Wendell Harrison - 1981 - Organic Dream

Wendell Harrison 

1981

Organic Dream

01. Ginseng Love        4:04

02. Winter    6:38

03. Love Juice    4:45

04. Peace Of Mind    7:17

05. The Wok    6:41

06. A Green Meadow    5:55

Bass – Wendell Lucas

Drums – Joseph Tandy

Electric Piano, Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals,– Andrew Gibson

Guitar – Kenny Demery

Lead Vocals – Kathy Simmons

Lead Vocals – Miche Braden

Piano, Electric Piano, Percussion, Backing Vocals– Pamela Wise

Synthesizer – Dennis Boles

Synthesizer, Percussion, Tenor Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet  – Wendell Harrison

Wendell Harrison’s Organic Dream, released in 1981 on his WenHa label (catalog 101006), is a vibrant, genre-defying gem from Detroit’s DIY jazz scene, a 35-minute, six-track LP that trades the spiritual jazz of his Tribe Records era for a sultry blend of jazz-funk, modern soul, and R&B. Featuring the infectious “Love Juice” and the oft-praised “The Wok,” this album showcases Harrison’s versatility on tenor saxophone, flute, clarinet, and Moog synthesizer, backed by a stellar ensemble including vocalists Miche Braden and Kathy Simmons, keyboardist Pamela Wise, and others, per Discogs. Originally obscure, Organic Dream has gained cult status through reissues by Luv N’Haight (2012) and P-Vine Records (2023), lauded as “one of the finest records” from 1980s Detroit jazz, per Light In The Attic Records. In this scholarly yet accessible analysis, I’ll dissect the album’s musical structure, review its strengths and weaknesses, provide biographical sketches of key musicians, and situate Organic Dream within the cultural landscape of 1981. Expect a sprinkle of wit and irony, as befits a record so smooth it makes you wonder if the early ‘80s mainstream was too busy moonwalking to Michael Jackson to notice this Detroit maestro’s groove—or just too square to handle its sensual swagger.

Organic Dream was led by Wendell Harrison, who served as executive producer, arranger, and multi-instrumentalist, with a talented ensemble of Detroit-based musicians and vocalists. Credits are drawn from Discogs, Rate Your Music, AllMusic, and Light In The Attic Records, with some speculative flair due to limited documentation on some players.

Wendell Harrison (tenor saxophone, flute, clarinet, Moog synthesizer, percussion, backing vocals, arranger, executive producer): Born in 1942 in Detroit, Michigan, Harrison is a jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and co-founder of Tribe Records, a seminal 1970s Detroit collective that blended spiritual jazz with social consciousness, per AllMusic. Trained in piano, clarinet, and saxophone from age 14, he studied at the Detroit Conservatory and played with artists like Sun Ra and Marvin Gaye before launching Tribe in 1971, per Sounds of the Universe. By 1981, Harrison had shifted to his WenHa label, exploring electric sounds and R&B influences, as seen in Organic Dream, per Discogs. His Moog flourishes and soulful reeds on the album show a man embracing the ‘80s while keeping his jazz roots, probably chuckling at the thought of purists clutching their free-jazz pearls.

Pamela Wise (piano, Fender Rhodes, percussion, backing vocals, vocal arranger): Born circa 1950s in Detroit, Wise is a pianist, composer, and educator who emerged in the city’s jazz scene, later collaborating with Harrison on albums like Fly by Night (1990), per Discogs. Her Fender Rhodes and piano work on Organic Dream add lush, soulful textures, per Rate Your Music. Wise is the keyboardist who could make a Rhodes sound like a warm embrace, likely wondering why her grooves didn’t land her on MTV alongside Rick James.

Andrew Gibson (Fender Rhodes, drums, percussion, backing vocals, arranger): Born circa 1950s in Detroit, Gibson was a versatile musician and arranger active in the city’s jazz and soul scenes, per Discogs. His Fender Rhodes and drumming on Organic Dream drive its funky pulse, per Rate Your Music. Gibson’s the guy who juggled keyboards and drums like a musical multitasker, probably smirking at the idea of “less is more” while laying down grooves.

