MELVIN SPARKS [Spark Plug] PRESTIGE [PR-10016] VAN GELDER*

$

64

1971 PRESTIGE Records PR-10016
STEREO ORIGINAL
[Van Gelder] stamps in dead wax
Leon Spencer * Idris Muhammad * Grover Washington Virgil Jones * Reggie Roberts
*
VINYL is EX very clean one or two superficial sleeve related hairlines

 COVER is VG+ light edge/surface wear
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Sparks used a similar soul-jazz approach as he had on his previous Prestige session (Sparks!), revamping the lineup to put Reggie Roberts on organ and a young Grover Washington, Jr. on tenor sax (Idris Muhammad remained behind the drums). He also introduced some compositions of his own this time around; three of the five numbers are Sparks originals. It's more relaxed, funky, occasionally bluesy jazz with guitar and organ to the fore, very much of a piece with the Prestige soul-jazz "house" sound circa 1970.
*
Although not a huge name in jazz, Melvin Sparks brought his Grant Green-influenced guitar to quite a few soul-jazz and organ combo recordings of the late '60s and early '70s. A lover of jazz as well as R&B and blues, the Houston native took up the guitar at 11, and was only 13 when he sat in with B.B. King. In 1963 he joined the Upsetters, an R&B show band that backed Little Richard, Sam Cooke, and other big names. After leaving the Upsetters, Sparks played with Jack McDuff in 1966-1967. The improviser was very much in demand in the late '60s and early '70s, and he was featured on sessions by Charles Earland,Sonny Stitt, Lou Donaldson, Rusty Bryant, Sonny Phillips, Reuben Wilson, and Johnny "Hammond" Smith, among others. Sparks delivered his first album as leader, Sparks!, for Prestige in 1970, and recorded a few more Prestige dates before providing Melvin Sparks for Westbound in 1975.

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