Shadow Tones

 

Gary Bartz - The Shadow Do [CR00418 USA 2022 24-Bit 176.4kHZ FLAC]

Originally released on Prestige Records in 1975.

Although not the most familiar name in the jazz world these days, Gary Bartz was a talented saxophonist who performed with the likes of Eric Dolphy, McCoy Tyer and Art Blakey. Like many of his peers his solo career developed around soul-jazz and R'n'B circles in the seventies.

Heavily sampled by hip-hop artists in the eighties & nineties, original copies of such albums as The Shadow Do have become highly desirable in recent years. Although, I'd never have him down as a great vocalist, this fine album is a fine representation of his talents as a musician, composer and band leader - the opening funk of Winding Roads is an absolute gem of a track.

Cut from the original master tapes by Kevin Gray and pressed onto  uniquely finished gold vinyl by RTI, this recent very limited reissue was released as part of a collaboration between Vinyl Me Please and Craft Recordings' Jazz Dispensary sub-label.

A1 Winding Roads

A2 Mother Nature

A3 Love Tones

A4 Gentle Smiles (Saxy)

B1 Make Me Feel Better

B2 Sea Gypsy

B3 For My Baby

B4 Incident