Johnny Lytle - The Soulful Rebel / People & Love (2013)

Two lost smokers from the man Lionel Hampton called "The greatest vibes player in the world," Johnny Lytle both very different from anything else he ever recorded! 1971's The Soulful Rebel has a great blend of Hammond and Fender Rhodes along with the vibes soaring out in a massively funky sextet with bass from Ron Carter and congas from Ray Barretto both of whom take Johnny's earlier groove into a 70s jazz funk mode. 1972's People & Love is even more impressive and has Lytle's vibes working with impressionistic larger arrangements in a style that's like Bobby Hutcherson on mid-'70s Blue Note, or Milt Jackson on CTI. Notes by Scott Yanow explore the recordings and career of this unsung jazz giant.