Reach for It (CD - 1977)

Album Description: Personnel: George Duke (vocals, keyboards); Charles Icarus Johnson (vocals, guitar); Leon "Ndugu" Chancler (vocals, drums, roto-toms, timbales); Deborah Thomas, Dee Henrichs, Sybil Thomas (v.... Read More

Album Description: Personnel: George Duke (vocals, keyboards); Charles Icarus Johnson (vocals, guitar); Leon "Ndugu" Chancler (vocals, drums, roto-toms, timbales); Deborah Thomas, Dee Henrichs, Sybil Thomas (vocals); Raul De Souza (trombone); Byron Miller (keyboards, bass); Mike Sembello (guitar); Stanley Clarke (bass); Manolo Badrena (bongos, congas, percussion).
Recorded at Paramount Recording Studios, Los Angeles, California. Includes liner notes by Neil Tesser.
By 1977, the jazz content of George Duke's albums had decreased considerably, and soul and funk had become his main priorities. Reach for It has more to offer from an R&B standpoint than a jazz standpoint, though the fusion it does contain is first rate -- including the Latin-influenced "Hot Fire" and "Lemme at It" (an aggressive gem that's in a class with some of the keyboardist/pianist's best work with the Billy Cobham/Duke Band). Reach's heavy R&B content resulted in Duke facing the same accusation as George Benson, Patrice Rushen and other improvisers who moved away from jazz in the '70s -- that he was a sellout. But none of this CD's R&B content comes across as contrived or formulaic. In fact, Duke is downright inspired on the haunting "Just for You" and the Parliament-influenced title song. Even so, it's always regrettable when a gifted improviser pretty much abandons jazz -- and Duke is a prime example. It should be stressed that the high rating awarded this CD is primarily from an R&B standpoint -- and that those strictly interested in hearing Duke playing jazz would be better off investing in earlier efforts like Faces in Reflection. ~ Alex Henderson Minimize