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Jimmy McGriff: Let's Stay Together
ByLet's Stay Together, on the other hand, is a facsimile of one of Jimmy's old Groove Merchant LPsin all it's a 32 ½-minute glory. Reissued by a company I've never heard of called Beast Retro, this lost McGriff episode combines four tracks recorded by a 1972 septet ("Let's Stay Together," "Tiki," "Theme From Shaft" and "What's Going On") with three tracks from a 1966 trio featuring guitarist Thornell Schwartz ("Old Grand Dad," "Georgia On My Mind" and "April In Paris"). The original cover art is all there, along with writer and musician credits. Even the sound reproduction puts LRC to shame.
The music, unfortunately, isn't terribly memorable. But the R&B covers benefit by McGriff's outstanding blues touch and the funky "Tiki" and the glorious blues of "Old Grand Dad" (the only originals) are what make a McGriff album worth every dollar. Although nothing too surprising happens here, McGriff fans will want to pick up on this cut-out classic.
McGriff fans may also want to note that the German budget label LaserLight has recently reissued two of the organist's Sonny Lester productions: Funkiest Little Band In The Land (a funk compilation which features "Tiki" from Let's Stay Together ), and Tribute To Count Basie, from McGriff's brash 1966 all-star big-band album Jimmy McGriff and The Big Band, featuring arranger / conductor Manny Albam.
Track Listing
"Let's Stay Together" (Al Green, Willie Mitchell, Al Jackson Jr.) – 2:45; "Tiki" (Jimmy McGriff) – 4:20; "Theme from Shaft" (Isaac Hayes) – 4:00; "What's Going On" (Marvin Gaye, Renaldo Benson, Al Cleveland) – 4:33; "Old Grand Dad" (McGriff, Thornel Schwartz) – 5:04; "Georgia on My Mind" (Hoagy Carmichael, Stuart Gorrell) – 6:42; "April in Paris" (Vernon Duke, Yip Harburg) – 5:03.
Personnel
Jimmy McGriff
organ, Hammond B3Willie Jenkins
drumsWilliam Skinner
trumpetL. E. Lofton
tromboneHarold Bennett
woodwindsLawrence Frazier
guitarThornel Schwartz
guitarJames Peacock
congasAlbum information
Title: Let's Stay Together | Year Released: 1997 | Record Label: Groove Merchant