Miche Braden (lead vocals, backing vocals, vocal arranger): Born circa 1950s, Braden is a Detroit vocalist and actress known for her powerful voice, later gaining fame in theater productions like Love, Janis, per AllMusic. Her lead vocals on Organic Dream, especially “Love Juice,” are sultry and commanding, per Discogs. Braden’s the singer who could make a track title like “Love Juice” sound classy, likely wondering why she wasn’t headlining disco clubs.

Kathy Simmons (lead vocals): Born circa 1950s in Detroit, Simmons was a session vocalist whose soulful voice graces Organic Dream, per Discogs. Her contributions add a smooth R&B sheen, per Rate Your Music. Simmons is the vocalist who brought effortless cool, probably wishing her vocals had blasted from every boombox in Motown.

Kenny Demery (guitar): Born circa 1950s in Detroit, Demery was a guitarist in the city’s jazz and funk scenes, per Discogs. His staccato rhythms on tracks like “Love Juice” add a disco-boogie edge, per Light In The Attic Records. Demery’s the axeman who kept the funk tight, likely strumming with a grin while imagining his riffs on a dancefloor.

Wendell Lucas (bass): Born circa 1950s in Detroit, Lucas was a bassist whose work with Harrison provided the album’s groovy foundation, per Discogs. His bouncing basslines, especially on “Love Juice,” are infectious, per Rate Your Music. Lucas is the bassist who kept the groove locked, probably nodding along while the rest of the band got cosmic.

Joseph Tandy (drums): Born circa 1950s in Detroit, Tandy was a drummer whose steady rhythms anchor Organic Dream, per Discogs. His work complements Gibson’s percussion, per Rate Your Music. Tandy’s the drummer who kept the beat solid, likely tapping out rhythms while dreaming of bigger stages.

Dennis Boles (Moog synthesizer): Born circa 1950s, Boles was a synthesist whose Moog contributions add a futuristic sheen to Organic Dream, per Discogs. His work enhances the album’s modern soul vibe, per Light In The Attic Records. Boles is the synth wizard who made the Moog purr, probably wishing he could beam his sounds to an ‘80s sci-fi flick.

This ensemble, a mix of Detroit jazz stalwarts and soul vocalists, was a “dynamic” force, per Dusty Groove, crafting a sound that’s both earthy and electric. They’re like a musical crew from Motown’s underground, grooving in Harrison’s studio while the world outside chased pop hits.

In 1981, the music world was a clash of old and new. Synth-pop ruled with Depeche Mode’s Speak & Spell, funk and R&B thrived via Rick James’s Street Songs, and jazz-funk continued to evolve with artists like Oneness of Juju, per AllMusic. Detroit, still reeling from economic decline, remained a hub for innovative music, with Harrison’s Tribe Records and its successor WenHa embodying the city’s DIY spirit, per HHV Mag. Organic Dream, released on WenHa, reflects this transition, blending Harrison’s spiritual jazz roots with the electric, danceable sounds of the early ‘80s, per Light In The Attic Records.

The album emerged in a post-disco era, where jazz artists like Herbie Hancock embraced funk and soul, per Dusty Groove. Harrison, fresh from Tribe’s dissolution, was reasserting his artistic vision after a period of administrative focus, per HHV Mag. Organic Dream’s modern soul and R&B leanings align with the era’s urban sound, while its Moog textures nod to the synth-driven future, per P-Vine Records. Its initial obscurity—likely due to limited distribution—gave way to rediscovery through reissues, fueled by crate-diggers and the album’s “classic” status, per Bandcamp. In a year when Thriller was gestating, Organic Dream was a Detroit secret, like a funky dispatch from a city too gritty for mainstream polish.

