Eddie Harris Come On Down! / The Reason Why I'm Talking Shit CD

Personnel: Eddie Harris (electric saxophone); Eddie Harris; Dave Crawford (piano); Donald "Duck" Dunn, Bradley Bobo (bass guitar); Paul Humphrey , Paul Humphrey & the Cool Aid Chemists (drums); Ronald Muldrow (unknown instrument); Cornell Dupree, Joe Diorio, Jimmy O'Rourke (guitar); Ira Sullivan (trumpet); Odell Brown, Billy Carter (organ); Tubby Ziegler (drums); Calvin Barnes (percussion).
Recording information: Amazing Grace Night Club, Evanston, IL (1970-1975); Criteria Studios, Miami, FL (1970-1975); Howard Rumsey's Concert By The Sea, Redondo Beach, CA (1970-1975); Longhorn Restaurant Cafe, Minneapolis, MN (1970-1975); Teddy's Lounge, Milwaukee, WI (1970-1975).
Photographer: Giuseppe Pino.
Eddie Harris received a lot of critical flak in the 1970s from jazz purists for his experiments in hard-driving soul-jazz and his forays into stand-up comedy. Those jazz purists should avoid this two-disc set, which brings together a couple of Harris albums from the era. COME ON DOWN! is a sweet, groove-oriented outing featuring original compositions and some fine blowing from Harris. THE REASON I'M TALKING S**T showcases Harris as bawdy comic, riffing on extended dirty jokes while his band chimes in now and then to break up the monologues. This is by no means Charlie Parker, but it has its place.
This repackages two of Eddie Harris' 1970s albums: Come on Down! was recorded in Miami in 1970 and The Reason Why I'm Talking S--t is a bizarre live album from 1975. Released as a two-disc collection, this is one of the stranger things Collectables has ever done. The first disc is a solid soul-jazz, rock, and funk date with Ira Sullivan, pianist Dave Crawford, Duck Dunn on bass, and Cornell Dupree on guitar with an all too rare appearance by Tubby Zeigler on drums. Harris wrote all but one track. Produced by Tom Dowd, it's a gritty, greasy burner with the guitars allowed front space with the horns and paired with Harris' electric sax. It's FONKIFIED. Check "Live Right Now" or "Why Don't You Quit" for heavy groove consciousness. The Reason Why I'm Talking S--t, well, is just that. Recorded at three different venues, it features Harris telling off-color sex jokes on most of the album. For real, it seems like an attempt at standup comedy with a band that doesn't get to play often enough in the background. Side two has more music than side one, but not much and the entire thing is disposable at best. Harris was a great musician, but a horrible comedian. Collectables should have released Come On Down! alone. ~ Thom Jurek