Quincy Jones - Gula Matari

With his second and last album under the Creed Taylor aegis, the complexities of Quincy Jones' catholic, evolving tastes start to reveal themselves. We hear signs of his gradual gravitation toward pop right off the bat with the churchy R&B cover of Paul Simon's mega-hit "Bridge Over Troubled Water," dominated by Valerie Simpson's florid soul vocal and a gospel choir. His roots fixation surfaces in the spell-like African groove of the title track, a dramatic tone poem that ebbs and flows masterfully over its 13-minute length. From this point on, it's all jazz; the roaring big band comes back with a vengeance in "Walkin'," where Milt Jackson, Herbie Hancock, Hubert Laws, and other jazzers take fine solo turns, and things really get rocking on Nat Adderley's "Hummin'." Major Holley is a riot with his grumble-scat routine on bass. The whole record sounds like they must have had a ball recording it. - by Richard S. Ginell, AMG

Artist: Quincy Jones
Album: Gula Matari
Year: 1970
Label: A & M Records
Total time: 34:21

Tracks:
1.  Bridge Over Troubled Water (Paul Simon) 5:09
2.  Gula Matari (Quincy Jones) 13:02
3.  Walkin' (Richard Carpenter) 8:02
4.  Hummin' (Nat Adderley) 8:07

Personnel:
Quincy Jones (Arranged and Conducted)
Pepper Adams (Baritone Saxophone)
Danny Bank (Bass and Baritone Saxophone)
Hubert Laws (Flute)
Jerome Richardson (Soprano Saxophone)
Freddie Hubbard (Trumpet)
Danny Moore (Trumpet and Flugelhorn)
Ernie Royal (Trumpet)
Marvin Stamm (Trumpet and Flugelhorn)
Gene Young (Trumpet and Flugelhorn)
Wayne Andre (Trombone)
Al Grey (Trombone)
Benny Powell (Trombone)
Tony Studd (Trombone)
Eric Gale (Guitar)
Toots Thielemans (Guitar and Whistle)
Herbie Hancock (Piano)
Bob James (Piano)
Bobby Scott (Piano)
Grady Tate (Drums)
Don Elliott (Bass Marimba) - 2
Jimmy Johnson (Percussion)
Warren Smith (Percussion)
Ray Brown (Double Bass) - 1,3,4
Ron Carter (Double Bass) - 2
Richard Davis (Double Bass) - 2
Major Holley (Double Bass and Voice)
Milt Jackson (Vibraphone)
Seymour Barab (Cello)
Kermit Moore (Cello)
Lucien Schmit (Cello)
Alan Shulman (Cello)
Valerie Simpson (Vocals)
Marilyn Jackson (Vocals)
Maretha Stewart (Vocals)
Barbara Massey (Vocals)
Hilda Harris (Vocals)