In the late 1960s Henry
"Pucho" Brown was at the top of his game. He successfully merged
Soul, Funk and Latin rhythms into a steaming, genre-bending mix; this formula
packed both the dance floors and his pockets. He went on to produce a swag of
albums. Heat! finds his group banging out their prominent brand of Latin
grooves. These tracks as back then still have the capacity to excite the
listener today. The album packs a thoroughly contagious array of vibes,
hard-driving percussion, Fender bass backed by a small ensemble of somber strings.
Other funky elements include Neal Creque's flexing organ licks and the
intermingling gruff vocals of Jackie Soul's on a number of the tracks. The
majority of the tracks are originals penned by Creque, but there's also a
handful of colorful covers including "Georgia On My Mind", which
became quite a hit. Other tunes feature a foreboding counterpoint between the
strings and William Bevin’s vibes, and showcase what an accomplished arranger
Creque was. Taken as a whole, this is an enjoyable and undeniably funky set
showcasing some of the band’s best. For anyone who likes Latin jazz funk this
album will be of great interest, recommended!
Prestige Records, PRST 7572,
1968
Beat Goes Public, BGPD 1048, 1992
Recorded 23rd
April, 1968 in New York City
Musicians:
Henry “Pucho” Brown -
Timbales
Eddie Pazant - Baritone
Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Flute
Al Pazant - Trumpet
Willie Bivens - Vibraphone
Neal Creque - Piano, Organ,
Arranger
Jim Phillips - Bass
Norberto Appellaniz - Bongos
Cecil Jackson - Conga
Selwart Clarke, Sanford
Allen, Alfred Brown - Violin
Jackie Soul, The Soul Sisters
- Vocals
Tracks:
A1. Heat! {Jimmy Phillips}
(4:46)
A2. Georgia On My Mind {Hoagy
Carmichael} (3:56)
A3. The Presence Of Your
Heart {Neal Creque} (4:08)
A4. Psychedelic Pucho {Pucho,
Jimmy Phillips, Neal Creque} (6:59)
B1. I Can't Stop Loving You
{Don Gibson} (3:37)
B2. Wanderin' Rose {Neal
Creque} (7:54)
B3. Let Love Find You {Neal
Creque} (3:20)
B4. Candied Yam {Neal Creque}
(3:32)
B5. Payin' Dues {Neal Creque}
(3:01)
Total Time: 41:13
Credits:
Producer, Design - Don
Schlitten
Recording Engineer - Richard
Alderson
Graphic Art - Irving Riggs
