Performed at Brooklyn Bowl, Brooklyn, NY on 5/13/2017 as a tribute to the late, great soul-jazz guitarist Melvin Sparks. This is Groove on up to The New Mastersounds' take on Melvin's arrangement of the classic Hip Hop sampling staple and Kool & The Gang classic "Who's Gonna Take The Weight".
The New Mastersounds:
Eddie Roberts - guitar
Simon Allen - drums
Pete Shand - bass
Joe Tatton - keyboards
Special Guests:
King Solomon Hicks - guitar
Neal Sugarman - tenor sax
David Guy - trumpet
Bill Carbone - percussion
"Until he was about 20, Texas-born Melvin Sparks was a rhythm & blues guitarist, backing Jackie Wilson, Curtis Mayfield and Marvin Gaye as a member of The Upsetters. But Sparks gave up his seat on The Upsetters' bus in New York City, where a chance introduction to George Benson led him to a place in soul jazz history. Melvin played and recorded with Lou Donaldson, Leon Spencer, Bernard Purdie, Jack McDuff, Jimmy McGriff, Idris Muhammad, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Charles Earland, Grover Washington Jr., Reuben Wilson and so many more. Even during the quietest years of soul-jazz Melvin stayed relevant through hip-hop and r&b; a quick search at WhoSampled turns up more than 150 samples of his funky chicken scratch. And Melvin's legacy is heard in contemporary soul/funk bands like The New Mastersounds, Soulive and The Greyboy Allstars, all of whom he also guested with several times before his early departure from this realm in 2011.
This release documents Melvin's final band just months before his death. Organist Beau Sasser and drummer Bill Carbone had been working with Sparks for several years, and, despite the power dynamic - they were in their early 30s, Melvin an elder-statesmen of the genre - the unit was sharp, relaxed and performed Melvin's music with a jovial spirit. The trio played the Burlington, VT club Nectar's regularly, but this night featured two "onlys." Per the recommendation of Nectar's agent they used the "Grippo Horns," the only time Sparks used a horn section in the last several years of his life, and they allowed a multitrack recording of the show. Both were strong decisions.
The tracks on this album, lovingly mixed by guitarist, producer and Melvin Sparks fan Eddie Roberts, demonstrate that Melvin played as well in the final months of his life as at any time. Sparks counts "Whip! Whop!" off at what he said The Upsetters called a "showtime tempo," and peppers it, as well as most of the album, with quotes from jazz standards, pop songs and cartoon themes, all woven effortlessly into the bebop-funk dialect he helped create. He unfolds amiable melodies, patiently and methodically, through his several-minute lead on "Breezin'." And Sparks is audibly uplifted by the Grippo Horns helping him perform his 1973 arrangement of "Ain't No Woman" for the first time in decades."
"Growing up in Houston, and following in the footsteps of an older brother, Sparks began playing guitar at a young age and was only 13 when played with B.B. King. He later was a member of Little Richard’s band. Eventually, Sparks relocated to New York and hooked in with Lou Donaldson, adding a funky, soulful twist to Donaldson’s groove-heavy jazz. He also backed jazz luminaries such as David “Fathead” Newman, Hank Crawford, Reuben Wilson and “Big” John Patton, among others." - From an interview with soul jazz pioneer Melvin Sparks in 2002 by Liner Notes
Enjoy the funky sounds of the late great guitarist Melvin Sparks as he lays the groove down with his band, live at Wetlands on June 14, 1998.
The summer of 2012 marks the release of an EP by Soulive and Karl Denson dedicated to the life of influential jazz guitarist Melvin Sparks. "SPARK!" feature their cover tunes by Soulive and Denson which capture the unique CTI Jazz sound with authenticity as a standard of funky Jazz fusion which Mr. Sparks helped to define during his career. This special EP project was recorded in 2011 shortly after the unfortunate passing of Sparks.
"SPARK!" will be officially released on June 19 with an accompanied tour of Japan and New York to play songs from the project.
"Beau Sasser and Bill Carbone spent several years as the other two-thirds of Melvin Sparksí trio. At first, most nights were marked by Sparksí distinctive brand of constructive criticism, both on stage and off. But Beau and Bill listened and learned, and soon the three developed an undeniable chemistry.
Sparks was always planning for the future, and he frequently played the band demos of songs he wanted to record or other tracksóeverything from Jimmy Smith to Zapp and Rogeróthat he thought would be good live. Sparkplug is Sasser and Carboneís way of paying tribute to Sparks by performing the songs that he wrote and on which he played during his 45 year career as well as imagining what else he might do if he was still here."
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