Reuben Wilson: "The Sweet Life"

The increasing rarity of some of Reuben’s more sought-after LP’s (“Set Us Free,” “Got To Get Your Own”) has left other, easier-to-find gems in his numerous catalogue lingering on the shelves, and “The Sweet Life” absolutely falls into that latter category.  Whether or not it is rare, however, is somewhat beside the point—this is an exceptional album of smoking Hammond B-3 grooves.  Reuben Wilson was another casualty of the overexposure of organ players in the ‘60’s and early ‘70’s, and most of his work was not celebrated until the sampling obsessives of the hip-hop era “rediscovered” it.  Yet his blistering touch on the organ speaks for itself, and needs no added beats to accentuate its innate funkiness.  Every cut here is a treasure, from the minimalist, dark reading of Marvin Gaye’s “Inner City Blues” to the propulsive title cut, which sounds like Reuben and his band doing their best impression of the J.B.’s.  You may find this LP somewhere for $15, then walk across the street and find it for $3.  Pay what you gotta, ‘cause you will very shortly find yourself jamming to this shit non-stop.