LPCDreissues: Looking forward to the past

Fuzzy, funky genius from the great Jack McDuff -- a killer late 60s set done for Chess Records, and one that mixes his own searing Hammond with wicked arrangements from the mighty Richard Evans! Given Evans' background in the Chicago soul scene, there's a gritty groove here you don't get on some of Jack's other jazz sides of the 60s -- a sound that steps out strongly to the clubs, as you might guess from the cover and title! Many numbers have a sweetly stepping groove that's subtle funk at its best -- opened up with lots of room for McDuff to solo brilliantly on the organ, with support from players who include Gene Barge on alto sax, Ben Branch and Cliff Davis on tenor, Jerry Byrd or Cash McCall on guitar, Phil Upchurch on bass, and Joe Burkes or Morris Jennings on drums. Half the set was recorded in the Chess studios, the other half out at the hip London House club in Chicago -- and together, the tunes are united beautifully in one magnificently funky album that stretches from the studio out into the streets. Titles include the best version ever of McDuff's "Theme From The Electric Surfboard", plus "On The Case", "With The Wind", "Mac-Duffin", "Get It Up", "Gin & Orange", and "Beep Bo Boo" -- all tunes written either by Jack or Richard Evans!"