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Friday, July 10, 2026
Barney Kessel • To Swing Or Not To Swing
Colaborador / Contributor: Michel
Houston Person • Legends of Acid Jazz
Review by Chris Slawecki
Houston
Person was among the guttiest of the gutbucket saxophonists of the
soul-jazz golden age -- for proof, look no further than Legends of Acid
Jazz: Houston Person, which compiles two of the saxman's most popular
releases, Person to Person! and Houston Express (both originally
released in 1970). Express featured the "funkmaster general" of the
tenor saxophone with a tight, pocket-sized ensemble (including guitarist
Grant Green and drummer Idris Muhammad), while, on Person!, his
supporting ensemble expanded to include trumpet players Cecil
Bridgewater and Thad Jones, guitarist Billy Butler and another kindred
spirit and prince of funk on his instrument, Motown bassist Gerry
Jemmott.
Legends of Acid Jazz: Houston Person provides a
high-voltage cover version extravaganza, including "(For God's Sake)
Give More Power to the People" (the Chi-Lites), "Close to You" (the
Carpenters), "Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yester-Day" (Stevie Wonder),
"Young, Gifted and Black" (Aretha Franklin), "Just My Imagination" (the
Temptations), and "Lift Every Voice and Sing," which Person describes in
his liner notes as the "black national anthem." Person and friends turn
every one of these, and others such as his own "Up at Joe's, Down at
Jim's" and his trademark "The Houston Express" into stinging, swinging,
original-sounding opuses of funk.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/legends-of-acid-jazz-mw0000615833
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Reseña de Chris Slawecki
Houston
Person fue uno de los saxofonistas más agresivos de la época dorada del
soul-jazz. Para comprobarlo, no hay más que ver Legends of Acid Jazz:
Houston Person, que recopila dos de los lanzamientos más populares del
saxofonista, Person to Person! y Houston Express (ambos publicados
originalmente en 1970). Express presentaba al "funkmaster general" del
saxofón tenor con un conjunto ajustado y de bolsillo (que incluía al
guitarrista Grant Green y al batería Idris Muhammad), mientras que, en
Person!, su conjunto de apoyo se ampliaba para incluir a los
trompetistas Cecil Bridgewater y Thad Jones, al guitarrista Billy Butler
y a otro espíritu afín y príncipe del funk en su instrumento, el
bajista de la Motown Gerry Jemmott.
Leyendas del Acid Jazz:
Houston Person ofrece una extravagancia de versiones de alto voltaje,
incluyendo "(For God's Sake) Give More Power to the People" (los
Chi-Lites), "Close to You" (los Carpenters), "Yester-Me, Yester-You,
Yester-Day" (Stevie Wonder), "Young, Gifted and Black" (Aretha
Franklin), "Just My Imagination" (los Temptations), y "Lift Every Voice
and Sing", que Person describe en sus notas como el "himno nacional
negro". "Person y sus amigos convierten cada una de estas canciones, y
otras como la suya propia "Up at Joe's, Down at Jim's" y su
característica "The Houston Express", en punzantes y originales opus de
funk.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/legends-of-acid-jazz-mw0000615833




