EDDIE HARRIS — I Need Some Money (review)

EDDIE HARRIS — I Need Some Money album cover Album · 1975 · Funk Jazz Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
js
“I Need Some Money” was Eddie Harris’ follow up to his successful “Is it In” and finds him following a similar formula. Both albums feature an odd type of quasi-futuristic electro lounge funk created with cheap retro drum machines, cheezzy home organ and electric piano sounds and Eddie Harris’ ultra funky licks on the saxophone and various early electronic gizmos. Both records are great, but as is typical when you try the same formula twice, Eddie’s light does not burn quite as bright on “I Need Some Money”.

Four songs on this album follow the same great blueprint; the cheap drum machine opens things up and then Calvin Barnes adds the real trap set followed by Ronald Muldrow’s cheezzy guitorgan, then the bass, percussion and Eddie Harris’ always very catchy rhythmic melodies. On “Get on Down” Harris adds to the already exotic mix with bizarre vocal improvs that channel Satchmo’s rapid fire nonsense syllables and Leon Thomas’ African yodel. Needless to say, the weird music collectors will find much to like here.

Eddie always likes to include a little avant-garde with almost every album and on this album the track, “Carnival”, opens with a humanly impossible polyrhythm on the struggling drum machine to which the musicians add real percussion topped with Harris’ strange atonal early proto woodwind synthesizer. This eventually builds into an African carnival before the musicians start laughing, its hard to tell when they are just being tongue-in-cheek on here. Eddie was also known for being a funny guy on stage as well. The one weak cut is a very long blues song/suite that goes through many sections before finally ending. Overall this album is highly recommended for those who are looking for the odd-ball early electro rare groove, most of the cuts on here feature some of the best and oddest funk beats you can find.
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