Harold Vick - After the Dance (2013) FLAC

The underrated tenor saxophonist Harold Vick had all but vanished from the jazz landscape by the 1977 release of After the Dance -- and it's a shame he didn't stay lost. Cobbled together from elements of lite jazz, disco, and Motown, Joel Dorn's slick production sucks all the life from Vick's organic, soulful playing, which seems completely out of step with fusion vets including guitarist Eric Gale and drummer Steve Gadd. Worse yet, this deeply disappointing date would prove Vick's last as a leader. At times flashes of brilliance sneak through, but not even Charlie Parker could salvage this mess.

Review by Jason Ankeny