Hubert LAWS - Afro Classic 1970

Hubert LAWS - Afro Classic 1970
CTI 6006

Jazz

Fusion meets pop and classical music on this second CTI release by Hubert Laws. The album contains two contemporary pop hits and three classical compositions arranged by Don Sebesky and played by Bob James, Ron Carter, Gene Bertoncini, Dave Friedman, Airto Moreira and many others. My fav is a rendition of James Taylor's Fire And Rain with Friedman's solo on then popular fusion instrument - vibes with fuzzbox.
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Issued in 1970 as his second album for Creed Taylor's CTI label, Hubert Laws' Afro-Classic is a classic for the manner in which Laws, with brilliant assistance from arranger Don Sebesky, melded the jazz and classical worlds -- not to mention pop -- into a seamless whole. Laws was the first artist signed to Taylor's imprint. His debut for the label, Crying Song, won critical notice, but it was Afro-Classic that established a new role for the flute in contemporary jazz. Herbie Mann may have been the first, but Laws explored jazz and all the sound worlds that informed it -- especially in the electric domain -- with the kind of grace and innovative vision that made him a mainstay. Sebesky was deeply enamored of Laws' classical training, and his ability to swing -- check out his playing on Quincy Jones' "Killer Joe" for early evidence. The players assembled for the session included Bob James (himself classically trained and a graduate of the University of Michigan's music school) on electric piano, bassist Ron Carter, guitarist Gene Bertoncini, drummer Fred Waits, vibraphonist David Friedman, bassoonist Fred Alston, Jr., and percussionists Airto Moreira and Pablo Landrum. The program included James Taylor's hit "Fire and Rain," "Theme from Love Story" by Francis Lai, a pair of Bach pieces, including the stunning Passacaglia in C Minor, and Mozart's Flute Sonata in F. While the gentle version of "Fire and Rain" proves moving and subtle, and engages the ensemble as a chamber jazz group, it is with Bach's Allegro from Concerto No. 3 in D that the true revelation takes place. Sebesky arranges in a painterly manner, illustrating the tune with bassoon and vibes with Laws' flute floating through the melody. This is a chamber reading for the piece that not only maintains its integrity but showcases a different side that is revelatory. The liberties taken with the Passacaglia, however, are revolutionary, beginning with Carter's bass, slowly and purposefully illustrating the theme as James' Fender Rhodes enters in double "p." When Laws enters with the haunting, mournful melody, he does so with Bertoncini's guitar playing in muted tones followed by the electrified vibes of Friedman and then Alston's bassoon. Near the three-minute mark, Sebesky opens the arrangement for a vibes solo underscored by guitar and Rhodes, and at the five-minute mark the theme is restated. But it is no longer simply a classical tune; it begins to swing with Latin, blues, and jazz undertones. When Laws finally takes his solo, the tune simply grooves its way through to the end -- with subtle sound effects that Brian Eno would be envious of because he hadn't thought of them yet. It's stunning. The Mozart piece is pretty, but compared to what preceded it, it feels just a tad quaint.
By Thom Jurek, All Music Guide.
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Dave Friedman- Vibraphone
Bob James & Creations- Piano (Electric)
Frederick Waits- Drums
Airto Moreira- Percussion
Fred Alston, Jr.- Bassoon
Gene Bertoncini- Guitar
Richard Landrum- Percussion
Ron Carter- Electric Cello, Cello, Bass
Don Friedman- Vibraphone
Bob James- Piano (Electric)
Hubert Laws- Flute, Piccolo
David Friedman- Vibraphone
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A.  Fire And Rain 7:55
       Composed By - James Taylor 
A2. Allegro From Concerto #3 In D 3:40
       Composed By - J. S. Bach
A3. Theme From Love Story 7:25
       Composed By - Francis Lai
B1. Passacaglia In C Minor 15:10
       Cello [Electric] - Ron Carter
       Composed By - J. S. Bach
       Flute [Electric] - Hubert Laws
B2. Flute Sonata In F 3:15
       Composed By - W. A. Mozart  
**

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Hubert LAWS - Romeo & Juliet 1976

Hubert LAWS - Romeo & Juliet 1976

Jazz

Forget the snoozy title because this set's a nice bit of funky flute jazz from Hubert Laws, with a strong CTI-ish feel! The set was produced by Bob James, and has lots of strong James touches  from the sweet work on Fender Rhodes and clavinet that works nicely with the flute on most tracks, to the full group rhythms that make the best tracks into nice smooth groovers! A few tunes get more introspective, in Huberts Afro-Classic mode  and titles include "Guatemala Connection", "What Are We Gonna Do", "Undecided", "Forlane",
and "Tryin To Get The Feelin Again".
From Dusty Groove.

