1977 WL promo Idris Muhammad “Turn This Mutha Out” on Kudu

Friends, Wilbur Bascomb (anyone who loves Jeff Beck’s “Wired” may unwittingly really be loving Wilbur) plays bass on this one, and so I can basically just stop the review there, or at least pause while you jump into your maroon ’68 Chevelle and punch it on over to the local spot to snag a copy. You back? Okay, now that it’s spinning, I think we can agree that it doesn’t get more essential in the realm of slick, funky, soulful groove that reeks of Creed Taylor than this badboy. What is Rio’s own Rubens Bassini doing playing percussion? Who knows, but he kills it. Hiram Bullock, who OG late night types may remember as the guitar player on the VERY early Letterman show, is a MONSTER. John Faddis (Madlib’s father’s brother, oh and Mingus sideman) and Randy Brecker on trumpet, Jeremy Steig on flute, RONNIE CUBER on baritone, and, of course, the genius that was Idris. I mean, it’s hard to imagine, much like forgetting to pay the oxygen bill in your one-bedroom on the moon, how anyone exists without owning this record.