Ju-Par Universal Orchestra - 1976 - Moods And Grooves

Ju-Par Universal Orchestra

1976

Moods And Grooves

01. Funky Music 3:15

02. Beauty And The Beast 3:00

03. Time 3:08

04. Chicago Calypso 3:22

05. Mocha Velvet 4:18

06. Is Anyone Listening 3:12

07. Flute Salad 4:47

08. Gotta Get-A-Way 3:52

Baritone Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Ken Soderdlom

Bass – Lou Satterfield

Drums – Quinton Joseph

Flute – Rich Rudoll

Guitar – Phil Upchurch

Keyboards, Arranged By – Dick Boyell

Percussion – Derf Walker

Strings – Elliot Golub, Ev Zlatoff Mirsky, Carl Fruh, Len Chausow, Sam Thaviu, Sal Bobrov

Trombone – Ralph Craig

Trumpet – Art Hayle, Murray Watson

Vocals – Bonnie Herman, Kitty Haywood, Vivian Haywood

One of THE indie soul treasures of the 70s -- a wickedly funky record that blends together jazz, soul, and club -- and which stands out with a sound that's all its own! You may well know the tag "moods and grooves" -- as the record's had an influence on countless scenes, and has been referenced by many artists over the years. But nothing beats this original set, a sublime batch of electric grooves performed by a core combo of electric keys, bass, and congas -- augmented by sweetened strings and some occasional chorus vocals -- bad-stepping around the grooves in a mostly-instrumental mode that rivals (if not betters) some of the best funky soundtrack work of the decade!

In 1976, John "Juney" Garrett and Richard Parker launched Ju-Par Records in Detroit and immediately arranged for distribution to be handled by the giant Motown empire, an association that lasted through 3 albums before ceasing the arrangement. One of those albums was the one you see here converted to CD format with the same title - Mooves & Grooves - by an aggregation assembled by Garret and Parker they named The Ju-Par Universal Orchestra.

This assembly consisted of guitarist Phil Upchurch (who had a 1961 # 29 Billboard Pop Hot 100 hit with You Can't Sit Down, Part 2 as The Philip Upchurch Combo for the small Boyd label), trumpeters Art Hayle and Murray Watson, tenor/baritone saxophonist Ken Soderdlom, flutist Rich Rudoll, trombonist Ralph Craig, bassist Lou Satterfield, keyboardist (and producer-arranger) Dick Boyell, percussionist Derf Walker, drummer Quinton Joseph, and vocalists Kitty and Vivian Haywood and Bonnie Herman.

As a vinyl LP the contents were: A1. Funky Music (3:15); A2. Beauty And The Beast (3:00); A3. Time (3:08); A4. Chicago Calypso (3:22); B1. Mocha Velvet (4:18); B2. Is Anyone Listening? (3:12); B3. Flute Salad (4:47); B4. Gotta Get-A-Way (3:52). As a CD converted by Traffic Entertainment Group the same order runs 1 to 8. Sleeve notes are by John Edwards, WJLB Detroit radio host of "Jazz on A.M."

In June-July 1977 as single from the album saw Funky Music go to # 32 R&B and # 101 Hot 100 Bubble Under as Ju-Par 8002 b/w Time. That appears to be the only single released by the group, and since both sides are part of the CD, that will certainly please completist hits collectors. Short on lyrics, it most definitely is funky, but personally, I think if the Djs had flipped it over now and then, the B-side, Time, would have become a much bigger hit for the group. Beauty And The Beast and Flute Salad would have made another great paring as a single.