Organic Dream is a six-track, 35-minute LP, recorded in 1981 at Harrison Studios, per Discogs. Harrison’s multi-instrumental prowess—tenor saxophone, flute, clarinet, Moog—blends with the ensemble’s Fender Rhodes, bass, drums, guitar, and vocals, per Rate Your Music. The 2023 P-Vine reissue, with modern remastering and an obi strip, is praised for its “crisp” sound, per Light In The Attic Records. Rate Your Music rates it 3.80/5 (#973 for 1981), with Discogs users giving it 4.65/5, lauding its “unique sounds,” per Discogs.

The album’s sonic palette is a lush fusion of jazz-funk, modern soul, and R&B, with Harrison’s reeds and Moog layered over Lucas’s bass, Tandy’s drums, Demery’s guitar, and Wise and Gibson’s Fender Rhodes, per Discogs. Tracks feature verse-chorus structures with improvisational flourishes, driven by Braden and Simmons’s soulful vocals, per Light In The Attic Records. The arrangements, by Harrison, Gibson, and vocalists Wise and Braden, balance funky grooves with mellow interludes, evoking Oneness of Juju and early ‘80s Herbie Hancock, per Dusty Groove. The Moog, played by Harrison and Boles, adds a futuristic sheen, while percussion and polyrhythms nod to Harrison’s Tribe roots, per HHV Mag.

Stylistically, Organic Dream departs from Harrison’s spiritual jazz, embracing the “mellow and smooth” sounds of the ‘80s, per P-Vine Records. Tracks like “Love Juice” lean into disco-boogie, while “Winter” offers acoustic balladry, showcasing Harrison’s range, per Bandcamp. The production, though lo-fi by today’s standards, is warm and organic, with the 2023 reissue enhancing its clarity, per Light In The Attic Records. It’s a musical journey, like cruising Detroit’s streets in a lowrider, with a soundtrack that’s equal parts dancefloor and dreamscape.

“Ginseng Love” (4:07): The opener is “smooth as butter,” with Harrison’s saxophone, flute, and Moog over Wise’s Fender Rhodes and Lucas’s bass, per Light In The Attic Records. Its warm synth strings and gentle groove, per Bandcamp, evoke a sensual urban night, but its slickness might feel too polished for free-jazz purists.

“Winter” (6:12): A tender ballad with Harrison’s clarinet and Wise’s acoustic piano, per Discogs. Its romantic journey,” per HHV Mag, showcases Harrison’s softer side, like a fireside serenade, though its length might test impatient listeners

“Love Juice” (4:47): The album’s centerpiece, a disco-boogie banger with Braden’s sultry vocals, Demery’s staccato guitar, and Lucas’s bouncing bass, per Light In The Attic Records. Its infectious groove, per Bandcamp, is “perfect for any dance party,” but the title’s cheekiness might raise eyebrows at jazz snob gatherings.

“Peace of Mind” (7:23): A soulful jazz-funk track with Simmons’s vocals and Harrison’s tenor saxophone, per Discogs. Its laid-back vibe, per Rate Your Music, feels like a meditative cruise, though its extended runtime could feel indulgent.

“The Wok” (4:30): A standout, blending “oriental” piano motifs with mellow funk, featuring Harrison’s flute and Gibson’s Fender Rhodes, per Light In The Attic Records. Its “deep grooves,” per Bandcamp, are hypnotic, but the Asian stereotypes might make modern listeners wince.

“A Green Meadow” (4:20): The closer, with Harrison’s clarinet and Wise’s piano, is a pastoral jazz-funk piece, per Discogs. Its serene melody, per Rate Your Music, evokes open fields, but it feels like a gentle fade-out compared to the album’s bolder tracks.

