicago's Dusty Groove re-released 1975's funky Cadet burner Got to Get Your Own during the same month. Set Us Free stands almost completely outside the space inhabited by the rest of Wilson's Blue Note titles. Produced by the late George Butler, it's a wildly textured and seamless aural meld of gritty B-3 jams, smooth yet psychedelic soul, rock, pop, and funk. Wilson and Butler employed a killer band for this date that included reedman Jerome Richardson, bassist Richard Davis, guitarist David Spinozza (who also plays some electric sitar on the date), drummer Jimmy Johnson, conguero Ray Armando, percussionist Specs Powell, and Gene Bianco on harp; the entire proceeding was arranged by the great Wade Marcus.

Vocal arranger Jimmy Briggs was brought in to write charts for a female backing chorus on a funky Latinized blues version of "Mr. Big Stuff," the lush psych-soul babymaker "We're in Love," and Marvin Gaye's "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy (The Ecology)." This isn't to say that there aren't slamming organ jams on the set; Marcus' "Right on with This Mess" makes that abundantly clear. That said, even on these back-to-basics numbers, Wilson's B-3 may be up front and slamming, but Richardson's sweet soprano saxophone (which, to be fair, wails in its solo), the warm guitar lines, and the congas add depth and dimension -- even while Johnson's drums are breaking all over the place. The title track, written by Eddie Harris, is smooth instrumental soul at its best -- Richardson's soprano and the hand drums are up front with Davis' slowly rolling bassline and the hand drums. But it cuts loose in places, with Wilson adding textural flourishes in his solo rather than soaring above the mix. The closest thing to the hard bopping blues Wilson's other recording showcased are sections of the closer, "Tom's Thumb," but even here, with its harp adornment, augmented major sevenths by Spinozza, and the shuffling one-two one-two of Johnson, this comes off as exotic -- especially with the wonderful percussion section laying in the cut as he breaks often and true. Wilson is the only one letting it rip. Yet somehow, this ambitious, lushly orchestrated album not only sounds current, but still ahead of its time. Highly recommended. ~Thom Jurek

Set Us Free mc
Set Us Free zippy

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Reuben Wilson - Organ Donor

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:27
Size: 110.9 MB
Styles: B3 Organ jazz
Year: 1998
Art: Front

[6:53] 1. Hot Rod
[5:25] 2. Orange Peel
[5:40] 3. Now's The Time
[6:07] 4. Groovin'
[8:14] 5. Trouble Man
[6:40] 6. Got To Get Your Own '98
[4:19] 7. Ronnie's Bonnie
[5:05] 8. Organ Donor

Drums – Adrian Harpham; Flute [Tenor], Flute [Alto], Flute [Soprano] – Melvin Butler; Guitar – Robin Macatangay; Keyboards – Bruce Flowers; Organ [Hammond B3] – Reuben Wilsonl; Percussion – Ricardo Rodriquez; Saxophone [Tenor], Flute [Tenor] – Donny Mcaslin; Trombone – Jason Forsythe; Trumpet – Kenny Rampton; Vocals – Saundra Williams, Starr Adkins.

Reuben Wilson (born 1935) is best remembered as one of Blue Note's funkiest organists, making five albums for the label between 1968 and 1971 (only Love Bug and the excellent Blue Mode are currently available on CD). He went on to record three more records for Groove Merchant, then he whipped up some disco for smaller labels and by the end of the seventies, he was gigging with the Fatback Band. Wilson disappeared from the scene until groups like Us3, Nas and A Tribe Called Quest started sampling his funky old Blue Note grooves. Now he's part of that groove hierarchy of elder funksmen who tour with funk-jazz revivalists, jams it up with Guru and the Greyboy All Stars and records groove tribs like Organic Grooves (Hip Bop).

Organ Donor is a terrific slice of heavy-metal funk. Recorded in 1996 and just recently released the U.S., it's a great introduction to Wilson's brand of grind. He's got a spare style that belies his instrument's reputation. But he manages to whip off one cool lick after another – each packing a powerful wallop of a punch. It's as if his playing doesn't have to prove anything. He knows what grooves. All eight tracks here are newly recorded, but only two (by my count) are really 'new'. Both "Now's the Time" and "Organ Donor," co-written by Wilson and producer / bassist Chris Parks, have a wildly funky groove. The rest will seem pretty familiar to funk fans, yet all are worth hearing in their new incarnation: "Ronnie's Bonnie" (originally from 1968's On Broadway and, because of US3, the launchpad for Wilson's revival), "Hot Rod" (from 1969's Love Bug, here done up MMW-style), "Orange Peel" (from 1969's Blue Mode ) and the excellent disco-funk of "Got To Get Your Own" (from an old Cadet album of the same name).

