Ronnie Foster – Two Headed Freap

The 2022 return of Ronnie Foster to Blue Note Records is an event of synergistic quintessence, completeness, and cool. The organ great’s dynamic new album, Reboot, arrives upon the 50th anniversary of his 1972 Blue Note debut Two Headed Freap, which featured his memorable tune “Mystic Brew” that would later reach the ears of hip-hop fans around the world when A Tribe Called Quest sampled the track as the foundation of “Electric Relaxation” on their 1994 album Midnight Marauders.

Though not as relentlessly funky as his classic Blue Note debut Two Headed Freap, On the Avenue remains the most accomplished record of Ronnie Foster's career, proving commercial aspirations and accoutrements can indeed co-exist alongside traditional jazz sensibilities. Produced by George Benson and featuring the great Phil Upchurch on guitar and Marvin Chapell on drums, On the Avenue favors more mellow, nuanced grooves over the blistering funk of previous Foster outings. The velvety opener "Serenade to a Rock" and the title cut both draw heavily on Stevie Wonder's classic mid-'70s recordings, with a lithe cover of the Innervisions track "Golden Lady" further underlining the influence. Foster also expands his palette to include Afro-Cuban sounds ("Big Farm Boy Goes to a Latin City") and even assumes vocal duties for the first time on LP with "To See a Smile." Best of all is his rendition of Freddie Hubbard's "First Light"; arguably Foster's purest and most potent performance to date.

Ronnie Foster - Two Headed Freap (1972) {Blue Note Japan SHM-CD UCCQ-5055 rel 2014} (24-192 remaster)
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 250 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 88 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 300 Mb | 5% repair rar | 24-bit 192 kHz remaster
© 1972, 2014 Universal Japan / Blue Note | BN 75th The Masterworks | UCCQ-5055
Jazz / Jazz Funk / Soul Jazz / Groove / Organ

Features the high-fidelity SHM-CD format (compatible with standard CD player) and the latest 24bit 192kHz remastering. Amazing stuff by Ronnie Foster – a sweet little album of slow funky keyboard tones, much more loosely arranged than his later work, with a dope groove that was years ahead of its time! The album's in some ways a blueprint for some of our favorite jazz-based hip hop – and although Ronnie's playing organ, on most of the cuts, he handles the instrument more like it's a Fender Rhodes! Funky jazz with a sinister, soulful groove – with players including Gene Bianco on harp, Arthur Jenkins on congas, George Duvivier and Gordon Edwards on bass, Jimmy Johnson on drums, Gerorge Dvens on vibes and Gene Gertoncini on guitar. Includes the massive cut "Mystic Brew", which is a tasty Tribe sample, plus lots of other goodies like "Chunky", "Summer Song", and "Don't Knock My Love".