Comin' Through - Plak

ENGLISH

This is an outstanding example of Funk-Jazz from the Funk Surgeon Eddie Henderson, which is a classic. This storming set features Eddie, as always on trumpet; Mtume, keyboards; Lee Ritenour, guitar; Paul Jackson, bass; Patrice Rushen, clavinet, string machine etc; EW&F's Philip Bailey on percussion and Al McKay on guitar; plus a whole host of guest musicians. And if between them all they couldn't create a classic Funk-Jazz set then we'd all better give up!

The funk starts straight away with the exciting 'Say You Will', orthodox but compelling, a hunk of funk featuring subtle string machine riff from Ms. Rushen with sterling trumpet solo work from the Surgeon himself. With a slower rhythm, there's a deliberate funk in 'Open Eyes', though it is far more controlled and also features a chant vocal from Diane Reeves. A more mellow 'Morning Song' follows - penned by featured keyboard maestro, George Cables, - Eddie is right to the fore throughout. Eddie closes side one out via the mid tempo but quite gritty 'Movin' On' it takes a little time to settle in, building into something of a climax – and again Eddie's solo work is superlative.

As with side one, side two opens with a Mtume creation – this time, you'll find 'Source' a controlled yet irresistibly funky track built around some eerie but effective sound effects as Eddie solos the simple melody. But it's funky! 'The Funk Surgeon' lives up to it's name, a very compelling piece of music that is second only to 'Say You Will' in terms of uninhibited excitement on the album. 'Beyond Forever', another George Cables creation, is the nearest this album comes to the old-style, orthodox jazz of yesteryear. As would be expected, 'Connie' is a wistful, gentle little ditty that ends the album on a sentimental note and with Eddie showing his natural ability to play something mellow. This album then is one of the more enterprising of it's time and not only a credit to Eddie himself but to it's producer Skip Drinkwater, whose track record includes Norman Connors amongst others.

Recording: 1977 by Jim Gaines and Allen Sudduth at Wally Heider Studios, San Francisco, USA, and John Arrias and Don Murray at Chateau Recorders, Hollywood, USA

Production: Skip Drinkwater