Melvin Sparks - Akilah !

Year : 1972
Label : Prestige
Genre : Jazz
Style : Soul Jazz, Jazz Funk

Sparks' third LP recorded at studio Rudy Van Gelder with guests Hubert Laws (flute on The Image Of Love), Ernie Royal and George Coleman (respectively trumpet & alto saxophone on  Akilah). Personnel of rhythm section features Idris Muhammad, Leon Spencer and Buddy Caldwell. Titles include all compositions by Melvin Sparks except Love The Life You Live by Kool & The Gang, The Image Of Love by Leon Spencer. Orchestrations arranged by Billy Ver Plank.

Melvin Sparks_guitar

Leon Spencer_organ

Buddy Caldwell_percussion

Idris Muhammad_drums 

Virgil Jones_trumpet

Dave Hubbard_alto saxophone & flute 

Frank Wess_tenor saxophone

Sonny Fortune_alto saxophone

01. Love The Life You Live
02. On The Up
03. All Wrapped Up
04. Akilah
05. Blues For J.B.
06. The Image Of Love

Idris Muhammad - Black Rhythm Revolution !

Year : 1970
Label : BGP/Prestige
Genre : Jazz
Style : Funk/Soul

First solo album  signed on Prestige label and recorded at Rudy Van Gelder studio by Idris Muhammad to Soul Jazz style and high 'Funk' accent. He is surrounded by the same lineup as on his following album, Peace & Rhythm to the exception of Ron Carter & Alan Fontaine' absence. Titles include memorable grooves & powerful drum breaks, Soul covers of James Brown, Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band, Jack McDuff and two originals compositions by Idris Muhammad. All tracks arranged by Clarence Thomas.

Idris Muhammad_drums
Jimmy Lewis_bass
Buddy Caldwell_congas
Harold Mabern_electric piano
Melvin Sparks_guitar
Clarence Thomas_tenor & soprano saxophones
Virgil Jones_trumpet

01. Express Yourself (Charles Wright)

02. Soulful Drums (Jack McDuff)
03. Super Bad (James Brown)
04. Wander
05. By the Red Sea

Idris Muhammad - Peace And Rhythm

Year : 1971

Label : Prestige

Genre : Jazz

Style : Funk/Soul

Second studio album by the american jazz drummer, Idris Muhammad featuring Ron Carter, Kenny Baron, Melvin Sparks, Clarence Thomas & Virgil Jones. Idris Muhammad started as Leo Morris (his name before his conversion to Islam) with Fats Domino in 1956, later in the sixties, was session musician for various Blue Note recordings and for CTI in the seventies. Idris is best known as sideman for saxophonist Lou Donaldson from 1965 to 1971, collaborating to several of his albums such as the famous Alligator Bogaloo released in 1967. He played with a considerable number of Jazz legends, inter alia, Pharoah Sanders, Reuben Wilson, Lonnie Smith and more recently Ahmad Jamal. Titles include the Peace & Rhythm Suite, Brother You Know You're Doing Wrong written by his wife, Sakinah, and the funky hit song by Wilson Pickett, Don't Knock My Love. All tracks arranged by Clarence Thomas.

Idris Muhammad_drums, cabasa, gong
Ron Carter & Jimmy Lewis_bass
Melvin Sparks & Alan Fontaine_guitar
Kenny Baron_electric piano
Angel Allende_percussion, timbales
Buddy Caldwell_congas
Clarence Thomas_saxophones, flute, bells
Virgil Jones_trumpet
Willie Bivins_vibes

01. Peace & Rhythm Suite : Peace
02. Peace & Rhythm Suite : Rhythm
03. Brother You Know You're Doing Wrong
04. Don't Knock My Love
05. I'm A Believer

Melvin Sparks - Sparks !

