Smooth Sailing: September Moods & Laid-Back Grooves

Picture: Joan Smalls Instagram

Feel the September moods and laid-back grooves on this new episode of Smooth Sailing!

Jazz flautist Bobbi Humphrey signed with Blue Note in 1971 and released 'Flute in' soon afterwards. She recorded covers, like 'Ain't no sunshine' (Bill Withers) and 'It's too late' (Carole King) for the album. The latter is on this cloudcast. Humphrey's smooth blend of jazz, funk, pop, and R&B fit in well with the new sound of Blue Note, and her six albums for the label were all successes. In particular 1973's ‘Blacks and blues’ sold very well. She worked with the fabulous Mizell Brothers as producers for the first time then. The LP gave her a crossover pop and R&B audience. In 1974 her concert for the Montreux Festival in Switzerland was released as an album. Two years later she was named Best Female Instrumentalist by Billboard. In 1977 Humphrey switched record labels, signing with Epic and releasing 'Tailor made' that same year. She also played on Stevie Wonder's classic album ‘Songs in the key of life’. The next decade the musical landscape changed radically and Humphrey's smooth blend went out of fashion. She continued to perform regularly, although only one album came out. In 1986 Bobbi Humprey released the single 'No way', which was more electronic than her previous work. At that point she seemed to take the same directon as jazz-funk pianist Patrice Rushen.

Tracklist:

Steely Dan – Black Cow (1977)
Kymaera – Sailing (2002)
Kenya – Wednesday Girl [Soul Jazz Groove] (2015)
Lianne La Havas – What You Don’t Do [Tom Misch Remix] (2015)
Elske DeWall – Balloon Over Paris (2010)
Sundown – One Morning In May (1976)
Bobbi Humphrey – It's Too Late (1971)
Brenda Russell – Way Back When (1979)
Evie Sands – Take A Little Love (1979)
Bill Champlin – Sara (1981)
FCC – Woman (1979)
Cecilio & Kapono – Someday (1975)
Average White Band – Back To Basics (1996)
Pages – Chemistry (1979)
Toby Beau – Give Me A Sign (1980)
Deliverance ‎– Prince Of The Galaxies (1979)
Jamiroquai – Space Cowboy (1994)
Cayenne – Sealed With A Kiss (1986)
Pussycat – Wet Day In September (1978)
Pete Dunaway – Supermarket [Laura Stavinoha Edit] (1974/2015)

Smooth Sailing: September Moods & Laid-Back Grooves by Professor Eddy on Mixcloud