Roland Haynes – 2nd Wave (Remastered) (1975/2020)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 32:11 minutes | 655 MB | Genre: Jazz
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Black Jazz Records
Featuring a unique combination of two keyboard players Roland’s original works still sound fresh today. Electrifying energy and superb performance from all musicians – features Henry Franklin on bass.
In a fair and reasonable world, Roland Haynes would have compelled more attention than he did when his jazz-funk record 2nd Wave appeared on Black Jazz in the mid-1970s. Not to say the keyboardist was totally neglected back then, but he and other plugged-in pianists of his stylistic inclination (such as label-mate Doug Carn, Hampton Hawes, Don Grolnick, Larry Willis, and Gordon Beck) existed in the deep shadow cast by jazzman-turned-jazz-funk powerhouse Herbie Hancock, whose records with the Head Hunters lit up the R&B and pop charts. Also eclipsing Haynes were other widely-known wizards of the electronic keyboards: Chick Corea (Return to Forever), Joe Zawinul (Weather Report), Bob James, and Ramsey Lewis, all sponsored by major record companies.
“This early effort by keyboardist Roland Haynes is an open and explorative soul-jazz session. Like John Patton’s comparable 1969 date, Accent on the Blues, this set has its spacy moments, but, on the whole, isn’t quite “out” enough to be considered avant-garde. A number of different moods and tempos are represented here. Some tunes, like the psychedelic opener, “Eglise,” find the dual keyboard front line floating over slow, deep funk rhythms. Others employ modal jazz vamps and lightening-fast chops. “Descent” and “Second Wave,” for example, are flat-out exhausting and find drummer Carl Burnette chopping and reconfiguring each beat at breakneck speeds. Burnette is perhaps best known for his work with Gene Harris in the early ’70s and listeners appreciative of his beat-down funk style on Three Sounds jams like “Duck Soup” will equally dig the groovy numbers that bookend this set. Haynes is heard on one of two electric pianos in this session. The other, held down by Kirk Lightsey, was fed through a wah effect and at times sounds much more like a guitar. For the most part, though, every song here is a winner, among them the opener and the infectious “Funky Mama Moose.” (Brandon Burke, AMG)
Tracklist
1. Roland Haynes – Eglise
2. Roland Haynes – Second Wave
3. Roland Haynes – Kirstn’s Place
4. Roland Haynes – Aicelis
5. Roland Haynes – Descent
6. Roland Haynes – Funky Mama Moose
Download: