Weldon Irvine - Liberated Brother

180g audiophile vinyl reissue.

Irvine's sublime '72 release on his own label Nodlew (Weldon spelt backwards), is incredibly rare and sought after. It encompasses Soul, Jazz, Fusion and Funk in a fiercely idiosyncratic electric jazz way, not to be missed!

Weldon Irvine's debut as a leader remains one of the most fiercely idiosyncratic electric jazz outings of the early '70s. Innovative not only for its moody, nuanced jazz-funk sensibility, Liberated Brother also translates the uncommonly strong passion of Irvine's political and philosophical views into its grooves, creating music of rare sincerity and ambition. While the record's first-half features longer, more meditative songs, like the Latin-inspired title tune and Blues Wel-Don, the second side of Liberated Brother commands the most attention.

With sterling contributions from guitarist Tommy Smith, bassist Roland Wilson, and drummer Napoleon Revels-Bey, cuts like Mr. Clean and Sister Sanctified (later sampled by Boogie Down Productions for the rap classic My Philosophy) achieve a deeply funky consciousness forged from elements of jazz, soul, and psychedelia; Juggah Buggah even features Irvine on Moog synthesizer, further expanding the LP's cosmic reach. - Jason Ankeny, AllMusic