Year : 1970
Label : Prestige
Genre : Jazz
Style : Soul Jazz

Debut album of studio jazz guitarist Melvin Sparks. He started to play in the backing band of Little Willie John, Little Richard and Sam Cooke between 1963 to 1967, on Brother Jack McDuff' Double Barrelled Soul in 1968, Reuben Wilson' Blue Mode & Lou Donaldson' Everything I Play Is Funky in 1969. He recorded Sparks ! with a great combo featuring Virgil Jones, John Manning, Leon Spencer Jr., Idris Muhammad and special guest saxophonist Houston Person on The Stinker. Titles include Thank You & Spill The Wine by Sly & Family Stone & Eric Burdon with War respectively, a great composition of Spencer, The Stinker. Recorded at studio Rudy Van Gelder.

Melvin Sparks_guitar

Leon Spencer Jr._organ

Idris Muhammad_drums

Virgil Jones_trumpet

John Manning_tenor saxophone

 01. Thank You

02. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
03. Charlie Brown
04. The Stinker
05. Spill The Wine

Lou Donaldson - Everything I Play Is Funky

Year : 1970
Label : Blue Note
Genre : Jazz
Style : Soul Jazz

Rare groove and the most funkiest LP from Lou Donaldson and his brilliant quintet  featuring Idris Muhammad &  Lonnie Smith (such as on Midnight Creeper) plus Blue Mitchell, Melvin Sparks and guests Ed Williams & Charles Earland who replaces Blue Mitchell & Lonnie Smith on Donkey Walk & West Indian Daddy. Titles include his best funk track Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky (From Now On) written by Allen Toussaint, Over The Rainbow from movie The Wizard Of Oz by Judy Garland and four original compositions by Lou Donaldson.

Lou Donaldson_alto & baritone saxophone, vocal

Lonnie Smith_organ

Jimmie Lewis_bass

Melvin Sparks_guitar

Idris Muhammad_drums

Blue Mitchell_trumpet

01. Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky (From Now On)
02. Hamp's Hump
03. Over The Rainbow
04. Donkey Walk
05. West Indian Daddy
06. Minor Bash

Brother Jack McDuff & David Newman - Double Barrelled Soul

Year : 1968

Label : Atlantic
Genre : Jazz
Style : Soul Jazz

McDuff meets David 'Fathead' Newman on this great Atlantic record featuring Melvin Sparks, Leo Johnson,  Abe Blasingame and Danny Turner. Mc Duff played in group The Honeydripper in 1961 with tenor saxophonist Jimmy Forrest and guitarist Grant Green, launched the career of the young George Benson (The New Boss Guitar, 1964) while David 'Fathead' Newman played in Ray Charles band in the fifties and on Herbie Mann' Hold on I'm Coming (live in New York & Montreux Festival in 1972). Titles include But It's Alright by Soul Singer J.J. Jackson, nice version of Bobby Hebb' Sunny, the awesome pefect groove Duffin' Around and More Head by Newman.

Brother Jack McDuff_organ

David Newman_alto, tenor saxophone & flute

Melvin Sparks_guitar

Abe Blasingame_drums

Danny Turner_alto saxophone

Leo Johnson_tenor saxophone & flute

01. But It's Alright

02. Sunny
03. Esperanto
04. Duffin' Round
05. More Head
06. Untitled Blues

Reuben Wilson - Blue Mode

Year : 1969
Label : Blue Note
Genre : Jazz
Style : Soul Jazz

Jazz organist Reuben Wilson's & the famous Hammond B-3 organ in probably his best album. Influenced by Richard 'Groove' Holmes and Jimmy Smith, Reuben worked with Grant Green, Sam Rivers or Roy Haynes,  formed his first group The Wildare Express in 1966 with Tommy Derrick who are also present on this record. The line-up consists of John Manning, Melvin Sparks and Tommy Derrick of course. Titles include huge groove Melvin' tune, Bamboo, Soul cover by Eddie Flyod (Knock On Wood). All tracks composed by Reuben Wilson except those mentionned. Produced by Francis Wolf and recorded at studio Rudy Van Gelder.
  
Reuben Wilson_organ
Melvin Sparks_guitar
Tommy Derrick_drums
John Manning_tenor saxophone

01. Bambu

02. Knock On Wood
03. Bus Ride
04. Orange Peel
05. Twenty-Five Miles
06. Blue Mode