AOTW: Neil Larsen - Jungle Fever (SP-733)

[Captain Bacardi]

Neil Larsen
JUNGLE FEVER
A&M/Horizon SP-733

Released 1978

Format: Vinyl/Cassette/8-Track/CD

Produced by Tommy LiPuma

Songs:

• 1. Sudden Samba 4:37
  2. Promenade 4:08
  3. Windsong 5:25
  4. Emerald City 4:03
  5. Jungle Fever 7:17
  6. Red Desert 3:27
  7. Last Tango In Paris (Gato Barbieri) 4:13
  8. From A Dream 4:05
  
  All songs written and arranged by Neil Larsen except where indicated.

Musicians:
Neil Larsen - Keyboards
Buzz Feiten - Guitar
Willie Weeks - Bass
Andy Newmark - Drums
Ralph MacDonald - Percussion
Michael Brecker - Tenor Saxophone
Larry Williams - Alto Saxophone, Alto Flute
Jerry Hey - Trumpet, Flugelhorn

Recorded and Mixed by Al Schmitt
Assistant Engineers: Linda Tyler and Don Henderson
Recorded June 1978 at Sound Labs and Capitol Recording Studios, Hollywood

Art Direction: Roland Young
Album Design: Chuck Beeson
Photography: Elizabeth Lennard


Capt. Bacardi

 

[Captain Bacardi]

Now that I've torn myself away from the TJB reissues...

This is a fun album to listen to. I remember buying it shortly after this was released, as it got quite a bit of airplay back in '78. "Sudden Samba" was especially played a lot, and for good reason. A very sprite tune with a killer groove. Neil Larsen has a very gritty sound on organ that works well for him. "Windsong" is another fave of mine, and was also recorded by George Benson on his Weekend In L.A. album. Some nice horn work punctuates "Jungle Fever". Larsen also does a hip version of "Last Tango IN Paris", with a blistering sax solo by Michael Brecker. This album may not have blazed trails in the fusion-jazz scene, but it's a well recorded and well-played album.


Capt. Bacardi

 

[Dave]

Very much the 'Contemporary Jazz' groups like Spyro Gyra would also purvey...

My favorites are: the Brasilian Street-Groove of the Urban-Rio, "Sudden Samba", the suprisingly musical-magic of "Emerald City", the breezy "Windsong" (which is not the one by Wes Montgomery) and the tropical boogie of "Jungle Fever"... You expect an album showing Neil Larsen on the L.A. Street, on the back-cover to have such an awesome version of "Last Tango In Paris" and the blistery assualt from Neil's keyboards complemented by the horn section and percussion really delivers!

Buzz Feiten on guitar accompanied Larsen on a lot of records, including his first and second solo albums and would later collaborate on some more projects under both of their names, while Ralph MacDonald inserts some excellent "trademark percussion" heard in his work with Don McLean, Herbie Mann, Harry Bellafonte, Carly Simon, Roberta Flack & Carole King-- serving a "useful function" here, too! While a couple members of Seawind, Larry Williiams and Jerry Hey, as well as session-maestro, Mike Brecker round out the horns...

In all, a good "workshop" by this group, led to good listening to this tasty new trend in Jazz...


Dave