Arguably the best album legendary jazz musician Wendell Harrison cut in the 80s “Organic Dream” features the classic track “Love Juice”. The album’s quite a departure from the spiritual jazz he’s well known for, instead dipping into modern soul and R&B territory.
Review
Organic Dream was originally issued in 1981; the second Wendell Harrison
album from his WenHa label. The set was released in a limited run, primarily as
a vehicle for Harrison to document his tunes for publishing purposes, and to act
as a calling card for booking agents. On this Luv N' Haight replica reissue, he
confesses in the liner notes that his early records for WenHa were more like
demos than carefully planned-out recordings, because he had a small budget and
no distribution outlet. It sounds exactly like one; but that's not a criticism.
“Ginseng Love” must be among the only post-disco-era R&B tunes to
feature a clarinet and flute (both played by Harrison) in the front line. The
Moog strings by Dennis Boles weight it down, however. Faring far better is
“Winter,” which harkens back to Harrison's years in the Tribe collective.
His clarinet, bells, organic percussion, and Pam Wise's acoustic piano offer a
shimmering, quiet meditation on the season. Harrison's playing is warm,
original, and spiritual. “Love Juice” is exactly what it sounds like, a
funky disco jam with an amped-up bassline by Wendell Lucas, and
Harrison's wailing tenor over the riff, with vocals repeating “love that
juice,” repeatedly. It would have made a great 12". “Peace of Mind”
commences as a spiritual soul ballad sung by Miche Braden before transforming
itself into a smooth funk jam with excellent guitar work by Kenny Demery. “The
Wok” is nearly inexplicable; it's an attempt at smooth, spacey, nocturnal
funk and notable for its considerable experimentation. Harrison's clarinet
floats above the meaty bassline, analog synths, electric guitars, and drums.
It's a high point. Closer “A Green Meadow,” with its more nuanced synth
strings, icy Rhodes, amped-up bassline, and Harrison's tenor is an excellent
illustration of Detroit smooth jazz. Organic Dream is imperfect in sound,
production, and conception. That said, it's an interesting historical portrait
of Detroit's Do-It-Yourself aesthetic during a particularly undocumented
(though fertile) era (Griot Galaxy, on the avant end of the jazz spectrum, were
also on the scene recording during this period). Moreover, it provides
compelling, even prophetic evidence that Harrison was trying to weave together a
host of different musics that were only woven seamlessly together, first with
the real advent of sampling, and then in the sounds of club jazz and
neo-soul. Thom Jurek – AllMusic