GROVER WASHINGTON JR — Mister Magic (review)

GROVER WASHINGTON JR — Mister Magic album cover Album · 1975 · Funk Jazz Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
Sean Trane
Second or third (not sure) Grover CTI album, MM is much more aesthetical that it’s King’s Horse predecessor, and can be sometimes a tad demanding. You’ll still find the usual CTI suspects, all gathering at the Van Gelder studios. Long-standing friends and collabs like Bob James and Ralph McDonald are not only playing (keys and percussions respectively) on every track, but they are also writing most of the pieces, with Grover Jr only getting a half-credit.

Opening on the excellent Bob James-penned 12-mins+ Earth Tones, which sometimes approach (didn’t say “got close to”) the experimental dissonance and energy of a Mwandishi album. However, the (thankfully-short) cheesy string arrangements of Passion Flower ruins the mood. On the flipside, the 9-mins title track tilts the balance back on the positive end of the scale, but the soundscapes are not quite as experimental than Earth Tone, and by its end, you’re somewhat happy it segues into the album closer Bob-James-penned Black Frost, another enthralling track that moves funkily into fusion-land.

Clearly Grover’s better CTI album, Mister Magic redeems Washington’s image after the previous King’s Horse album. If you must own only one Grover album, make sure it’s this one, because the upcoming Secret Place will try to take things were MM left things at, but will mostly fail. Easily Grover’s 70’s peak.

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