1972 WL promo Hampton Hawes “Universe” on Prestige

Well, friends, there’s no question this banger goes on my Top 25 All Time Cheap Heat list. Could be wrong, but seems like I still see it around for $30 or so, and in terms of pure jazzy avant-boogie with an almost unfairly great lineup, it’s worth $3,000. Or course you, like me, dig our man Hamp in his own right, and it’s plenty of fun to watch him evolve from mid-50/60’s West Coast Contempo bopper into full-fledged Miles funk street jam groove. Who is actually on this record? Well, Chuck Rainey slinging bass for starters. Is it necessary to even continue typing, or are you already on your chopped Kawasaki splitting lanes to the record store? My man Harold Land shows up to do his Landian Routine, Leon Ndugu Chancler is all over the percussion, Arthur “Home Brew” Adams puts some funk-stink on the guitar, while Oscar Brashear honks trumpet, all of which combines into a slick organ-heavy fusion blowout that is the soundtrack of not going to Vietnam. Hampton at this stage in his career is all chordal nuance and Rhodes progressive tinkling when not in the groove, so it’s a nice back and forth between humility and brash reaction. This record has STYLE. I love it. (Also, don’t blame Hawes if he looks like one of William The Conquerer’s archers just back from the Battle Of Hastings on the cover - his deadpan expression belies the actual tenor of the music).