CHARLES EARLAND — Black Talk (review)

CHARLES EARLAND — Black Talk album cover Album · 1970 · Soul Jazz Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
js
“Black Talk” is a good solid set of hard bop/funk/soul jazz from one of the masters of the funky B3, Charles Earland. There isn’t anything particularly surprising on here, but at the same time there are no weaknesses either, the band keeps a no-nonsense groove from beginning to end. Side one consists of three Earland originals; “Black Talk” is old school proto-funk, “The Mighty Burner” is uptempo conga driven swing and “Here Comes Charlie” brings back the jazzy bluesy proto-funk with good lengthy solos from everyone.

On side two their version of “Aquarius” avoids the song’s usual heavy-handed dramatic clichés and instead goes for an abstract uptempo Latin post-bop feel. The album closes with a medium swing version of the old classic “More than Yesterday”. Although this song is less modern than the others, the players have a lot of fun with it. Guitarist Melvin Sparks is particularly inspired on this one with an odd humorous solo that borders on the avant-garde. The presence of a small horn section always brings so much to music like this. This isn’t Earland’s best record, but its much better than a lot of the disco stuff he would do later.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

Cabaret Eclectic Fusion
MARIUS NESET
Buy this album from MMA partners
Living Ghosts Post-Fusion Contemporary
MICHAEL WOLLNY
Buy this album from MMA partners
Live at Donte's, Vol. 1 Vocal Jazz
MIKE CAMPBELL
Buy this album from MMA partners
Sunday Afternoon Fusion
FURIO DI CASTRI
Buy this album from MMA partners
São Paulo Creative 4 : Supernova Avant-Garde Jazz
IVO PERELMAN
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

Sunday afternoon
FURIO DI CASTRI
snobb· 7 hours ago
Harmônicos
FABIANO DO NASCIMENTO
js· 21 hours ago
Con Alma
GENE BERTONCINI
js· 1 day ago
Our Walk (Live)
BEN MARKLEY
js· 1 day ago
Solar (feat. Vicente Archer & Otis Brown III)
JERRY LÉONIDE
js· 1 day ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed