James Chance Soul Exorcism Redux CD

James Chance & The Contortions: James Chance; Jerry Agony, Nic North, Al McDowell (bass guitar); Patrick Geoffrois, Lorenzo Wyche, Fred Wells, Richie Harrison, Anya Phillips.

Recorded in June of 1980, Soul Exorcism proves that jazz, funk, experimental, and new wave make quite an intoxicating mix when perfected. James Chance sums up the proceedings perfectly in the liner notes, where he states that the music perfectly reveals the essence and soul of New York City (even though it was recorded in Rotterdam). Backed up by a stellar backing band, which Chance himself calls one of the most volatile units he's worked with, the Contortions simply shine. Like most other Contortions recordings, cacophony rears its head from time to time, but that's what the band uses to paint different moods and textures: it's not used haphazardly. The whole album is inspired from beginning to end, and features such great tracks as "I Danced with a Zombie," "Exorcise the Funk," and a pair of interesting covers -- Michael Jackson's "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and James Brown's "King Heroin." [In 2007 the Roir label reissued the album as Soul Exorcism Redux. Three tracks from a 1987 demo session were added to the end of the track list along with new art work.] ~ Greg Prato

Recorded live in Rotterdam, Holland in June, 1980. Includes liner notes by James White.

Personnel: James Chance (vocals, alto saxophone, organ); Fred Wells, Jerry Agony (guitar); Patrick Geoffrois (slide guitar, background vocals); Lorenzo Wyche (trumpet); Nic North (keyboards, drum programming); Richard Harrison, Richie Harrison (drums); Anya Phillips (background vocals).

Liner Note Author: James Chance.

Recording information: Rotterdam, The Netherlands (06/1980-??/1987).

Introduction by: Anya Phillips.

Photographers: Anya Phillips; Patrick Bertholot.

Personnel: James Chance (vocals, alto saxophone, organ), Patrick Geoffrois (slide guitar, background vocals), Fred Wells (guitar), Lorenzo Wyche (trumpet), Al McDowell (bass), Richie Harrison (drums), Anya Phillips (background vocals).

Alternative Press (p.186) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "James Chance single-handedly blurred the lines between jazz, funk and no wave..."