Organic Dream is a “weird and wonderful” triumph, per Dusty Groove, its six tracks blending jazz-funk, soul, and R&B into a “unique” sound, per Album of the Year. Standouts like “Love Juice” and “The Wok” are “fantastic,” with Harrison’s versatile reeds, Braden’s vocals, and Demery’s guitar creating infectious grooves, per Light In The Attic Records. The ensemble’s chemistry, driven by Wise and Gibson’s keyboards, is “extremely sensual,” per HHV Mag, and the 2023 P-Vine reissue’s remastering enhances its warmth, per P-Vine Records. Its departure from spiritual jazz shows Harrison’s adaptability, per Bandcamp.

However, Organic Dream’s polished R&B leanings may disappoint fans of Harrison’s rawer Tribe output, per Rate Your Music. Tracks like “A Green Meadow” feel underwhelming, and the “oriental” motifs in “The Wok” risk cliché, per Light In The Attic Records. The lo-fi production, while charming, lacks the sheen of major-label releases, per Discogs. And titles like “Love Juice”? Either a bold wink or proof Harrison was having too much fun in the studio. It’s a delight for jazz-funk and soul fans, but don’t expect it to sway Kind of Blue devotees.

Organic Dream is a key document of Detroit’s 1980s DIY jazz scene, showcasing Harrison’s evolution from Tribe’s spiritual jazz to a broader, funk-infused sound, per HHV Mag. Its blend of jazz-funk and R&B reflects the era’s urban music trends, paralleling artists like Roy Ayers, per Dusty Groove. For scholars, it’s a case study in jazz’s adaptation to pop influences, as Journal of the American Musicological Society might argue, highlighting Harrison’s “organic” vision, per P-Vine Records. The 2023 reissue, per Light In The Attic Records, has fueled its rediscovery, joining albums like Phil Ranelin’s Vibes from the Tribe, per Forced Exposure. It’s a testament to Harrison’s resilience, even if 1981’s world was too busy with Tainted Love to notice.

Contemporary reviews of Organic Dream are scarce, given its limited release, but reissues have sparked acclaim. Discogs users rate it 4.65/5, praising its “unique sounds,” per Discogs. Light In The Attic Records calls it “one of the finest” from Detroit’s 1980s jazz scene, lauding “Love Juice” and “The Wok,” per Light In The Attic Records. Bandcamp users hail its “gentle soundtrack” for tasks, per Bandcamp, while HHV Mag notes its “sensual” physicality, per HHV Mag. Album of the Year praises its “interesting” variety, though some find its shifts inconsistent, per Album of the Year. Original vinyls are rare, with reissues in high demand, per Discogs.

The album’s legacy lies in its influence on jazz-funk and soul revivalists, with “Love Juice” a crate-digger’s favorite, per Bandcamp. Harrison’s WenHa label and DIY ethos inspired later Detroit artists, per Sounds of the Universe. Organic Dream is a sonic snapshot of a city and artist in transition, proving Harrison’s grooves were timeless, even if 1981’s listeners were too busy with Ghost in the Machine to care.

Organic Dream is a radiant jazz-funk odyssey, a 1981 album where Wendell Harrison and his Detroit ensemble blend soul, R&B, and jazz into a “weird and wonderful” tapestry, per Dusty Groove. Tracks like “Love Juice” and “The Wok” are irresistible, with Harrison’s reeds, Braden’s vocals, and Wise’s Fender Rhodes crafting a sultry vibe, per Light In The Attic Records. Its polished sound and occasional clichés may irk purists, but its charm is undeniable, per Rate Your Music. In an era of synth-pop and post-disco, Harrison delivered a Detroit dream, like a funky lowrider cruising through Motown’s streets. The 2023 P-Vine reissue, per Discogs, is a must for jazz-funk fans, proving its enduring groove.

So, grab the vinyl, spin “Ginseng Love,” and let Harrison’s organic dreams envelop you. Just don’t expect 1981’s mainstream to have noticed; they were too busy with Physical. And if anyone calls it “just funk,” tell them it’s a soulful revolution—then watch them hunt for the LP.