Despite a lot of cooks in the kitchen, few players other than Wilson are featured. But all solo well and a few stand out: Bruce Flower's keyboards on "Hot Rod," Melvin Bulter on "Orange Peel" and either Bulter or Mcaslin on "Got To Get Your Own" and Robin Macatangay's guitar on "Trouble Man" and "Organ Donor." This is a great disc for groove lovers, and there ain't one dud in the bunch. ~Douglas Payne

Organ Donor

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Various - Blue Bacharach: A Cooler Shaker

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:17
Size: 144.9 MB
Styles: Bop, Crossover jazz
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[2:32] 1. Stanley Turrentine - This Guy's In Love With You
[1:57] 2. Nancy Wilson - Wives And Lovers
[8:10] 3. Reuben Wilson - I Say A Little Prayer
[2:30] 4. The 3 Sounds - The Look Of Love
[6:39] 5. Stanley Turrentine - What The World Needs Now
[2:08] 6. Lou Rawls - They Don't Give Medals (To Yesterday's Heroes)
[6:43] 7. Grant Green - I'll Never Fall In Love Again
[3:56] 8. Richard Groove Holmes - Do You Know The Way To San Jose
[5:51] 9. Stanley Turrentine - Walk On By
[5:16] 10. The Jazz Crusaders - Promises, Promises
[2:46] 11. Ernie Watts Quintet - Knowing When To Leave
[2:42] 12. Stanley Turrentine - Always Something There To Remind Me
[8:58] 13. Grant Green - Wives And Lovers
[3:02] 14. Nancy Wilson - Alfie

Blue Bacharach: A Cooler Shaker features Blue Note interpreting Bacharach standards like "Always Something There to Remind Me," "I Say a Little Prayer," and "This Guy's in Love With You." Nancy Wilson's "Alfie," Grant Green's "Wives & Lovers," Stanley Turrentine's "Do You Know the Way to San Jose," and the Ernie Watts Quintet's "Knowing When to Leave" help make this album an interesting and entertaining combination of classic songwriting and sophisticated jazz. ~Heather Phares

Blue Bacharach: A Cooler Shaker

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Reuben Wilson - The Sweet Life

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:20
Size: 76.3 MB
Styles: Jazz-Funk-Soul
Year: 1972/2008
Art: Front

[4:44] 1. Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)
[5:30] 2. Cream Puff
[6:11] 3. Sugar
[6:24] 4. I'll Take You There
[6:12] 5. The Sweet Life
[4:16] 6. Never Can Say Goodbye

After a series of sugary soul-jazz dates for Blue Note, Reuben Wilson resurfaced on Groove Merchant with The Sweet Life. The title notwithstanding, the session is his darkest and hardest-edged to date, complete with a physicality missing from previous efforts. Credit tenor saxophonist Ramon Morris, trumpeter Bill Hardman, guitarist Lloyd Davis, bassist Mickey Bass, and drummer Thomas Derrick, whose skin-tight grooves sand away the polished contours of Wilson's organ solos to reveal their diamond-sharp corners. The material, while predictable (i.e., standbys like "Inner City Blues" and "Never Can Say Goodbye"), is nevertheless well suited to the set's righteous funk sound. ~Jason Ankeny

The Sweet Life

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Reuben Wilson - The Godfathers Of Groove

Styles: Soul Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:08
Size: 142,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:14)  1. The Okiedokie
(6:46)  2. Flipity Flop
(7:21)  3. Sweet Home Chicago
(8:19)  4. My Father's Song
(6:47)  5. Long Live New Orleans
(4:51)  6. Everday I Have The Blues
(7:59)  7. Summer Sun
(6:09)  8. People Get Ready
(8:37)  9. Just My Imagination

The godfathers of groove are an All-Star group comprised of Reuben Wilson on the Hammond B3, Bernard "Pretty" Purdie on drums, and Grant Green Jr. on guitar. In the late 60s, organist Reuben Wilson began ascending to his current status as a "godfather" of acid-jazz with "On Broadway", the first in a string of albums for Blue Note Records. With these recordings Wilson revealed a command of funk that helped redefine the soul jazz movement created by the likes of Jimmy Smith, Jimmy McGriff and Richard "Groove" Holmes. Bernard Purdie was born June 11, 1939 in Elkton, Maryland as the eleventh of fifteen children.  At 14 years of age he purchased his first real drum set and became the most important provider for the family - earning his pay with country and carnival bands.   Purdie moved to New York in 1960 and played with (among others), Lonnie Youngblood before landing his first hit with King Curtis. This led to his engagement with Aretha Franklin in 1970 - the beginning of an unparalleled career.

