HERBIE MANN — Memphis Underground (review)

HERBIE MANN — Memphis Underground album cover Album · 1969 · Soul Jazz Buy this album from MMA partners
4.5/5 ·
Sean Trane
First Mann dab into the rock-pop world for the jazz flauter, and he was a bit of a precursor in that direction, since this pre-dates Miles’ Bitches Brew, even if you can’t really call Memphis Underground a jazz album: at max a jazzy pop rock thing. As its title implies, it’s definitely hinting at soul and RnB music.

Indeed, the 7-mis title track opens on a gentle but groovy RnB, where an organ, a great vibraphone and a good wha-wha guitar give a run at Herbie’s flute. Actually Mann is happy to almost take a second fiddle role in the song, but throughout the whole album as well. The short New Orleans stays in the line of the album’s RnB, much like the 8-mins+ Hold On.

On the flipside, the almost-11mins Chain-Up Fools is more of the same, but even better, presenting an irresistible groove and some wild enthralling soloing from the guitar, the vibes and that mad flauting stick of Herbie. Absolutely wonderful stuff that doesn’t seem to last long enough despite an impressive length and unfortunately ends in a fade-out. The closing Battle Hymn opens of Herbie’s calm flute underlined by a slow church-type organ chord, but soon opens up to a mid-tempo soulish groove (the slowest of the album) to give us a gentler blend of soloing, just as delightful as what came before.

A very even album that develop some superb RnB with much jazz colours, one that most trad jazzheads should still appreciate, even if the music is indeed electric. Much recommended to anyone, actually.

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