Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Karma
"Celebration" 1976

One of the ones I may part with at our next sale : (

Karma released the album "Celebration" in 1976 on the Horizon label. The LP has a "soul jazz" feel, but with some real complexity in the compositions as well as the performances. Overall "Celebrations" has a bunch of stunning moments but was not a hit commercially.
When you consider the all star talents that was on board; saxophonist Ernie Watts, trombonist George Bohanon , trumpeter Oscar Brashear, and vocalist Syreeta Wright and Denice Williams...the project was only missing a solid danceable song that could double as a radio single.

Great at balancing Jazz's thoughtful complexities and Funk's playful simplicity, Karma has a lot to offer. The group had a sound that was identifiably mid-70's and "big-urban", much like the same era's music from coastal city soul jazz bands like LA's Earth, Wind, & Fire and NYC's Tarika Blue. Similar to those bands 1970's works, you will hear the rhythm section play its "gradient" layers of soul, Latin, and funk in the background with jazz and rhythm and blues of various "shades" in the foreground. I brought this record for a $1.00 at a T.E.S.C. record sale, maybe 10 - 15 years ago. Listening to it today, I realized that I didn't really listen to it much. Maybe because it was lost for awhile. I had just found the record in a box of stuff I moved from my mom's house. Checking around on the web I see that this record is out of print, but not to hard to find. Compact disc of "Celebration" are available as well. If you see this record at one of our August 21st and 22nd Record Sale...definitely grab it! *Hmm...Let me make sure I have an extra copy ; )



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