When all else fails, visit Brother Jack McDuff I say. Flipping through some 45s in my box today I pulled out Jack’s “Black Is!” off of his 1968 Cadet release Getting Our Thing Together. I have always played the flip, “Win, Lose, Or Draw”, but I figured it was time I gave this side some shine. The full length is well known because DJ Shadow sampled “Jelly Jam” for “Entropy”.

By this time is Jack’s career he had already introduced George Benson, recorded on Prestige, and along with Benson, Red Holloway, and Joe Dukes had one of the best Soul Jazz groups in the 60’s. His move to Cadet linked him up with one of the greats, Richard Evans. Longtime McDuff producer Lew Futterman was on board this release as well. Futterman had produced McDuff, JJ Jackson, Prog rockers If, Jimmy Witherspoon and others. Evan was able to put his genius touch on this Brother Jack release and although it wasn’t reviewed at the time as good as his records he had previously released with the rising star Benson, I think that you will agree that it’s still a decent side. Evans injected a funkier atmosphere on this record and the Captain feels the spirit as he moves through the guitar, drums and horn work throughout. You can never go wrong with Brother Jack McDuff, a champion of the organ right up until his death in 2001, he will forever hold a sweet spot here in FMF.

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