Brother Jack McDuff - Down Home Style (1969)

Note: the CD I listened to was the 1997 Rare Groove Series Edition.

I was introduced to this album by the inclusion of track 6, Butter (For Yo Popcorn), on the 1991 Blue Note compilation, So Blue So Funky: Heroes Of The Hammond. That whole disc is so good, I once wrote "if you can sit still while listening to these grooves, I don't think we should see each other anymore" and I meant it. Like any good compilation CD of that sort, it sent me scrambling to find a copy of Down Home Style and here we are.

Meeting at the corner of jazz and R&B, the music on this album is earthy and raw but tuneful, leaning heavily into blues and soul. This departure from '60s hard bop obviously upset some of the jazz purists (see DownBeat review below), but I dig the heck out of it. And the soul food of the cover photo perfectly illustrates the moods and grooves of the album. In other words, you can judge this book by its cover. Go fix yourself a helping.

McDuff - organ
Jay Arnold - tenor saxophone
Charlie Freeman - guitar
Sammy Greason - drums
The electric bass player is uncredited; some sources list James Alexander.
Other horns uncredited.
Recorded June 10, 1969 in Memphis, most likely at Lyn Lou Studios.

Original liner notes by Alan Grant, then host of 'Portraits of Jazz' on WMJR, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

Reviews/ratings:

• Billboard: "rhythm-happy jazz improvisations with that down home flavor of home cookin'."
• CashBox: "a solid, funky set...heavily influenced by the currently popular Memphis-style sound."
• Record World: "Brother Jack does a great deal of grooving on this new album."
• Downbeat (★): "I didn't enjoy the McDuff collection at all."
• The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz (1999): ★★★

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard Top 200: #192
• Billboard R&B: #20

Tracks: We're treated to 6 originals by McDuff and two covers: Hoagy Carmichael's Memphis In June plus Groovin', originally by The Young Rascals. Track 4, Theme From Electric Surfboard, was released as a single and peaked at #48 R&B, #95 pop. All worth your while, but my favorites this go-round are the title track, It's All A Joke, Butter (For Yo Popcorn), and Groovin'.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None