Release Date: 01 March 2021
Label: Strata-east / Pure Pleasure Records
Packaging Type: Slip Sleeve (CD or Vinyl)
No of Units: 1
Barcode: 5060149623305
Genres: Jazz  
Release Date: 01 March 2021
Label: Strata-east / Pure Pleasure Records
Packaging Type: Slip Sleeve (CD or Vinyl)
No of Units: 1
Barcode: 5060149623305
Genres: Jazz  
Description
180g audiophile vinyl reissue, remastering by Ray Staff at Air Mastering, Lyndhurst Hall, London.
"It seems that every major jazz artist has a one-off sort of record in their discography, be it with strings, voices, spoken word or - as in this case - a foray into the funkier side of jazz. Charlie Rouse (going here as Charles Rouse) gets his chance on Two Is One, a funky soul jazz excursion on Strata-East, the artist-run label where creativity and pushing boundaries was at the forefront. Playing mostly with a group of session musicians, Rouse put together an album that may stray a bit from his hard bop roots, but is nonetheless an enjoyable and at times inventive record.
The style of music played here - sophisticated soul jazz with some post bop and spiritual jazz thrown in for good measure - is very much a product of it's time. 1974 saw a whole slew of artists stretching the boundaries of what jazz music could be, combining elements from the past two decades into electric jazz adventures. The piano-less group that Rouse put together is a funky one, with lots of rhythmic playing behind either the searching solos of Rouse on the tenor or some inventive electric guitar work from either George Davis or Paul Metzke who appear together on all but a couple of tracks. Cal Scott gets plenty of time to shine throughout on what sounds like an electrified cello, an unusual instrument for modern jazz to be sure, but one that manages to fit in just fine here."
Press:
"The label has the distinct pleasure - (no) pun intended - of repackaging another gem from the Strata-East catalogue." - **** UK Vibe
Tracklisting
Nina Simone
Archie Shepp & Mal Waldron
The Descendants Of Mike & Phoebe
Lonnie Liston Smith
Nat King Cole
David Murray
John Stubblefield
The Piano Choir
Russ Lossing
Christian Dillingham
Bill Evans
Alexi Tuomarila
Various Artists
Nat King Cole
Mahalia Jackson
David Janeway