From 1965 to 1977, Nathan Davis left his mark on jazz with some great releases including the brilliant 1976 masterpiece If. The mid-seventies album features a number of great cuts like "Stick Buddy", "African Boogie", "New Orleans", the title track "If" and the monster jazz-funk gem "Tragic Magic". Davis played many woodwind instruments on the record including alto and tenor saxophones, flute, and clarinet, while being backed by George Caldwell on piano, Abraham Laboriel on bass, Willie Amoaku on percussion and Dave Palamar on drums. The album blends together funky soulful grooves with spiritually-inspired tones and melodies, a sound that many notable jazz artists were exploring during the seventies. Even though Davis didn't record many albums as a leader, probably due to his heavy involvement with teaching and education (He has been the Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Pittsburgh for over 4 decades), If is a powerful statement that is considered by many as the defining record of Davis's recording career and one of the best soul jazz releases of the decade. Enjoy!
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