This post is by Scott and Dan
Recorded on June 15 - 16, 1987
"Soul Jazz" does not get more soulful than this pairing of two giants of the genre. As one of a series of albums by Hank Crawford and Jimmy McGriff, Steppin' Up checks all the boxes. It's funky, drenched with blues, soulful, and jazzy to the max. These attributes seem to flow naturally from the band, whether it's McGriff's sustained chording behind soloists, Jimmy Ponder's lowdown guitar, or Crawford's soulful wailing. There is no pretense on display here, no catering to the marketplace, and no affectations. It's all real as it should be.
The first three tracks on Steppin' Up cover a lot of ground. Percy Mayfield's "The River's Invitation" is as funky as it gets. "The Real Deal," penned by Crawford is a slow, dramatic blues with an incredible climax. "Tippin' In" is an old timey jazz tune given new life by Crawford. And that's just one side of the LP. Side two brings us more, including the tender ballad "Be Anything (But Be Mine)" and the sanctified "Lift Every Voice and Sing."
There was a time when this type of music, and these players, were disparaged for "selling out" and turning their backs on so-called "modern" jazz. In retrospect, music this emotional and engaging should have been embraced. Sure, it's funky and you can dance to some of it, but there's also incredible artistry on display in every track. Individually, Crawford could match most alto sax players in technique and expression over the whole decade of the 80s. McGriff is also one of a few true masters of the Hammond B3, a wondrous instrument that plays such an important role in jazz since the 1950s. Ponder is also a revelation, especially on the jazzier tracks like the title tune.
To the skeptics, we say - Listen! If you can't dig music like this, it's not the music's fault.
The digital release contains one extra track not on the LP - the funky shuffle "Something for Bubba." It's worth having it for Ponder's solo.
No comments:
Post a Comment