Reggie Lucas - 1975 - Survival Themes

Reggie Lucas

1975

Survival Themes

01. Slewfoot 3:04
02. Tender Years 4:26
03. The Barefoot Song 9:42
Survival Themes
04. Season Of The Monsoon 6:05
05. Faces Of Fortune 3:48
06. Tabarca 4:56
07. Electric Reflection 8:08

Bass – Anthony Jackson, Michael Henderson
Congas, Percussion – James Mtume
Drums – Howard King
Electric Piano, Clavinet, Synthesizer – Hubert Eaves
Guitar – Reggie Lucas
Tenor Saxophone – John Stubblefield
Trombone – Clifford Adams
Trumpet – Joe Gardnen

Recorded July 29, 1975

This is one of a handful of LPs by Miles Davis alumni recorded for the Japanese East / West label soon after the 1973-75 electric group was disbanded due to Miles’s health problems. In partnership with Mtume, Lucas moved on to a successful career in song writing, production and session work.

Compared to his work with Miles the material here on first impression seems a bit lightweight. Side one begins well the funky jam Slewfoot, which also appears on Norman Conners eponymous LP. Next up Tender Years featuring light airy jazz guitar phrases from Lucas backed by dense piano and over-sweetened synth accompaniment provided by Hubert Eaves. The rest of side one is filled by the 9.30 The Barefoot Song. This one is anchored around an electric piano ostinato by Eaves over which Lucas plays an extended jazz-rock solo. Apart from a nice 2 minute drum and bass break down there is no development. Overall the effect is like incidental music for a film, or some of the more laid back instrumental music from the Issac Hayes soundtrack to Shaft.

Side two is a suite of pieces with the collective title of Survival Themes. This side is more interesting and sounds like outtakes from a contemporary Miles Davis recording. In effect they feature Lucas and Mtume creating atmospheric, ambient soundscapes that could have been part of the next Miles LP if it had been recorded. There are 4 distinct themes, which unfortunately all run together as one long 22 minute track on the cd. Seasons of the Monsoon is medium paced with a flamenco feel. Over a soft chiming arpeggio Lucas multi-tracks a Santana-like legato lead. There is no beat, just Mtume adding some shaker and conga percussion. The 2 middle sections: Faces of fortune and Tabarca are slower and more reflective. The final section Electric Reflection is much heavier, an extended solo in the mode of Jimi Hendrix using loud distortion, phasing and panning. Behind this Mtume creates a simmering stew of heavily EFX processed rhythm box and percussion textures similar to his work on Agharta/Pangea. This could have been much better if Lucas had in places paused his playing or been faded down in the mix because Mtume’s fascinating sound-scapes and textures are mostly buried in the mix behind Lucas’s overlong take on (something like) Star Spangled Banner.

Overall this will dissappoint electric Miles fans hoping for more edgy funk-rock guitar a la Agharta. For students of the Miles electric sound, side two highlights the contribution that Lucas (and Mtume) made to the ambient interludes on Agharta/Pangea. With better mixing and editing the Survival Themes suite could have been much better - oh well.