HOWARD ROBERTS
Color Him Funky & H R Is A Dirty Guitar Player
(Sundazed)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale

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Sundazed has collected guitarist Howard Roberts' first two Capitol albums, originally released in 1963, onto one disc, and it would be hard to find a better demonstration of his personal skills or of the potential of the guitar/organ/bass/drums lineup that they feature.

The first release, Color Him Funky, featured organist Paul Bryant, bassist Chuck Berghofer and drummer Earl Palmer. On Dirty Guitar Player, Berghofer and Palmer returned, with the organ chair going to Burkely Kendrix. Roberts, a fixture on the LA studio "A-List" by the time of these recordings, had access to the best players in town, and there's nothing disappointing about any of the performances on these albums.

Because Capitol was looking for commercial airplay for this music, the tracks were held down to the three minute time limits that radio demanded at the time, but that turns out to be a benefit in many respects. The players were forced to discipline their solos, not spending any precious time on any wasted notes, so while there's creativity to spare throughout these jazz and pop standards, there's no slop, no fill, just tough, tight interplay between talented musicians.

Howard Roberts is highly deserving of the revival that Sundazed has offered him through the reissue of his Capitol Records material, and there's no better place to get started than right here at the beginning.

Track List:

(Tracks 1-12, Color Him Funky - 11-24, ...Is A Dirty Guitar Player)
Florence Of Arabia * What Kind Of Fool Am I? * Sack O' Woe * When Lights Are Low * How Down * Shiny Stockings * Goodbye, Good Luck, I'm Gone! * One Long Day * The Peeper * Days Of Wine And Roses * Down Under * Color Him Funky * Watermelon Man * Smolderin' * Li'l Darling * Turista * If Ever I Would Leave You * One O'Clock Jump * Deep Fry * Rough Ridin' * Satin Doll * Smokin' * One Note Samba * Dirty Old Bossa Nova

© 2003 - Shaun Dale