About

It would be far too simplistic to lump this music under the single label of “crossover” — it is simply too distinctive and electrifying. Bathe in a vividly colored groove, driven by razor‑sharp funkiness and dripping with mellowness.

Keyboardist Hubert Eaves III built his reputation in the 1970s through performances alongside Gary Bartz, Norman Connors, and Carlos Garnett. From the 1980s onward, he expanded his reach even further, playing a key role as a producer behind major hits such as those by D‑Train. This album, recorded in 1976, is his debut. The music born from its sharp Black sensibility and impeccable sense of its time defies any easy categorization as “crossover,” standing out instead as something boldly individual and exhilarating. Highlights include the tight, groove‑led “Call To Awareness,” the stormy and hypnotic “Slow Down,” the genre‑defying “Flead Dancing,” and the richly mellow “Song For Marlene.” It is astonishing that this “new music” of 1976 still retains its intensity and continues to sound truly new today. Attention should also be paid to the participation of outstanding, forward‑thinking musicians such as Rene McLean, Reggie Lucas, and Mtume. — (via Label / Yusuke Ogawa)

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Keyboard whiz Hubert Eaves was well known among his musical peers in the 1970s as a major sideman. His unique bank of sounds, his rhythmic left hand, and his willingness to experiment with all pop music forms made him a choice in studios with everyone from Gary Bartz to Phyllis Hyman. Few, however, were aware of this killer little slab of laidback yet totally evolved funk that he cut for the Inner City label in 1976 with members of Miles Davis' band — Reggie Lucas and Mtume — and other luminaries such as René McLean and Malachi Thompson. Eaves plays it all here, from ARPs to Moogs to the Rhodes to the Steinway. Over six self-composed and arranged tracks, Eaves creates a dreamscape of funky soul that had plenty of space and texture in its center while keeping a unique, airy groove over and under everything. The simmering "Call to Awareness" features a running bassline that flows instead of pops, the riff-laden "Slow Down" is a series of slow-tempo crescendos strung together in an ever-increasing dynamic platform that eventually bubbles over into a blissed-out chant. The album ends with a sweet, Roberta Flack-style vocal from Cheryl Alexander on "Under Standing" that doesn't quite fit with the rest of the set, but that's ok. The rest is rather stunning in its commitment to quality, understatement, and summery grooves. — (via AllMusic)

Vinyl Tracklist
A1 Call To Awareness
A2 Painful Pleasure
A3 Slow Down
B1 Flead Dancing
B2 Song For Marlene
B3 Under Standing

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Label: Universal Music
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue
Reissued: 2026 / Originally Released: 1977
Genre: Jazz, Funk / Soul
Style: Jazz-Rock, Jazz-Funk, Fusion, Funk

File under: Soul-Jazz / Jazz-Funk
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