Customer Reviews

The Dude

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've owned this on LP for many years, and at different points I've pulled this record out for a good listen. Last night, I was going through my records and decided to give it a go. This music is great! So many of the world's finest musicians here, including Herbie Hancock, Steve Lukather, Ian Underwood, and Stevie Wonder. This music I would even say has a strong jazz and funk element to it, and certainly many of the arrangements are more complex than much of the music played either in 1981 or today.

Every song here is a classic, and two of the tracks "Just Once" and "One Hundred Ways" are among the best-loved pop hits of the early 80's. "Ai No Corrida" and the title track are my favorites, though. They are hip, and there is plenty of instrumental meat behind the catchy vocals. If you like Steely Dan, Toto, early Michael Jackson albums, I think you will find a lot to enjoy here. Thanks for reading my review.

I bought this CD at the same time and for pretty much the same reason as I did Quincy Jones' prior album "Sounds..." (see my review) and I'm equally pleased with the purchase.

By the time Q released this one, he'd produced "Off The Wall" for Michael Jackson, "Masterjam" for Rufus & Chaka Khan, "Light Up The Night" for The Brothers Johnson, "Give Me The Night" for George Benson and I believe he produced Patti Austin's classic "Every Home Should Have One" round about the same time. He'd been busy and it showed. He had more or less honed his skills to perfection. To me, this album would've marked the musical if not commercial peak of his career but then of course, the following year he topped it all with "Thriller".

This is his best 'solo' output though, smooth as silk and as cool as cucumber. Not a note out of place and everything as clear as crystal, with horns crisp and tight. Patti Austin provides the lead vocals for four out of the nine tracks here: "Betcha' Wouldn't Hurt Me", "Somethin' Special", "Razzamatazz" and "Turn On The Action". Q's new find James Ingram provides lead vocals for three: "The Dude", the classic "Just Once" and "One Hundred Ways". "Velas" is a magnificent jazz piece by the harmonica player, "Toots" Thielemans and the opener, "Ai No Corrida" is lead by Charles May and someone introduced to us as "Dune". I wonder if anyone ever heard from HIM again?

The ex-Heatwave frontman Rod Temperton wrote three out of the nine and co-wrote one. Stevie Wonder contributed one he co-wrote with Stephanie Andrews and I heard the rest were either brought to Q's attention or he searched through a batch of songs (as producers do), until he had found the exact ones he wanted.

All the greats feature here: Stevie Wonder himself, Herbie Hancock, Ernie Watts, Michael Jackson, Steve Lukather, David "Hawk" Wolinski (he of Rufus and Chaka Khan fame), the legendary percussionist Paulinho DaCosta and Louis Johnson.

Great music never grows old and this is one they'll be playing well into the next century. Quincy Jones at his best!

Review by Kirk Douglas Provo

This is really an additional Patti Austin album . . . and who's complaining? Jones favorite vocalist sings lead vocal on no less than four of the albums nine tracks and figures prominently on the others! Jones records have always been like a musical party, with the best of the best all dropping by to get their creative rocks off. The flavors vary too, as The Maestro is a connoisseur of all that is good musically . . . with an ear for rhythm and a fondness for melody.

This too is the record that introduced major vocalist James Ingram to the world. Mega Grammy nominations and hit records aside, try listening to "Just Once" or "One Hundred Ways" without feeling moved each time. Austin gets low down and funky on Stevie Wonder's "Betcha Wouldn't Hurt Me" and then almost magically transforms into the naive girl of Rod Temperton's lush "Somethin' Special".

The hook-ridden "Razzamatazz"! ! offers the best of both Austin and Temperton, while the moody, introspective "Velas" leads to a sweet, soulful love affair down Brazil way. No words needed. Ingram's playful, sly lead vocal on the rap-pop-funk fusion of the title song are perfectly countered with the precise choir harmonies of Austin and Michael Jackson! "Turn On The Action" offers but a hint of Austin's famous humorous wit on what becomes a sparkling one woman vocal showcase.

Yes, "The Dude" is a pop-soul-jazz fusion masterpiece. At once feel good, sorrowful, reflective, and groove laden.

KDP

This is one of Quincy Jones' best albums. Everything about the album is tight, from the instrumentals to the vocals, which are outstanding. This album was a wonderful introduction and showcase for James Ingram with the classic tunes "100 Ways" and "Just Once." And PATTI AUSTIN; what more can you say. This is her introduction as the "First Lady" of Qwest records, Quincy's label, after she left CTI. Her performance on this album gets you ready for what's to come from her solo efforts of the decade. The styles she explores range from the bouncy "Razzmatazz," to the understated elation of "Something Special," to the knowing lover of "Betcha Wouldn't Hurt Me." Patti gets funky on the title track with a little help from others such as Michael Jackson. This album was a blueprint for R&B music as the genre went from the disco era into the new decade. This is the CLASS ALBUM of the decade, and one of the albums I would want to have if I was on a desert island. A masterpiece.

