GROVER WASHINGTON JR — Feels So Good (review)

GROVER WASHINGTON JR — Feels So Good album cover Album · 1975 · Funk Jazz Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
Sean Trane
After the excellent MM release, Feel So Good is another brilliant JR/F album and might even be a tad superior to its predecessor, because it’s more even, as it doesn’t bear a weak track. You’ll find almost the same list of usual-CTI-suspects, including arranger Bob James,but as opposed to albums like MM, Grover hogs the songwriting, only allowing BJ and RMcD one credit each.

Opening on the Bob James-penned Sea Lion, FSG still has a mid-70’s fusion stamina, one that keeps going on the slow but excellent Moonstreams, where McDonald’s guitar and Grover’s sax dominate the wind-blows throughout the track. The following Knucklehead keeps the funk-fusion aesthetics rather high, with again a sold guitar solo. On the flipside, the title track is a smoking hot piece with killer brass section interventions and for once BJ’s string arrangements are discreet enough. The closing album-lengthiest Hydra is probably the weaker track on FSG because it remains within the strict groove boundaries, thus already somewhat overstaying its welcome halfway through. As said above, FSG is a pleasant JR/F album. I’ve seen the album coupled on a 2on1 with his other best work, Mister Magic, so you might want to cast two strikes from one stone.

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