Cortex - 1977 - Cortex Vol. 2

Cortex

1977

Cortex, Vol. 2

01. Devil's Dance 2:30

02. Funk Around The Punk 3:18

03. Hurluberlu 5:10

04. Soul 2:50

05. Datura 2:30

06. Poxa 3:25

07. Regina 5:00

08. Mister J. 2:50

09. Efficace Swing 3:30

10. Oh. Lord 6:20

Bass, Guitar, Tenor Saxophone – Nicolas Mirkov

Drums, Percussion – Alain Gandolfi

Electric Piano, Clavinet, Synthesizer, Organ – Alain Mion

Lead Guitar – Philippe Vautrin

Soprano Saxophone – François De Bricon, Nicolas Mirkov

Vocals – Alice Prévost, Pascale Richard

Originally released in 1977 on Sonodisc.

Vol. 2 is the second and rarest album recorded by the legendary Cortex, the obscure French jazz and funk group that's been a favorite of collectors for years. Originally released in 1977 and reissued last in 2002 by Follow Me Records, it's now back in stock in a final limited repressing of 500 copies, reissued by Trad Vibe Records under official license from band leader Alain Mion. It really is an absolutely killer album, filled with dope jazz-funk tracks. Unlike their first album, it's all instrumental (save for a few chants on "Poxa"), and it leans even more heavily on the groove side, in a funky Blaxploitation kind of way. The group's got a strong fusion-driven groove on this set -- with plenty of tight drumming, hard riffing, and spacey keyboards that give the tunes a nicely soulful finish. The best tracks are actually the mellower ones, which have a nice use of space and sound -- creating strong little patterns of groove that stand out from the rest of the tracks. Lots of work on Fender Rhodes, mini Korg, Hammond, and clavinet

On the surface, "Volume 2" could easily be considered disco. But on close inspection there is so much more happening here, it would be a tragedy for fans of the French fusion sound to ignore. Sure there are the fat beats, especially on the opening track, and the requisite white-boy funk track to follow. But as the album continues, the beats become more subtle, with plenty of jazz fills, while the bass player introduces some Top/Paganotti moves. Horn charts, tortured electric guitar solos and piano/Rhodes leads began to dominate. And when the flute takes over... oh, those melodies will be forever etched. This is a really good one and you can boogie on down with it too. I can go for another helping of this.