Search - James Mason :: Rhythm of Life

SADLY OVERLOOKED/UNDERAPPRECIATED CLASSIC

David Hoeltje | Mariposa, CA United States | 04/05/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The long awaited (and surprising) release of this wonderful recording pretty much finished off my list of "My Favorite Albums That I'll NEVER See On CD". I was a buyer for a wholesale music distributor at the time of its original release and I have no recollection of what drew me to it in the first place (other than a fanatic quest to discover great, obscure music) but it was one of the main reasons that I kept my turntable hooked up even as friends chided me for being so "quaint"! Way back then (1977) Billboard Magazine would call me (and dozens of other buyers) up for sales reports on which to base their Top 100 (etc) charts and this was one of the few times that I lied through my teeth about sales figures to try to help generate some "buzz" for the record. Didn't help but I did my best...



The recording sound is a tad under produced by today's standards but the soaring melodies driven by Mason's incredible compositional and musical talents, a FANTASTIC rhythm section and Clarice Taylors drop down dead gorgeous vocals more than make up for any technical shortcomings. I've tried for years to find out what happened to him after the release of "Rhythm Of Life" but have been unsuccessful thus far. Clarice Taylor went on to record for an artist, whose name escapes me now, on Tomato Records in the late `70's and then seemed to drop out of sight as well.



Fans of Incognito, "Acid Jazz" in general and perhaps Swing Out Sister will probably find this recording to their liking although "Rhythm Of Life" has somewhat of a more Progressive/Jazz/Funk vibe to it.

"

Tight Album

mistermaxxx@yahoo.com | usa | 11/27/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"there are always rare albums that you ever hear about.alot of the time you have to take yourself&dig through some crates to find something that everybody ain't talking about. this album is just that.Roy Ayers Guitarist James Mason brings the Heat on this tight album. now some of the tracks don't get the finishing touchings that Roy Ayers is so known for,but this Album has alot of cooking tracks.good thing slick city are tight grooves. there are alot of vamps here that will keep your head bopping.i dig the arrangements alot on here as well."