Personnel:
Leon Spencer (org), Virgil Jones (tp), Grover Washington Jr. (ts, fl), Melvin Sparks (g), Idris Muhammad (d) Buddy Caldwell (perc)
Reference: PRCD-24185
Bar code: 090204543854
This collection showcases Leon Spencer, a Houston native who recorded four Prestige albums in the early '70s. The first six tracks are from Sneak Preview!, the organist's 1970 label debut, the others from its more commercially oriented follow-up, 1971's Louisiana Slim. State-of-the-art soul-jazz personnel includes tart-toned trumpeter Virgil Jones and up-and-coming tenor sax star Grover Washington, Jr. Born on November 1, 1945, Spencer came up on piano, switching to organ when he heard Jimmy Smith in person. He had a unique style: while flashy on top, he leavened it with an unusually authoritative left hand, creating countermelodies in the bass where most organists could only create counterpoint. The standouts here are Spencer's bluesy "The Slide," a juicy take on the Meters' "Message from the Meters," Spencer's ballad "Our Love Will Never Die" (check out Sparks's delightfully florid solo and Washington's sweet flute), and his richly vernacular "Louisiana Slim."
"Leon Spencer, an organist heavily influenced by Jimmy Smith, recorded four albums for Prestige from 1970-73 before largely dropping out of the music scene. The music from his first two LPs (Sneak Preview and Louisiana Slim) have been reissued in full on this 1997 single CD. Spencer's swinging solos on these mostly grooving tunes are quite appealing. The sidemen (the underrated trumpeter Virgil Jones, the young Grover Washington, Jr. on tenor, guitarist Melvin Sparks, drummer Idris Muhammad and Buddy Caldwell on conga) are excellent, and the material, although mostly blues-oriented, is quite strong. Washington's flute is surprisingly effective on "Our Love Will Never Die." It is a pity that Spencer's career ultimately went nowhere, for he holds his own with his contemporaries throughout this recommended soul-jazz release."
—Scott Yanow (All Music Guide)
