The
Soul Brotherhood
The
name "Charles Kynard" may not be instantly familiar (except, of
course, to those cognoscenti of Sixties-Seventies organ grooves at their
best), but the two long-deleted albums joined herein can stand with
anything in the soul-jazz field. The Soul Brotherhood and Reelin'
with the Feelin,' recorded five months apart in 1969, place gifted
organist Kynard (1933-1979) in some of the fastest company of his
too-short career. The collective personnel, including trumpeter Blue
Mitchell, tenor saxists David "Fathead" Newman and Wilton
Felder, and guitarists Grant Green (like Kynard, a St. Louis native) and
Joe Pass, is in top form for two programs of fully realized, mostly blues
'n' groove-oriented compositions, rather than just "head"
arrangements. An interesting sidelight: longtime L.A. studio ace Carol
Kaye (heard herein on electric bass), contributed a tune that may well be
the first by an American writer to use the word "reggae" in its
title.
The Soul Brotherhood, Big City, Jealjon, Piece O' Pisces, Blue Farouq,
Reelin' with the Feelin', Soul Reggae, Slow Burn, Boogalooin', Be My Love,
Stomp
with Wilton Felder, Grant Green, Paul Humphrey, Carol Kaye, Jimmy Lewis,
Blue Mitchell, David "Fathead" Newman, Joe Pass, Mickey Roker
* * *
Your Mama Don’t
Dance (Mainstream 73)
Reviewed by: Motown67
I
was able to find a nice sealed copy of this great album at a local shop
recently. Paul Humphrey and Chuck Rainey accompanied Kynard, amongst
others. Things get off on the right foot with a drum break by Humphrey
that opens a cover of Superstition. The song is played a little slower
than the original, but that’s for the good as it creates a nice groove
for Kynard, Arthur Adams on guitar and either George Bohanon or David
Roberts on trombone to solo over. The World Is A Ghetto is another
excellent funky Jazz track that has the trombone introduce a dark and
moody solo by Kynard. That’s followed by Momma Jive, which was used by
Black Sheep for Gimme The Finga. Then they bust out with a cover of Joe
Quarterman’s I Got So Much Trouble. My God, that first side alone is
enough to keep you happy for months. That’s not all however. On the
second side Kynard and company get down with Zambezi that’s just a jam,
then slows it down a bit with Summer Breeze and finally You’ve Got It
Bad Girl.
Charles
Kynard (Mainstream 71)
Reviewed by: Motown67
One
of the best artists Mainstream ever signed, and one of the best albums
they ever put out. The opening track is entitled El Toro Poo Poo. With a
title like that how could you go wrong? Kynard lets loose with a series of
funky rhythms like the first song, and some slow jams like She, which was
sampled by Blackalicious, to provide a record that ends as well as it
starts. Other noteworthy tunes to listen to are Greeze, Greens and a
rousing cover of It’s Too Late that also sports a drum and conga break.
Supporting Kynard on organ are Carol Kaye, of Axelrod fame, King Errison,
Ernie Watts, Billy Fender and James Gadson.
Woga
(Mainstream 72)
Reviewed by: Motown67
Woga
highlights the funkiness of Charles Kynard’s style of Jazz playing. From
Little Ghetto Boy to Hot Sauce to Slop Jar to Rock Steady, that has a drum
break, to Name The Missing Word to the closing Shout, Kynard’s band,
which consisted of the likes of Chuck Rainey and Paul Humphrey, laid down
a series of funky rhythms over which Kynard and the horns could solo over.
Legends of Acid Jazz
Charles
Kynard was the first musician signed to Prestige Records by producer Bob
Porter. While the Kansas City born, Los Angeles based organist never
achieved the fame of some of his label-mates, he did cut several classics
of the soul-jazz genre during his brief time with the company. This
compilation brings together Kynard's two funkiest albums, both recorded in
1970. Afro-Disiac, which The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD
says "is surely Kynard's best album," features the legendary,
highly influential Grant Green on guitar. Boogaloo drum daddy Bernard
"Pretty" Purdie keeps the grooves tight throughout Afro-Disiac
and sits in for Idris Muhammad on one track of Wa-Tu-Wa-Zui.
Afro-Disiac, Bella Donna, Trippin', Odds On, Sweetheart, Chanson du
Nuit, Wa-Tu-Wa-Zui (Beautiful People), Winter's Child, Zebra Walk,
Something, Change Up
with Houston Person, Grant Green, Jimmy Lewis, Bernard Purdie, Rusty
Bryant, Virgil Jones, Melvin Sparks, Idris Muhammad
"...I spent some inspiring evenings hanging out with Charles Kynard, the great organ player, who actually had left KC some years before but used to come back occasionally. He was one of the best organ players I ever got to play with." Pat Matheny 1995
* * *
Charles Kynard (1935-79)
was a gifted jazz and gospel organist. By day, he maintained a full-time
career working with kids with special needs and taught piano between gigs
and his job. He only recorded infrequently, doing sessions and two albums
under his own name for Pacific Jazz in the early 1960s and several
sessions and three records under his own name for Mainstream Records
during 1971-74. But it is, perhaps, the four records he did for Prestige
between 1968 and 1970 that the organist is best known for. Legends
of Acid Jazz
combines the last two of these, Afro-Disiac
and Wa-Tu-Wa-Zui.
On both, Kynard
showcases his remarkable ability to exploit the heck out of an interesting
groove. The best of his originals usually stick to variations of the blues
or out-and-out boogaloos. But it’s the machine-gun attack of his left
hand and the churning grind he maintains with his feet – despite the
ever-presence of a bassist – that separates Kynard’s playing from the
crowd. The counterpoint he offers with his right hand is what usually puts
the fun in his funk.
Afro-Disiac
pits the organist in a quintet with tenor staple Houston Person and
elevated by the presence of guitarist Grant Green. This was a reunion of
sorts for Kynard and Green, the two having appeared together on 1968’s The
Soul Brotherhood.
The originals, mostly by Kynard’s school chum Richard Fritz, and
Kynard’s eloquent cushioning offer an ideal environment for the
guitarist – much more favorable than Green’s own recordings from the
period.
Kynard is more of a
featured presence on the Wa-Tu-Wa-Zui,
adding his electric piano stylings to "Winter’s Child" and the
dance floor classic, "Zebra
Walk." Here,
Kynard revels in a sextet that features the much-lamented honker Rusty
Bryant, trumpeter Virgil Jones and guitarist Melvin Sparks. The tunes
aren’t as memorable as the first session and the playing doesn’t have
the edge or energy that Kynard could generate elsewhere (for evidence,
check out the monster Reelin’ with the Feelin’, which is paired
with Wa-Tu-Wa-Zui
on the British BGP CD). But this "legend of acid jazz" is worth
hearing and exploring and for fans of guitarist Grant Green, the first six
songs are required listening.
Songs:
Afro-Disiac; Bella Donna; Trippin’; Odds On; Sweetheart; Chanson du Nuit;
Wa-Tu-Wa-Zui (Beautiful People); Winter’s Child; Zebra Walk; Something;
Change Up.
Players: Charles
Kynard: organ, electric piano; Houston Person, Rusty Bryant: tenor sax;
Virgil Jones: trumpet; Grant Green, Melvin Sparks: guitar; Jimmy Lewis:
Fender bass; Idris Muhammad, Bernard Purdie: drums.