Customer Reviews

Three

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

That's the perfect way to describe Bob James' third contemporary jazz album for CTI. Featured prominently on this CD is fellow labelmate Grover Washington, Jr., guitarist Eric Gale, and bassists Gary King and Will Lee. The CD gets off to a funky start with a very unique version of Rudolf Toombs' "One Mint Julep". It drives HARD! Next, is the plaintive, reggae-infused "Women Of Ireland", displaying Washington's skills on the tin whistle. There is some beautiful orchestral writing from Bob here. "Westchester Lady" is Bob's second most-popular tune, which made this album such a success. Next comes "Storm King", which has been sampled in recent years by New Edition. This tune has been called "stripping music". There is some good synth work here, and a killer solo from Washington here. The easy-going "Jamaica Farewell" closes the CD. The Japanese version has a bonus track attributed to Bob titled "Look Look".

This session was unique in every way, and different from any other BJ album. Here is a darkly cooler (temperature, not style-wise), seriously detached electric-fusion soundtrackish sound that will bring you back to the post-Watergate, pre-disco era. Complete and non-gimmicky from an orchestral and instrumental perspective. Long solos, plenty of chops. Every track is nice, particularly the haunting "Women of Ireland". (After this, Bob tipped over the edge into a much more commercial and predictable sound.) Yes it's dated. Wonderfully so. Trivia fans note: This album served as the soundtrack for the low budget kung fu film, "Bruce Lee: The Man and the Myth".

This Album may have saved my life or? At least kept me sane I was in the US NAVY At the time it came out.The great sounds gave me a way to stay in check.Thanks to Amazon .com I found it again. I couldnt remember the name As you can see its "Old but Better than New" US.KITTYHAWK CV63 74-78 ELECTRICIAN

I sought this CD for YEARS, just for the track "Women of Ireland." The haunting melody and the changes of tempo and mood have made it one of my favorites. I have many cd's by Bob James; this one track stands out.

Setting a standard for excellence in contemporary jazz or jazz-rock fusion is what keyboard maven Bob James has been about for many decades now. He excelled, along with a cadre of fine backing musicians, with each passing album, most especially during the height of the jazz-rock fusion movement of the Seventies. His 1976 album THREE stayed within the fulcrum of high-quality music.

Although it lacks the covers of classical pieces that its predecessors, 1974's ONE and 1975's TWO, had, THREE nevertheless continues to offer up James' exquisite keyboard work and stunning arrangements, particularly on the reggae-influenced "Jamaica Farewell", the mysterious "Storm King", and an extended nine minute-plus take on "One Mint Julep", which was a hit for Ray Charles back in 1961. Good friends like Grover Washington Jr., Eric Gale, Eddie Daniels, Hubert Laws, and Ralph McDonald give James all the support he needs to pull this project off. A hugely worthwhile album from a time where music mattered much more than mere promotional gimmickry.

I remember first hearing Jamaica Farewell from this LP being played on the radio in 1976. I was driving to San Francisco on Rt. 101, and it was so beautiful, I just had to pull over to the side of the road and listen! I remember thinking at the time, "Bob James is doing something new. This could be huge!" Well, some of his later recordings sorely disappointed me, but he has on occasion produced beautiful work of this quality over the years. Just listen to the stellar CD "Grand Piano Canyon", his work with Fourplay ("Fourplay", "Journey", "Casino Lights '99"), or his straight-ahead collaboration "Take It From the Top" to see what I mean. If you want to experience one of the compilations that led to today's smooth jazz movement, I couldn't recommend a better place to start.

I wanted to title this review as "Cool Disk" or some, but I saw it was already taken :-). Anyway, it is a cool CD (Though I heard in on vynil), that have something for everyone: fast-going cool Jazz lovers and to those who rather slow emotional sweet jazz. Grover Washington Jr's saxophon is always a good addition, there are nice guitar solos, good bass player and cool keyboards, indeed a very nice jazz CD.

IF YOU'RE A FAN OF BOB JAMES' AND LOOKING FOR SOME OF HIS EARLIER RELEASES, I DON'T THINK YOU'LL BE DISAPPOINTED. THIS PARTICULAR ALBUM HAS A NEW AGE SOUND, BUT WAS RELEASED IN THE MID 70'S. VERY DIFFERENT FROM TODAYS OTHER JAZZ/POP ARTISTS', INCLUDING BOB HIMSELF!!

My parents had this cassette that they played all the time when I was a little tyke. Just for kicks I tried to find it with Amazon.com because bits and pieces still would pop into my head every once in a while. Sure enough, I soon wound up humming along with Real Audio clips of "One Mint Julep" and "Westchester Lady," even though I hadn't heard the real recording in well over a decade. This music was much cooler back in the 80's, though. Now when I listen to it I feel like I'm walking through some kind of super-funky grocery store.

Bob James' album was one of the most popular discs during the mid '70s and received plenty of airplay, especially "Westchester Lady", the choice of DJs on the airwaves. "Women of Ireland" and "Jamaica Farewell" are also great numbers and even though the set has just five tracks, each one is satisfying and pure ear candy. "Jamaica Farewell" is based on a Harry Belafonte song of many years ago called "Kingstontown".