Since then, Purdie has been a regular guest in the studios of the stars of Jazz, Soul, and Rock, working together with Paul Butterfield, Larry Coryell, Miles Davis, Hall & Oates, Al Kooper, Herbie Mann, Todd Rundgren and Cat Stevens, Steely Dan's "Aja", Isaac Hayes, Donny Hathaway, B.B. King, "Sweet" Lou Donaldson, Joe Cocker and Hank Crawford to name a just a few.  No other drummer in the last three decades has seen the interior of a recording studio as often as Bernard "Pretty" Purdie. Purdie has laid down the beat on over 3000 albums to date. As the son of legendary jazz guitarist Grant Green (1931-1979), Grant Green Jr. was exposed to exceptional musicianship and superb guitar playing right from the start. Growing up in the Palmer Woods section of Detroit, Grant enjoyed a constant parade of jazz greats streaming through his living room and at the tender age of five, with his hands barely big enough to grasp the guitar, Grant Jr. played his first chords.  Grant eventually settled in New York City where he fine-tuned his craft in the many blues and jazz clubs throughout Manhattan. His ability to blend funky grooves with the melodic soul-jazz and blues made him a popular session player and musician's musician.  http://www.jwpjazz.com/masters.html

The Godfathers Of Groove

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Reuben Wilson - Azure Te

Size: 146,1 MB
Time: 62:50
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2009
Styles: Jazz: Hammond Organ
Art: Front

01. Scrapple From The Apple (7:14)
02. Blues For Rw (6:03)
03. Stella By Starlight (8:10)
04. Kitchen Fire Blues (8:42)
05. Summertime (7:31)
06. Once In A While (4:25)
07. Streets Of Laredo (8:07)
08. Still Grooving (6:34)
09. Azure Te (6:00)

It's hard to believe that jazz organist Reuben Wilson actually retired from music for a time beginning during the 1980s, but he went for a long spell without any recording opportunities as a leader, until a revival of interest in his music prompted steady work beginning in the middle of the following decade. Azure Te is an admirable effort because of Wilson's seasoned chops and the diversity of material selected for the session, in addition to the contributions of guitarist Rodney Jones, alto saxophonist Kenny Garrett, and drummer J.T. Lewis. Starting with a breezy interpretation of Charlie Parker's "Scrapple from the Apple," the quartet displays an amazing energy without resorting to overplaying at any point. One surprise is the wonderfully funky setting of the country ballad "Streets of Laredo," while "Summertime" benefits from a peppy setting, with a particularly thoughtful, bluesy solo by Jones. Wilson does justice to the late organist Wild Bill Davis' "Azure Te," a snappy yet understated swinger. Wilson's soul-jazz roots are on display in his invigorating originals "Still Grooving" and "Kitchen Fire Blues." Recommended. ~Review by Ken Dryden

Azure Te

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Reuben Wilson - Organ Blues

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 65:02
Size: 148.9 MB
Styles: Organ jazz, Soul jazz
Year: 2002
Art: Front

[7:45] 1. Blues For Mcduff
[6:45] 2. Please Send Me Someone To Love
[8:27] 3. Old Time Shuffle Blues
[8:05] 4. Back At The Chicken Shack
[8:09] 5. Honey Dripper
[8:58] 6. After Hours
[7:52] 7. Willow Weep For Me
[8:58] 8. Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out

Reuben Wilson is joined by guitarist Grant Green, Jr., tenor saxophonist Melvin Butler, and drummer Bernard Purdie for this no-frills set of soul-jazz and blues classics. (Wilson, Purdie, and Green, Jr. worked together on Masters of Groove Meet Dr. No, also on the Jazzateria label. ) The four begin with a minor-key tribute to Jack McDuff ("Blues for McDuff"). A bit later they nod to another great jazz organist, Jimmy Smith, with a strutting "Back at the Chicken Shack." Other highlights include "Willow Weep for Me," "After Hours," and "Honey Dripper." Music like this is all about feel, and these musicians have plenty of it. But the preponderance of shuffle blues, it must be said, gets a tad monotonous. Even the closing track, "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out," a 16-bar tune with a fair amount of harmonic movement, somehow winds up as a straight 12-bar blues during the solos, making it sound too much like everything else. ~ David R. Adler

Live Recording Recorded at Fluid, New York, New York.

Grant Green, Jr. (guitar); Melvin Butler (tenor saxophone); Bernard "Pretty" Purdie (drums).

Organ Blues

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