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Dan Epstein's avatar

Ah, you're speaking my language! (See my post from yesterday about a fine album from CTI's A&M days.) I remember being warned away from CTI by jazz aficionado friends back when I was first dipping my toes in the genre, precisely because of the label's reputation for smoothness, but I've loved just about everything I've heard from the label — at least the late sixties to early seventies stuff. And I actually love Deodato 2; sure, it's a pretty blatant rehash of what made Prelude great, but it's such a fun listen that I don't mind.

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Robert C. Gilbert's avatar

I saw and loved your post on George Benson - really love his 'The Other Side of Abbey Road.' It's been ages since I heard 'Deodato 2' - it may be better than I remembered.

There's a lot of good stuff on CTI - a treasure trove really.

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Dan Epstein's avatar

Oh yeah, The Other Side of Abbey Road is fantastic!

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Michael K. Fell's avatar

As I said before, CTI is such a great, unique label. I kind of lump it into a similar sweet spot as the equally eclectic, folk & rock Vanguard label.

All three albums you discuss are also faves of mine (although, regarding Hubbard, I would probably put 'Keep Your Soul Together' as my go-to Hubbard, simply for its funkiness). But you can't go wrong with 'Red Clay,' 'First Light,' and 'Straight Life.'. And the Turrentine album is brilliant (as are 'Salt Song,' 'Cherry,' and 'Don't Mess With Mister T.'). The first Farrell LP I bought was 'Canned Funk' simply because of its weird cover; I couldn't pass on it. I liked it so much that I did a deep dive on his catalog and now have his first six LPs leading up to 'Canned Funk.'

And I am with Dan Epstein; I actually like Deodato 2, but I also enjoy his late 70s work like 'First Cuckoo,' 'Whirlwinds,' and 'Night Cruiser.'

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Robert C. Gilbert's avatar

I'll need to re-listen to Deodato's 2nd at some point. I was excited to find a copy but remember being bewildered at how derivative it was. Perhaps time will be kinder the next time I spin it.

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David Perlmutter's avatar

Thank you for this revelatory essay. I got into CTI/Kudu because I became a fan of Grover Washington, Jr. and was fascinated by the sound on his albums. I have certainly heard of Hubbard, Farrell and Turrentine but have yet to hear their records. I think I know where to start now.

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Robert C. Gilbert's avatar

You can't go wrong with the three I mention - happy exploring!

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David Perlmutter's avatar

Also, Creed Taylor produced a couple of my favorite albums at Verve before he started CTI, for Stan Getz ("Focus" and "Sweet Rain").

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Robert C. Gilbert's avatar

He was very prolific - both of those Getz albums are masterpieces, 'Sweet Rain' especially.

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DJpeterDE's avatar

These three are some of my favorites -- the first three Joe Farrell CTI's are all great, and clearly had a big influence on a lot of young musicians (maybe more so than David Liebman or Steve Grossman).

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Robert C. Gilbert's avatar

Very true - of the three, 'Moon Germs' is my favourite - a monster of an album and Stanley Clarke just about steals the show.

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Chuck Mitchell's avatar

Jim Hall, Concierto; Paul Desmond, From The Hot Afternoon and Pure Desmond and Skylark. Taken on their own terms, free from inadequate descriptors like “smooth” and “boundary pushing,” these albums are exquisite and delightful to hear. Let music be music.

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Robert C. Gilbert's avatar

The only one I have never heard is Desmond's 'From the Hot Afternoon' but would agree that the other three are just about perfect, 'Pure Desmond' especially.

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Aron Blue's avatar

Bought a vinyl reissue of Sugar on your recommendation and it is awesome

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Robert C. Gilbert's avatar

Glad to hear this - it's a top-notch album.

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Marcus Meeks's avatar

I’ve been a big fan of Red Clay for a long time. I’ll need to check out that Farrell record. I’ve long thought there are gems in CTI’s early discography - one just has to look for them (with careful attention to personnel) and be willing to potentially swallow some of the smooth sap that started seeping in. I’m skeptical of just about anything on the label after 1973. I completely agree with your premise that 69-73 was fertile ground for jazz - a pre-fusion era of exploration fueled in large part by Miles and the musicians he worked with in the late 60s.

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Robert C. Gilbert's avatar

There are a lot of good CTI records from '70 to '72. In addition to the ones in my essay, there's Airto's Free, Milt Jackson's Sunflower, Kenny Burrell's God Bless the Child and Joe Farrell's Outback and more.

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Albert Cory's avatar

Good article and I'll admit I was one of the CTI-haters. I bought one Wes Montgomery album from their later years, and it was absolute smooth shite.

Fortunately, I later got "Smokin' at the Half Note" and "Echoes of Indiana Avenue" to get that foul taste out of my mouth.

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Robert C. Gilbert's avatar

The later Montgomery's are really commercial and easy listening. 'Bumpin,' on Verve from 1965 and produced by Taylor, is a far better example of the guitarist in a more accessible vein.

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