Customer Reviews

Memphis Underground

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

OK, let's get the simple part out of way first--this is a well-made late '60's jazz-pop album played by solid musicians and the title track is infectious and bears repeated listenings. I think that Mann is not an all-time great flute player, but he is a very good one and he's at his best when he gets to work in an easy, lazy groove, like the title cut or "Chain of Fools": he has a nice languid style on those cuts that brings out the essence of the tunes. I'm not that wild about his "Battle Hymn of the Republic", which seems like a pretty corny concept, and the problem is that the album is only 35 minutes long to begin with, so cut out that tune and you're left with 28 minutes. Seems like Rhino could have reissued this on a disc with another of Mann's albums, like they've done with reissues of other Atlantic stuff like Charles Lloyd.

Anyway, that being said, there are some truly unusual things going on in this album. Mann used to get a bad rap for being too pop, too "commercial", and admittedly he can tend to play with a pretty light touch, at least when compared to, say, Roland Kirk. But when he wanted to do this jazz-rock album, he teamed up with a fairly gritty bunch of guys, i.e. the Stax studio hounds, rather than a line-up of the usual jazz studios wizards. This contrast would be unusual enough, but then Mann brought along Sonny Sharrock, one of the most aggressive, "out-there" guitarists around, and let him rip on "Hold On, I'm Comin'". (The song also has Miroslav Vitous, another avant-gardist who was soon playing with Weather Report, on bass.) The Stax guys, who started the song sounding so funky and gritty, wind up sounding like Boy Scouts when Sharrock starts his strafe-and-destroy feedback solo. All this arranged by a flute player who was thought of as "light" and "commercial". You start to wonder what darkness lurked in the heart of Mann. It's worth getting this album just for this outrageous musical moment.

I first got this on vinyl in the mid 70's and was blown away by the jazz rock sound the band put down. The title tune,Memphis Underground, is still on of my favorite songs and I have been listening to it for 25 years. Possibly the best driving song ever. The rest of the album is very good too. Lots of R&B feel and some wonderous jazz riffs. The guitar and vibe sound great with Manns flute, and the rhythm section is rock solid. I replaced the old vinyl album with a cd and if I lost it, I would buy another in a minute. A listening treat.

Okay, I admit it upfront: I am a Herbie Mann fan, and this CD captures the essence of what he was doing at the very end of the 60's.

The musical style is very R&B focused, and the band provides a gritty, chunky foundation for the solos of Mann, Ayers (vibes), Coryell (guitar) and Sharrok (guitar). The recording leaves a little to be desired, but the playing is outstanding. Mann's playing is strong, and the rhythm section captures the overall feel of the time, with strong bass/rhythm lines that sit in groove all day long. The sound is somewhat dated, but to me it's *history* - an important part of the jazz tradition. Regardless, the album certainly has something to say to today's listener.

Overall, think Steppenwolf with a rocking flute over the top. Buy it.

This is a very good example of early jazz-rock fusion, if somewhat on the tame side. But beware, this "REMASTERED IMPORT" is the same as the regular domestic release soundwise. I did A-B testing of this cd and the domestic (cheaper) release (I have both) and the sound is exactly the same. This one has some cool liner notes that the cheaper one does not have, but don't buy it for the "remastered" sound.

The 1969 Tom Dowd-produced Memphis Underground is an enjoyable jazz-soul effort from Mann, thanks largely to the contrasting guitars of Larry Coryell & a youthful Sonny Sharrock, along with the grits 'n' eggs contributions of sessioneers Bobby Wood, Tommy Cogbill, Bobby Emmons & Reggie Young. Good listening even though the recording doesn't heat up as often as one would like.

For a little more hot sauce, try tracking down the out-of-print "Hold On, I'm Coming," recorded live at the 1972 New York Jazz Festival, also featuring Sharrock.

Bob Rixon, WFMU

I love this album, especially side two with Chain of Fools and Battle Hymn. I first heard this on a $20 portable record player outside my barracks in Nam in 1969. We played side two over and over. Imagine hearing Battle Hymn in that setting. The record player was so bad that I thought all those Larry Coryell riffs from Chain of Fools were a Saxaphone. I've still never heard a guitarist pull off those kinds of intelligent but driving arpeggios before; not your standard guitar playing. Herbie excels at grooves, not notes so he doesn't have to be some technical machine zombie. Not many jazz albums can boast such a funky groove and rhythm section. I can still get people excited about this album who don't listen to jazz and have never heard it. This for me will always be the penultimate Herbie Mann album and Chain of Fools will probably alway remain my favorite Larry Coryell moment, although he's had some other good ones on his own.

This rendition of Battle Hymm of the Republic was played as the closing song each night in our college town's dance hall in 1968-69; it will ever be etched as the last thing we heard after an evening of adventure. It was never tiring, and the alblum's other songs are likewise long-lasting.
Buy and enjoy.

hunter thompson wrote about this album. i wore an lp and tape out ... an all-time favorite, and just maybe, one of the class driving/cruising discs of all/any time. wait until dark, go for a ride ... the longer the better ... play it loud. cool.

Great collection by Herbie Mann that has truly stood the test of time. I enjoy it more and more each time I listen to it.

Love this !! If you like Herbie Mann- you'll like this. An oldie and a goodie!