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The first heyday for psychedelic jazz fusion went down in the late 60s to early 70s, but this style has been making a steady comeback since the mid-90s due to cult like interest from both the acid jazz crowd and the NYC Knitting Factory scene. The first wave of psychedelic jazzers were the logical outcome of several prevailing music trends. First you had the post bop and avant-garde saxophonists from Coltrane to Pharoh Sanders who were engaging in longer and longer modal jams that had taken on all manner of exotic influences, secondly the psychedelic rockers like Cream and Hendrix who could mimic the lengthy flights of a jazz band and third, and possibly even more important, the technically challenged rock bands such as Pink Floyd, Velvet Underground and Amon Duul who bypassed their lack of technical virtuosity with free flowing jams in which every member contributed equally. It is those jazz records in which the musicians opted for the more communal approach of the third option that have become most interesting in the modern era. Albums such as Miles’ “Bitches Brew” and “On the Corner”, as well as Les McCann’s “Invitation to Openess”, are all representative of that style where the group effort outweighs individual solos.
Les McCann’s “Invitaion” is a classic in this world of jazzy psychedelia, all the right instruments are here; several Fender Rhodes, wah wah guitars, Moog synthesizer, electric harps, multiple drummers and percussionists, echoplexes for everyone and bell trees galore. Despite the high number of instruments, everyone is careful to find their right spot in the rich tapestry. If you like jams such as “Ife” and “Great Expectations” you will probably enjoy this almost kitsch blend of Indian exotica and funky blaxploitation soundtrack.
“The Lovers” opens side one and sets the mood with Yusef Lateef’s Indian oboe melody riding on top of a sea of grooving percussion and wah wah guitars. Flashy solos are kept on hold for the whole side as the musicians smoothly navigate various moods and energy levels, often interjecting a new riff at just the right time to keep things moving. Side two continues in similar fashion with Lateef taking a flute ride on the first cut and McCann playing some bold analog synth melodies on the last cut.
In a lot of ways McCann was an odd participant in this short lived trend in jazz. Les had previously made his mark as the meat and potatoes RnB jazz guy, avoiding the excesses of bop and the avant-garde in favor of something that regular folks could relate to. His foray into psychedelia was short lived, but he left us with one of the finest records in this short lived genre. Its possible that his background in RnB and his unpretentious keyboard vamps have a lot to do with this album’s well-grounded focus and lack of excess.