Posted on 09/15/2005

 

Odds are Larry and Alphonso (Fonce) Mizell are the most influential musicians, producers and songwriters you’ve never heard. Well here’s a short list of artists who have: D.J. Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince, A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Erykah Badu, Jay Dee, Digable Planets, and Stetsasonic. Piqued your interest yet? With a musical legacy this profound, it’s difficult to fathom their lack of reverence, which has been freely given to their contemporaries such as Roy Ayers or Sly Stone. While artists such as Miles Davis made jazz fusion demanding to even the most discerning ear and critical analysis, the Mizell brothers reminded the audience that this music should be danceable. With their company, Sky High Productions, the Mizell brothers worked together playing most of the instruments and contributing lead and backing vocals to create classic records by artists as varied as Gary Bartz, A Taste of Honey and L.T.D. However, as the 70s drew to a close, the Mizells disappeared from the music scene. Now, nearly two decades following their trailblazing run, the Mizell Brothers have resurfaced.

The set borrows heavily from Donald Byrd’s 1975 release Places and Spaces. "Wind Parade" opens the album in typical Mizell fashion displaying their unique combination of funk, jazz, soul and R&B. The horns, strings and soulclaps immediately draw the listener into "Change (Makes You Want to Hustle)". On this track, you just got to a party but you’re already the life of it. Again, as Byrd’s trumpet takes center stage the listener is greeted with the beat break made famous by Jazzy Jeff’s "A Touch of Jazz". Likewise, "(Fallin’ Like) Dominoes" begins with the bassline made popular by Stetsasonic in "Talkin’ All That Jazz". The Mizells’ arrangement of this track is noteworthy as they pair a driving bassline with a lush string arrangement to complement Byrd’s playing and their own funky vocals.

Mizell also features a couple of well-known tracks from jazz flautist Bobbi Humphrey. Digable Planets fans will knowingly nod their heads to "Blacks and Blues", the second Bobbi Humphrey track. The Humphrey tracks are the most straight forward jazz pieces on this album, as the Mizells scale back on the instrumentation without forsaking any soul or funk.

Never hesitant to display their range nor bound to the belief that music of a specific genre must have a specific sound, the Mizells included the secular gospel track "Reason to Survive" from the Rance Allen Group. Here, the brothers pair an infectious, borderline disco beat with Allen’s spirited vocals.

As though the compilation of these previously released classics is not enough, the Mizell features three unreleased tracks. First is "Funked Up", from Gary Bartz’s Music is My Sanctuary. The track is exactly its name—an extremely funky version of the Mizells’ special brand of jazz fusion. The value of this treasure is increased by the featured vocals of the late Syreeta Wright. Another unearthed gem is "N R Time", a previously partially-completed track from a session with Bobbi Humphrey. Particularly noteworthy on this track is the break that occurs at the four minute mark. The two aforementioned tracks exemplify what acid jazz artists have been attempting to do all along. However, none of the latecomers have emulated the Mizells’ success.

The persistent question throughout this album is why did the Mizell brothers disappear in the first place? Perhaps they foresaw the segregated state of popular music and decided they had no interest. Regardless of their reasons, Mizell is a welcomed visit from two older and smarter friends. Here’s hoping they hang around for awhile.