Reuben Wilson: "Got To Get Your Own"

Big band funk from organist Reuben Wilson.  This record stands out in his catalogue as it sounds unlike any of his others; though he had made a name for himself on the Blue Note label years before, riding the crest of the organ-jazz-funk popularity wave of the late ‘60’s/early ‘70’s, this Cadet LP is a purely soul-driven effort, with huge horn sections, lead vocalists, occasional strings, phased and flanged production, etc.  Wilson’s keyboard skills are still showcased, albeit in more of an ensemble soloist capacity than they had been on previous recordings.  Every song on the album is fantastic, from the extremely funky “What The People Gon’ Say,” “Tight Money” and the title track to the more subdued and sensual moods of “In The Booth, In The Back, In The Corner, In The Dark,” “Back Rub” and “Stoned Out Of My Mind.”  I’d be interested to know what Reuben himself thought of this record, considering his smaller-than-usual role in its creation; I’m guessing it was made to cash in on the funk-soul craze of the mid-‘70’s, although its effect was quite the opposite, it sank like a stone upon its release and is nearly impossible to find a copy of in its original pressing.  Beyond whatever motivations drove its incubation at the time, it now stands as a forgotten classic of sorts, as well as representing Reuben Wilson’s last major-label attempt at success until his re-emergence as an acid jazz hero for the sample-seeking set in the early ‘90’s.