Quincy Jones, James Ingram, and Patti Austin created something so mesmerizing and timeless that even after it's 20 year release the Dude remains as one of my favorite Qwest productions. They combined some of the most beautiful and captivating sounds of soul,pop-jazz, r&b of the time or decade with a slight edge of funk and early rap (title-track)...The enchanting harmonica-instrumental(courtesy of Stevie Wonder) Velas (which means "candles" in Spanish) with it's light and melodius whistling vocals is also a timeless gem ! The futuristic opening track Ai No Corrida (also Spanish for "No Way Out" or "No Other Path")is magically mysterious as it is soulfully seductive. Razzamatazz is the pinnacle dance jam on the entire disc with some of the smoothest vocals by Austin and enticing musical hooks by Jones. The rest of the flawless tracks,vocals and production have made this one of my all time favorite pop-jazz fusion albums by Jones, Austin, and Ingram !...I have yet to listen to another producer or group of artists that can top this project and collaboration from 20 years ago...

Quincy Jones has spent much of the last 25 years hosting and recording some of music's most inclusive parties. Grammy-winning LPs like "Back On The Block" and "Q's Jook Joint" cast musical styles (rock, hip-hop, jazz, R&B, Latin) with narrative plot skill and personality depth reserved for the films Jones scored so well. Jones not only introduced many new stars (Tevin Campbell, Tamia) but stood behind some of music's touchstone moments, from Sinatra/Basie's legendary trilogy to Leslie Gore's "It's My Party" to Miles Davis embracing past successes and, of course, Michael Jackson's history-making "Off The Wall" and "Thriller" LPs and "We Are The World."

Some Jones affairs got noisy and crowded ("The Secret Garden" on "Back On The Block" an example). But 1981's "The Dude" builds studio smooth, streamlined funk/jazz with Ferrari precision. The music builds around heart-pulse dance-R&B basslines (courtesy of Louis Johnson), scatting, riffing horns (especially on the electrifying "Ai No Corrida" and "Turn On The Action") and stinging rock guitar against jazzy vocals (from the superb Patti Austin and others). Here Jones laid the blueprint for "Thriller" and, by extension, much of 1980s pop and R&B. (Jackson, Stevie Wonder, and Herbie Hancock perform here.) James Ingram, whose later ballad work played mushy and oversweet as butter-soaked movie popcorn, turns in graceful, understated performances on "Just Once" and "One Hundred Ways." Even then, their success showed what Ingram could do with producers (Jones, Thom Bell) building refined, Philly-style soul around his expressive voice.

Jones made his best, most cohesive use of the players here, using them on nearly all his productions and eventually bringing them to his own label, Qwest Records. Despite tremendous successes to follow, "The Dude" remains a jewel in Jones' catalogue and essential to any 80s R&B or jazz collection. Fans are also recommended to check out 1975's "Body Heat" and the career-spanning 2CD set, "From Quincy With Love."

This is one of the best-ever albums arranged and produced by Quincy Jones who is one of the most versatile artists in the jazz scene. He's been dubbed as a 'Renaissance Man' of American music. He's not only a great arranger/conductor but also a songwriter, soloist, bandleader, producer and record label executive.

This CD delights us with hits such as "One Hundred Ways" and "Just Once" (with James Ingram on vocals) and guest jazz artists and musicians, the likes of vocalists Patti Austin and James Ingram, percussionist Paulinho Da Costa and pianist Herbie Hancock, and the great Toots Thielemans showcasing his unique talent on harmonica, among many others.

James Ingram shines brightly as he sings my absolute all-time favorite "One Hundred Ways" from the heart - such a lovely song that speaks of the secret of romance in terms of roses, violins, moonlight and stars.

"Compliment what she does
Send her roses just because
If it's violins she loves
Let them play
Dedicate her favorite song...."

You should get this CD and you'll enjoy listening not only to this song but all the tracks as well. This song was written by Kathy Wakefield/Ben Wright/Tony Coleman and arranged by Quincy Jones and Johnny Mandel.

If you love mellow and captivating melodies, then this is just perfect - "Velas" written by Ivan Lins and Victor Martins and arranged by Mr. Q and Johnny Mandel. One of the finest jazz musicians, Toots Thielemans exquisitely plays the harmonica with his famous 'whistle'. If this melody will not totally move you, I don't know what will.

