Eddie Russ - 1976 - See The Light

Eddie Russ

1976

See The Light

01. See The Light 7:22
02. Zaius 5:32
03. Stop It Now 5:30
04. Salem Avenue 5:14
05. Tomorrow Is Another Day 7:37
06. Poko Nose 5:44

Backing Vocals – R.C. Crawford*, Kitty Haywood
Bass – Greg Coles, Larry Rhodes
Drums, Percussion – Calvin Welch, Dave Penny, Jerry Pohl
Guitar – R.C. Crawford, Jerry Glassel, Melvin Clark
Keyboards – Eddie Russ

Tenor Saxophone – Larry Nozero, Wilbert Machen

Trumpet – Ken Wierenga, Marcus Belgrave

Keyboardist Eddie Russ hailed from Pittsburg and played with many of the greats including Sarah Vaughn, Benny Golson, Stan Getz and Dizzy Gillespie. Eddie is somewhat of an enigma, but he has always been held in high regard in the UK, and he finally was able to perform here in London at the Jazz café in the early 90's a few years before his untimely demise. His debut album 'Fresh Out' was recorded for the Jazz Masters label and includes the jazz dance classic 'The Lope Song', he also contributed heavily to Sonny Stitt's 'Tornado' album on that label. His band The Mixed Bag also made an album for the Detroit Tribe label. In 1976 he signed to John Richbourg's Sound Stage 7 label and made two great jazz funk albums which were released on the Nashville's Monument label and like his debut were produced by Bob Crawford. From this first album 'See The Light' the title track is a great take on the Earth Wind And Fire song, 'Poko Nose' is a great funky groove oriented track, but it is the magical 'Zaius' that has become an all time jazz funk classic, a track that has maintained it's popularity over the past 40 years.

Recorded at Detroit's United Sound Studios -- the petri dish where George Clinton concocted his most mind-boggling Funkadelic outings -- Eddie Russ' fusion cult classic See the Light operates on a cosmic wavelength all its own, embracing otherworldly synthesizers, squelching basslines, and orchestral electronics to create a shimmering jazz-funk-disco hybrid that eludes simple genre definition. Supported by Motor City stalwarts including trumpeter Marcus Belgrave and saxophonist Larry Nozero, Russ channels the keyboard wizardry of Herbie Hancock and Lonnie Liston Smith, but for all its astral aspirations, the music is surprisingly street-smart as well. The title cut is an epic rendition of the Earth, Wind & Fire song, and "Zauis" courts the dancefloor via Latin-inspired rhythms and breathtaking solos that build to an orgasmic climax.