Ramon Morris - Sweet Sister Funk
ORDER LIMITED TO ONE ITEM PER CUSTOMER
Ramon Morris, tenor saxophone
Albert Bailey, electric piano
Mickey Bass, bass
Mickey Roker, drums
Cecil Bridgewater, trumpet
Lloyd Davis, guitar
Tony Waters, congos
1 LP, standard sleeve
Limited edition
Original analog Master tape : YES
Heavy Press : 180g
Record color : black
Speed : 33 RPM
Size : 12'’
Stereo
Studio
Record Press : Pallas
Label : Pure Pleasure
Original Label : Groove Merchant
Recorded in 1969 by Malcolm Addey
Produced by Sonny Lester
Remastered by Kevin Gray at Acoustech Lacquers
Lacquers plated by RTI
Originally released in 1973
Reissued in 2007
Tracks:
Side A :
- First Come, First Serve
- Wijinia
- Sweet Sister Funk
Side B :
1. Sweat
2. Don't Ask Me
3. Lord Sideways
4. People Make the World Go Round
Reviews:
« Ramon Morris' lone Groove Merchant date remains one of the most potent fusion records of its time. An uncommonly soulful and nimble tenorman, Morris proves ideally matched to the jazz-funk idiom, and Sweet Sister Funk achieves a near-perfect balance between its mainstream and experimental leanings, forging a series of fierce grooves as imaginative as they are accessible. Recorded with a crack supporting unit including trumpeter Cecil Bridgewater and percussionist Tony Waters, the album radiates with positive energy -- it's a genuine shame Morris never again recorded as a leader, because the mind reels at the possibilities his muse might have pursued. » AllMusic Review by Jason Ankeny
From the mid to late 60’s Sonny Lester was at the helm of some of the period’s most significant jazz music (Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra, Chick Corea, Duke Ellington’s 70th birthday concert) and also some of the genre’s biggest hits (mostly from organist Jimmy Mcgriff). With the folding of the Solid State label in 1971 Sonny Lester formed the aptly named Groove Merchant label (named after the tune Jerome Richardson wrote for the Jones-Lewis Orchestra). He then produced some of the periods most notable soul/jazz, jazz/fusion from the likes of McGriff, Richard Groove Holmes, Reuben Wilson, Lonnie Smith to name but a few.
This gem of an album from Ramon Morris, and one of the hardest to find on Groove Merchant, was recorded during what many people would consider to be the classic period for this particular brand of jazz/funk/soul/fusion. It was recorded not long after he’d spent time with Art Blakey as a Jazz Messenger appearing on his 1972 Prestige album Child’s Dance along with Stanley Clarke and Woody Shaw. He then also recorded on the Woody Shaw album, also from 1972, Song Of Songs.
Ratings :
AllMusic : 4 / 5 , Discogs : 4.52 / 5