Johnny Hammond
's 1972
soul-jazz
beauty is another stunning example of great creativity at
Creed Taylor
's
Kudu
label through the mid-'70s. Arranged by
Bob James
,
Hammond
's trademark B-3 work is showcased here on six extended cover versions of tunes from the
pop
vernacular. The lineup includes guitarists
George Benson
Eric Gale
, and
Melvin Sparks
, saxophonists
Grover Washington, Jr.
and
Pepper Adams
, bassist
Ron Carter
(playing electric as well as double bass), and drummers
Bernard Purdie
Billy Cobham
! There are grooves galore in this wondrously mixed set, from the smoking guitar breaks in the read of
Aretha Franklin
"Rock Steady"
to the syncopated organ pyrotechnics in
"It's Impossible,"
with
Washington
playing his ass off around
's organ breaks, and the beautiful horn arrangements by
James
in
"Peace Train."
The funky-butt glimmer in
"I Don't Know How to Love Him"
could have been played by the
Stax
/
Volt
horns with a
Funk Brothers
rhythm section.
weaves a string section in harmonic counterpoint to
's organ in the melody, creating a moving tapestry of textures against the backbeat. But nothing can prepare the listener for the closing cover of
Jagger
Richard
"Wild Horses,"
with a military snare beat providing an unlikely intro to an
"All Along the Watchtower"
-like progression that transforms itself seamlessly into a darkly minor reading of the original melody, with beautiful fills by
Benson
Sparks
. When the horns kick in during the refrain with plenty of fuzz guitar and bass over the top, the listener falls headlong into the magic of dirty groove and roll. ~ Thom Jurek