During the seventies, pianist Michael Longo released a number of solid under-the-radar soul jazz recordings for labels like Mainstream Records and Groove Merchant. Out of the handful of recordings he released during this period, my favorite is the 1974 album Funkia. As the title of this session suggests, this record has a funky electric jazz feel throughout the recording, backed by an impressive group of musicians that include Ron Carter (bass), Mickey Roker (drums) and Potato Valdez (percussion). Standout tracks include the opener "Ole' For The Gypsies", "Samia", a rendition of Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" and the Latin-influence cut "Gingele". Overall, this recording represents the pianist in a bit more stripped down setting than what can be found on his Mainstream releases, however is a beneficial aspect, allowing Longo's playing to take center stage. Enjoy!
1 comment:
Beautiful piece
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