A1. Undecided 6:07
A2. Tryin' To Get The Feeling Again 8:07
A3. Forlane 4:11
B1. Romeo & Juliet 7:41
B2. What Are We Gonna Do? 5:30
B3. Guatemala Connection 5:43
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Hubert LAWS - Moondance 2004

Hubert LAWS - Moondance 2004

Jazz

Returning to the soul jazz of his classic CTI recordings, flautist Hubert Laws delivers Moondance , an album of contemporary grooves and smooth sounds that, while a step above most smooth jazz recordings, is for the most part a little too safe, a little too conservative for a capable artist who has always seemed to represent more about potential and less about realization.
There’s certainly nothing wrong with Laws’ tone; there are few flautists on the scene today who have as luscious a sound. And Laws can still pull out the stops and deliver something more substantive, as he does on “Clarita,” one of the final four tracks on the album that, by eschewing synth washes, drum programming and kitchen-sink production values, harkens most successfully back to his glory days with CTI. Featuring the only stable ensemble on the album—pianist Davis Budway, bassist John Leftwich, drummer Ralph Penland and percussionist Munyungo Jackson—these tracks are more about developing a group sound and less about delivering the sound-de-jour. Ranging from samba to romantic ballad, Laws, Budway, Leftwich, Penland and Jackson create more authentic passion than all the synthesizers and loops in the world ever could.

Without wanting to sound like a Luddite, there is nothing wrong with creating romantic, accessible music that is lighter in weight yet still appealing to the ear. It’s just that the approach these days seems to be about layering as many lush sounds as possible and neglecting the essence of the material. Moondance is the perfect example because, in its first half, it exemplifies all that is wrong with contemporary jazz production, but redeems itself somewhat on the latter half; at the end of the day it still has to be about playing.

Take Laws’ reading of Van Morrison’s Moondance. By layering it over a shuffle rhythm it makes for an interesting groove, but all the swing of the original is gone; replaced, instead, by female vocalists fading in and out superfluously and Laws delivering the melody with just enough interpretation to say, “Hey! This is jazz here,” the song loses all intention. And it’s too bad, because Law’ solo shows that he still has chops to burn, and the ability to take even such a safe tune just that slightest bit out to create some tension.

Laws will never go down in jazz history as an innovator; still, he has clear talent. But it’s a shame that Moondance is so schizophrenic, with the first half falling safely in the smooth jazz camp and the second in a more distinctive contemporary vein. Hopefully Laws will continue pursuing the direction of the latter, which manages to reference his more revered work without losing its modernity.
By John Kelman.
**
Hubert Laws- (Flute, keyboards, synth bass, piccolo flute, alto flute),
Chris Botti- (Trumpet),
Guy Eckstine- (Bass guitar, ambient keyboards, drum programming, percussion, clavinet, keyboards, synth bass, Wurlitzer electric piano),
Evan Marks- (Guitar, bass guitar, Wurlitzer electric piano, keyboards, strings),
Duncan Moore- (Drums),
Amber Whitlock- (Vocals),
Hilary Van Lier- (Vocals),
Rob Mullins- (Keyboards/synth strings, special additions),
David Budway- (Piano),
John Leftwich- (Bass),
Ralph Penland- (Drums),
Munyungo Jackson- (Percussion),
Alex Al- (Bass guitar),
Felix ‘Da Kat’ Pollard- (Drums),
Herbie Hancock- (Acoustic piano)
**
01. Moondance
02. Bloodshot
03. Stay with me
04. Summer of '75
05. Stinky
06. Nighttime daydream
07. Malibu
08. Love you tonight
09. Clarita
10. Kiss
**
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