Rating:
Genre:
Jazz
Release Date: 03/25/1997
Conventional contemporary wisdom says that performing covers of beloved pop classics is a cheap way to lure the curious. But when care is taken to create an entire imaginative tribute to a great artist, with no two arrangements alike, some latitude should be in order. On his eclectic reworking of all the songs on
Marvin Gaye's legendary
What's Going On, saxman
Everette Harp happily genre-hops between
Marvin-esque '70s soul (complete with wah-wah guitar), slow and steady blues, straight-ahead jazz, and hip-hop. As on his previous efforts,
Harp reaches his most inspired moments by weaving his trademark edgy alto fire with his lesser-known but still potent talents on EWI and flute, most notably on the trancelike dreamscape of
"Flyin' High." Not that he needs much help, but all-star contributions by
George Duke,
Kirk Whalum, and
Najee lead to some of the set's most memorable jamming. In particular,
Najee's flute and
Harp's sax play a cunning game of cat and mouse on the Latin-flavored
"Right On." The only time the name-dropping fails is on
"Save the Children," where pretentious spoken vocals by
Arsenio Hall and
Dawnn Lewis detract from the seductive underlying textures.
~Jonathan Widran, All Music Guide
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