Liberated Brother

Description

Remastering by Ray Staff at Air Mastering, Lyndhurst Hall, London.

Weldon Irvines debut as a leader remains one of the most fiercely idiosyncratic electric jazz outings of the early 70s. Innovative not only for its moody, nuanced jazz-funk sensibility, Liberated Brother also translates the uncommonly strong passion of Irvines political and philosophical views into its grooves, creating music of rare sincerity and ambition.

While the records first-half features longer, more meditative songs, like the Latin-inspired title tune and Blues Wel-Don, the second side of Liberated Brother commands the most attention. With sterling contributions from guitarist Tommy Smith, bassist Roland Wilson, and drummer Napoleon Revels-Bey, cuts such as Mr. Clean and Sister Sanctified (later sampled by Boogie Down Productions for the rap classic My Philosophy) achieve a deeply funky consciousness forged from elements of jazz, soul, and psychedelia; Juggah Buggah even features Irvine on Moog synthesizer, further expanding the LPs cosmic reach. AllMusic