Question from Luca:
I’m amazed from Kool & the Gang’s “Summer Madness.” I really want to do a playlist with all the mood of this song. Chill out jazz, slow and relaxing, something meditative. Could you tell me some song like that, without voices, just instrumental?
Answer: Funny, I was just thinking the other day about how good Idris Muhammed’s “Loran Dance” is and that would very much fall into the groove you seem to be talking about:
I’d suggest the entire CTI/Kudu catalog could be cherry-picked to find other songs in this vein though I always thought of “Summer Madness” as rather unique rather than a template, even in the fusion jazz era.
If you want something just slightly more obscure, I’ve always been partial to this, by the Lyman Woordard Organization:
(Sadly, Detroit’s Belle Isle Park has been in the news for the wrong reasons recently).
Also, I know you said “without voices,” but I’m going to push back and say that any summer madness mix that leaves out Shuggie Otis’s “Island Letter” is missing out:
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Hey keerthi – HK are awesome. I’m in Sydney and had never heard of them but will be looking out for them. And Oliver, summer madness forever – thanks for maintaining the blog rage, I’ve been a long time reader and great to have you still on the interwebs.
Great suggestions, Oliver.
I love Muhammad’s Loran’s Dance. I really rate that whole lp -there is something almost cinematic about the arrangements that I find really appealing.
what about the song that might (or might not?) have given this blog its name?
art farmer – soul sides
Man that lyman woodward is so great wish i could get my hands on a copy. I agree that Summer madness really has a vibe of its own but Bobbi Humphrey – Harlem river drive gives me a pretty similar laid back summer vibe as a TON of Mizell productions around the same era. Donald Byrd etc.