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In a music world that is sadly becoming more and more predictable every year, it is always refreshing to hear artists outdo themselves when it comes to a new release. Traditionally speaking, bands often find it hard to match critical or financial success when it comes to new offerings, especially following efforts that garnered praise or filled record company coffers.
This is not the case of veteran guitarist Melvin Sparks whose recently issued What You Hear Is What You Get (Nectar) could well be the crowning achievement of a 30-plus year career as a solo artist and session player.
Oddly enough, the follow-up to his hit-or-miss 1997 release I’m a Guitar Player is only Sparks’ eighth solo effort, but harkening back to such early 1970s albums as Sparks, Spark Plug, Akilah and Texas Twister the veteran player takes a relatively unknown group of players into the studio and emerges with a gem of a disc.
Granted the 56-year-old Sparks did not have the likes of drummer Idris Muhammad, keyboardist Leon Spencer or horn players Houston Person or the late Grover Washington, Jr. (the who’s who of the burgeoning acid jazz movement nearly four decades ago), but names of session players mean little or nothing and one listen to this disc will attest to that.
Recorded during a three-day session last December at Tedesco Studios in New York City, Sparks’ vast experience on over 150 recordings shined on each of the nine tracks. The entire album is originals except for two standard choices, James Brown's “Funky Good Time” and the Barrett Strong/Barry Gordy's “Money.”
What sets this collection apart from the rest of Sparks’ catalogue is the flawless production. The sound is so rich and full it’s almost as if the band is playing a private show in your living room and this comes in comparison to a slew of recordings made at the legendary studios of engineering wizard Rudy Van Gelder.
The disc opens with “Another Joe,” a bouncing, acid-jazz drenched instrumental that features lively interplay between Sparks and Joe Hrbek on alto sax. One of the standout tracks on the disc, Sparks’ trademark fretwork punctuates solos by Hrbek and George Papageorge on the Hammond B3 organ. The title track again follows with Sparks and Hrbek highlighting a free-flowing workout that is anchored by bassist Tim Luntzel and drummer Carter McLean who had not played with The Melvin Sparks Band prior to these sessions, but nonetheless makes an impressive debut. Papageorge, whose lush B3 fills provide a reference point throughout the disc, is featured on “The Governor” a track he penned and adds a heavy right hand to.
Playing in a style similar to the legendary Grant Green, Sparks was sadly overshadowed for many years by his contemporary George Benson, another follower of Green and Wes Montgomery, but his talents were in-demand when it came to sessions. Sparks called on a pair of excellent players to sit in on this disc with noted sax man Topaz and long-time collaborator and B3 veteran Ruben Wilson each playing on three tracks.
“Turn n’ Point,” one of three more laidback tracks, features a tasteful mix of Papageorge and Hrbek with Sparks anchoring the proceedings with his clean rhythm guitar lines, an approach the band also takes on “Matter of Time.” The band again picks up the tempo on “Get n’ It” with Wilson’s deft touch on the B3 adding a pleasant feel on top of McClean’s muscular timekeeping. The over-the-top rave-up of “Money” soars instrumentally, but vocally Sparks misses the mark. His quicksilver licks make up for the vocal shortcoming and each player is given ample room to exhibit their chops, especially Topaz whose tenor sax gives the track a robust feel. Sparks closes the disc with “Breez,” a hypnotizing instrumental reminiscent of Benson before he hit pop-star status in the mid-70s. The track is a fitting and classy close to a quality effort from a top-notch player and bandleader.
For more information on how to purchase “What You Hear Is What You Get” go to amazon.com.
Chris Cowles
JamBase | Connecticut
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