JOHN LEE AND GERRY BROWN — Chaser (review)

JOHN LEE AND GERRY BROWN — Chaser album cover

Album · 1979 · Fusion

3.5/5 · 2025-02-09
FunkFreak75

Working with a pared down lineup of musicians than their previous album, the accompanying quintet are able to fill the sonic field as fully as the expanded lineups of previous albums due to multi-tracking, overdubbing, more expansive sounds available through newer instrument technologies.

Line-up / Musicians: - John Lee / bass - Gerry Brown / drums - Eef Albers / guitars - Darryl Thompson / guitar - Kenneth Knudsen / keyboards - Bob Malach / saxophone - Palle Mikkelborg / trumpet

A1. "Chaser" (5:59) Discofied romp of sax-led smooth jazz. Are we moving toward Yacht Rock? Sure sounds like it. The musicianship is impeccable--as is the quality of the recording and mixing. As cheesy/schlocky as this "Don't Leave Me This Way" song is, I cannot find much fault with it. (9/10)

A2. "Will It Last?" (4:43) the DAVID SANBORN sound is here! (Don't touch this, Najee and Kenny G!) Again, I find it hard to criticize the musicianship or John & Gerry's inclination to "fall in line" with the styles dominating the day--especially when they're still producing sophisticated, tightly-performed song constructs like this. (8.875/10)

A3. "Fate Ripper" (4:33) a play on some of the Sabbath/Heep inspired rock and heavy metal creeping more and more into the charts and sales at this time (like 707, Loverboy, Ted Nugent)? And with a disco beat! Funny thing is: it works! (8.875/10)

A4. "Daily Planets" (3:52) something with a space-proggy intro! Then turned funky like a ELOY song. Oops! Here comes Bob Malach's heavily-reverbed David Sanborn sax sound. Unfortunately John keeps getting pretty stuck on a single climbing bass progression. I do like the Brothers Johnson keyboard/guitar riff at the high end. It's not bad--still filled with great musicianship--just not a great song. (8.75/10)

B1. "Celebration" (4:43) like you, I was expecting a rendering of the Kool & The Gang song of the same name but that'll have to wait another year. This one is full of horns (the genius of multitracking -especially with the advent of 48- and 96-track engineering consoles.) Nice guitar solo from Eef Albers. (8.875/10)

B2. "What It If" (4:37) another techno-rockin' funk motif over which sax and guitar (Eef Albers) trade solos (and yet another song based on a insidious and repeating rising chord progression). The rhythm track musicians are so tight and creative! This factor alone makes any "dud" song very difficult to demerit. (8.75/10)

B3. "New Waves" (4:16) more rock-chord-oriented music (this one even harboring a preponderance of elements of Souther Rock). Just not enough compositional development. The guitarist soloing this time round might be Darryl Thompson instead of Eef Albers. (8.75/10)

B4. "Prospect Park" (4:54) again trying out the styles and sound palettes of American Southern Rock, this guitar led, "power chord" energized song has another insidious push to it with a powerful electric guitar solo throughout, but especially in the third and fourth minutes and again, even more fiery, in the final. Too bad it's so one-dimensional. (8.75/10)

Though still exhibiting top notch musicianship and sound engineering, the brothers have moved from their Jazz-Funk and Funk-R&B infatuation toward the more radio- and adult-friendly Smooth Jazz. Also, much of the sound here previews the palettes that will dominate the 1980s with Techno/Glam bands like HUMAN LEAGUE, DURAN DURAN, DAVID SANBORN, as well as four or five songs that show John and Gerry experimenting with power-rock and Southern Rock.

Total time: 37:33

B/four stars; an excellent adventure into a heavier, more mainstream-oriented rock fusion.