Stanley Turrentine
's stint with
Creed Taylor
's
CTI
label may not have produced any out-and-out classics on the level of the very best LPs by
Freddie Hubbard
,
Hubert Laws
, or
George Benson
, but the
bluesy
tenorist's output was consistently strong and worthwhile for all but the most stridently anti-
fusion
listeners.
Salt Song
was
Turrentine
's second album for
, and while it's perhaps just a small cut below his debut
Sugar
, it's another fine, eclectic outing that falls squarely into the signature
sound: smooth but not slick, accessible but not simplistic. In general, keyboardist
Eumir Deodato
's arrangements have plenty of light
funk
and Brazilian underpinnings, the latter often courtesy of percussionist
Airto Moreira
. The first three cuts are the most memorable, beginning with a ten-minute exploration of the abrupt time signature shifts of
"Gibraltar."
Though a
hard bop
version might have returned to the theme a little less often,
's solo sections are full of ideas, befitting one of his favorite pieces of the period; plus, guitarist
Eric Gale
shines as both a rhythm and lead player. The
traditional gospel
tune
"I Told Jesus"
features
at his bluesiest and earthiest, with snatches of ethereal choir vocals floating up behind him.
Milton Nascimento
's title track, naturally, has the strongest Brazilian flavor of the program, and
skillfully negotiates its frequent shifts in and out of double time. All in all,
has dated well, partly because the arrangements don't overemphasize electric piano, but work mostly on the strength of
's always-soulful playing. [1997's domestic CD reissue included
Nascimento
"Vera Cruz"
as a bonus track, but the Japan version did not.] ~ Steve Huey