Julian Priester Pepo Mtoto: Love, Love

Rating: ★★★★★

Record and Artist Details

Musicians:

Umbra Zindiko (ky)
Kamau Eric Gravatt (d)
Ron McClure (b)
Ndugu Leon Chancler (d)
Bill Connors (g)
Hadley Caliman (ts, f, bcl)
Mguanda David Johnson (f, ss)
Bayete (ky)
Nyimbo Henry Franklin (b)
Julian Priester Pepo Mtoto (tb)
Patrick Gleeson (ky)

Label:

ECM

August/2019

Media Format:

CD

Catalogue Number:

1044 674 3185

RecordDate:

1974

Quite simply the funkiest thing ECM has ever released. Julian Priester Pepo Mtoto was, along with Bennie Maupin, the Herbie Hancock alumnus who ended up on Manfred Eicher's label in the post-Mwandishi period and recorded two cult albums, and this one is eternally mind-blowing. Priester assembled a super group for the session, pulling in members from Weather Report, Return to Forever, Mahavishnu Orchestra and George Duke's band, to produce music that really takes everything that is good about all of the above and turns it into a coherent synthesis. He also stamps his own strong character on proceedings. The blend of hard, funky bass, cussed rock guitar and hissing electronica, courtesy of Herbie's go-to keyboards wiz Patrick Gleeson on the title-track is unbelievable and possibly out-Mwandishis Mwandishi. The über-moody, shadowy ostinatos and steadily creeping tension are irresistible This reissue gives what was already a well-engineered recording a glorious sound.

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