It has oft been said that Stanley Clarke did for the fretted electrical bass inward the 1970s what boyfriend virtuoso Jaco Pastorius did for the fretless. For whatever aspiring jazz-rock bassist coming upwards inward the fourth dimension betwixt Bitches Brew as well as Feels So Good, Stanley's innovative playing, which combined a distinctive slap-pop manner amongst fluid finger-style operate informed past times his acoustic playing, was a required assignment. Although School Days, amongst its catchy signature song, is maybe the most listened to of his albums, it is on Journey to Love, Clarke's 2d solo offering for Columbia, that his muse is most confidently as well as persuasively displayed. He is assisted inward this worthy endeavour past times a whole carload of world-class talent. Jeff Beck shows upwards for 2 songs, the championship rail as well as the appropriately-titled "Hello Jeff." His Pb guitar is as expressive as well as unpredictable as ever, capable of bringing a grin to the human face upwards of the most jaded listener. Return to Forever bandmates Chick Corea as well as Lenny White likewise plow up, as good as boyfriend traveler Mahavishnu John McLaughlin. Not to last overlooked are the tremendous talents of keyboardist George Duke, drummer Steve Gadd, as well as guitarist David Sancious. The caliber of the musicians aside, Journey of Love is amount of neat tunes, neat grooves, as well as absolutely amazing bass playing. Clarke moves from percussive slapping to almost guitaristic chording to full-speed improvising amongst bewildering ease. Make no error nearly it, this is 1 of the finest fusion albums to come upwards out of the 1970s, as well as it is the unmarried best demonstration of the skills as well as the audio that brand Clarke 1 of the most of import figures to e'er option upwards the instrument.
Alongside School Days, this is maybe Clarke's finest work. From start to end, it is but a rattling joyful as well as magnetic listening experience. The infectious as well as sometimes beautiful grooves are exactly as well as then impressively done. Clarke's playing is fantastic, managing to last hypnotic at for certain moments, as well as frenetic at others without beingness headache-inducing, as well as overall, it's exactly a rattling good seat together album that volition definitely create goodness from repeat listens. This is 1 of the best jazz fusion albums of all time. It's as neat inward its deadening spots as it is inward its speedy spots, as well as Clarke as well as the other musicians who present upwards on it but create stunning work.
Track listing
All tracks composed past times Stanley Clarke; except where indicated- "Silly Putty" (4:52)
- "Journey to Love" (4:52)
- "Hello Jeff" (5:16)
- "Song to John, Part 1" (Clarke, Corea) (4:22)
- "Song to John, Part 2" (Clarke, Corea) (6:09)
- "Concerto for Jazz/Rock Orchestra, Parts 1-4" (14:25)
Personnel
- Stanley Clarke - electric bass, acoustic bass, organ, piccolo bass (first used past times Stanley Clarke) amongst Maestro Synthesizer on "Concerto For Jazz/Rock Orchestra," mitt bells, tubular bells, gong, vocals
- Jeff Beck - electrical guitar on "Hello Jeff" as well as guitar solo on "Journey to Love"
- Chick Corea - acoustic piano on "Song to John"
- George Duke - organ, synthesizer, Moog synthesizer, keyboard, Arp Odyssey, clavinet, acoustic piano, electrical piano, bells, vocals
- Earl Chapin - brass horn
- John Clark - brass horn
- Jon Faddis - trumpet
- Steve Gadd - drums, percussions
- Peter Gordon - brass horn
- Tom "Bones" Malone - trombone
- John McLaughlin - acoustic guitar on "Song to John"
- Alan Rubin - trumpet
- David Sancious - electrical guitar, 12-string guitar
- Lew Soloff - trumpet
- David Taylor - trombone
- Lenny White - drums on "Hello Jeff"
- Wilmer Wise - brass horn
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