Johnny Hammond - Gears (Remastered) (2020) [Hi-Res]

Digitally remastered. Recognized as one of the finest jazz funk albums of all time, Gears was produced by the Mizell brothers and stands alongside their work with Donald Byrd at the pinnacle of their careers. Tracks such as 'Shifting Gears' and 'Los Conquistadores Chocolates' have been club classics almost since the album was released. Hip hop and house producers have regularly used it as a source for samples. The bonus cuts shine a light on the Mizell's production process and show the strength of the material from which the released masters were culled.

Critics hailed Gears the finest jazz-funk album of 1975. They only changed their mind when Donald Byrd released Spaces and Places. However, two tracks on Gears, Fantasy and Los Conquistadores Chocolates were geared towards the dance-floor. Johnny Hammond was about to embrace disco. Jazz purists held their hands up in horror, recoiling at Johnny Hammond’s stylistic departure. Would this change in style result in a change in Johnny Hammond’s fortunes?

When Gears was released in late 1975, sales were slow. Eventually, Gears reached number thirty-one on the US Jazz charts. This was disappointing. However, then Los Conquistadores Chocolatés was released as a single. It reached number four on both the US Dance Music/Club Play Singles and US Disco Singles charts. At last, Johnny Hammond’s luck was changing, and Gears was the album that was responsible for this. Gears is now regarded as a jazz-funk classic, and celebrates its fortieth anniversary this year.

Johnny "Hammond" Smith, organ, synthesizer, electric piano
Larry Mizell, keyboards (Solina), backing vocals
Fonce Mizell, clarinet, backing vocals
Jerry Peters, electric piano, piano
Harvey Mason, drums
Chuck Rainey, electric bass
Craig McMullen, guitar
John Rowin, guitar
Roger Glenn, flute, vibraphone
Kenneth Nash, cymbal, gong, percussion
Hadley Caliman, tenor saxophone
Julian Priester, trombone
Michael White, violin

Recorded July 1975 at Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California
Produced by Larry and Fonce Mizell

Digitally remastered