Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengersで腕を磨き、後にDJ ShadowやDJ Premierをも虜にした名サックス奏者が、1973年に残した唯一無二のジャズ・ファンク金字塔。

Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengersのメンバーとして、またReuben WilsonやWoody Shawといった巨匠たちの傍らでその腕を磨いたサックス奏者、Ramon Morris。彼が1973年に名門Groove Merchantで吹き込んだ唯一のリーダー作であり、70年代ジャズ・ファンクの至宝として君臨し続ける名盤が、Mr. Bongoの手で復刻。

本作は、DJ PremierやThe Alchemist、DJ Shadowといったヒップホップ・シーンの精鋭たちがこぞってサンプリングの標的にしたことでも知られる、まさに「ネタの宝庫」。Albert Daileyの奏でるエレクトリック・ピアノとMickey Rokerのタイトなドラミングが絡み合うサウンドは、洗練されたソウル・ジャズの気品と、ストリートのタフなグルーヴが同居している。

DJ ShadowがBlackaliciousの楽曲で引用したThe Stylisticsの名曲「People Make The World Go Round」の絶品カヴァーをはじめ、冒頭から重厚なベースラインが唸る「First Come, First Serve」、Big Punのヒット曲の土台となったホーン・セクションが躍動する「Don't Ask Me」など、全編に渡って隙がない。Strata EastやBlack Jazzといったインディ・ジャズ・レーベルにも通じるスピリチュアルな質感すら漂う本作は、単なるファンクの枠に収まらない奥深さを持っている。当時の質感を再現したチップオン・スリーブ（貼り合わせジャケ）仕様での復活。

A1. First Come, First Serve
A2. Wijinia
A3. Sweet Sister Funk
B1. Sweat
B2. Don't Ask Me
B3. Lord Sideways
B4. People Make The World Go Round

Next up in Mr Bongo's Groove Merchant Records reissue series, we present the only solo album saxophonist Ramon Morris recorded as a bandleader. Having cut his teeth playing with the iconic band Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers and working with other jazz greats, including Reuben Wilson, Shirley Scott, Rashied Ali Quintet, and Woody Shaw, 1973 saw Ramon take the step into solo territory. The resulting album Sweet Sister Funk became a certified classic and a landmark showcase of the cherished ‘70s jazz-funk sound, later sampled by the likes of DJ Premier, The Alchemist and DJ Shadow.

Originally released on Sonny Lester's iconic Groove Merchant record label and produced by Lester himself, Sweet Sister Funk is a jazz-funk masterclass. It features a slick line-up including Cecil Bridgewater on trumpet, Mickey Roker on drums, and Albert Dailey on electric piano. Rich and beautiful, the seven songs ebb and flow in energy, fusing jazz funk and soul jazz with style and swagger. There are bags of groove with Ramon and Cecil trading off on sax and trumpet in an effortless conversation throughout the LP, supplemented by brilliant solos from the rest of the players. 

A gold mine of sampling material, the album includes a sublime cover version of The Stylistics' much-loved 'People Make The World Go Round', which was sampled by DJ Shadow on Blackalicious's 'Swan Lake' in 1994. Elsewhere, the percussion and bass intro of the opening track 'First Come, First Serve' is a sampler's delight - a deep, heavy groove with a fine saxophone workout by Ramon. Head to 'Don't Ask Me' and you’ll find the swinging horn intro that formed the basis of 'You Came Up' by Big Pun featuring Noreaga from 1998, whilst 'Wijinia' has echoes of ‘70s indie jazz by labels such as Strata East & Black Jazz. 

Here at Mr Bongo, we are proud to be delving into the vaults of Groove Merchant Records once again, reissuing this iconic LP from Ramon Morris.

Housed in a tip-on sleeve.