James Ingram's heartfelt performance on "Just Once" is one of the highlights. David Foster and Robbie Buchanan's acoustic piano accompaniments are simply awesome! The sprightly tracks are "Ai No Corrida" and "Razzamatazz" with vocals by a fine jazz diva, Patti Austin.

I've had this album since the early '80s when it first came out and the CD in the '90s, and to this day never fail to listen to it. One of Mr. Q's classics.

This album never got the credit it was due over 20 years ago. The music industry was still reeling from the murder of John Lennon and gave the Best Album Grammy to his widow, Yoko Ono. I felt it was in sympathy. This was clearly the better album. I brought the CD a year ago. Every song on this CD is just like it was new. From "Ay No Corida" to "Just Once" to my favorite "Betcha wouldn't hurt me". It's a crowning achievement in R&B. Way to go Q!!

I'm sure there are a lot of people out there who would look back on this album who'd feel something of a guilt complex for liking an album whose musical virtues lay so heavily in it's production. Sad to say even....a member of my family who I won't name out of respect didn't find this album particularly to their liking for a long time. Perhaps one of the reasons why this album has such a different reputation is that it represents a somewhat different Quincy Jones than the one who recorded Sounds & Stuff Like That several years earlier. That was a recording that owed a great deal of it's musical energy to funk and R&B. This on the other hand showcased a lot more sleek urban contemporary pop considerations and in the end sounds perhaps like a slightly more commercial record that Quincy had done up to this point. This was released around the time of Mike's Off the Wall,Johnson's Light Up the Night and Patti Austin's Every Home Should Have One. If your already fully familiar with those three albums, than it may not be too necessary for you to read this review since you already sort of know the sound of it. For those who aren't,here's what this is.

One of the singer/songwriter/instrumentalists who caught Quincy's ear around this time was Englands Chas Jankel from Ian Dury's Blockheads. His debut Chas Jankel contained a song called "Ai No Corrida" that is presented here and,while not as musically abstract it is more "Quincified" along with the lead vocals of Charles May who takes the very British vocal affectations of Chas away from this version. The title song is the most thoroughly funk oriented number here with a stomping beat,bassline and keyboard solo with Q himself rapping as "the dude" along with an artist Quincy was at the time just in the process of developing-James Ingram. The multi talented singer/musician/songwriter is featured on the slower ballads here such as "Just Once" and "One Hundred Ways",which without surprise became the biggest hits. But they're actually far from the best songs. Those were sung by Patti Austin. "Betcha Wouldn't Hurt Me" and the compulsive "Razzanatazz" are both key uptempo songs here with a vibrant sophistifunk sound to them. "Somethin' Special" is a similar but slower sort of song,maybe even a little more jazzy and another highlight with a rather adult romance audience in mind. "Velas" is a similarly themed instrumental featuring one of Q's old hands Toots Theilmans on harmonica and whistling. There were stories I heard that the closing dance funk of "Turn On The Action" was originally intended for Michael Jackson. And honestly it does rather sound like him.

Believe it or not,a persons appreciation of this album will probably have to stem from whether they really take the urban contemporary jazz-sophistifunk sound of the early 80's very seriously. Coming during the first years of the post disco era,where music of a certain rhythmic and racial signitures couldn't be played on a lot of radio stations this along with similarly style albums during this time by people like Grover Washington Jr,Al Jarreau and Michael Franks also receive a similar treatment as being at best "a guilty pleasure" and as worst "a sell out". Honestly I have absolutely no guilty feelings whatsoever in the level of enjoyment I have for this album. If your a fan of edgy,angst ridden albums filled with a "keeping it real" attitude with some variant of hip-hop or neo soul rhythmic pattern to it...no I'd have to agree this album probably isn't going to be your cup of tea. Whenever you have the level of production,musicianship and songwriting/vocal power you have with something like this it's from a time and a place where the musical approach was very different. And above all being done by a whole other generation as well. No putting down anyone. But there's just a different spirit behind this than much of...well even what Quincy himself is currently doing musically. And happily many people in the music world are still paying careful attention to works such as this.

As a long, long fan of Q, the hairs still stand on the back of my neck listening to this classic album.. I can still remember the day I bought THE DUDE, and it seemed to change my life forever..I listen to it on a daily basis and have never tired of it. I have 4 copies of it, one for my car (it can really help to soothe my nerves in a long traffic jam!)one in my lounge. A copy is also kept for my shower and lastly, I have one in my kitchen.. Over the years, I must have had 20 copies in various forms, vinyl and cassett and of course, compact disc. I have every other album of Q's, but THE DUDE, by far, still remains my favourite. My fave tracks are, JUST ONCE and ONE HUNDRED WAYS.

THANK YOU QUINCY, I love you and your soul.