Feel Like Making LIVE! (HPL Binaural)

Album review

One of the great jazz music gurus who’s been sampled to death in the rap world (his Nautilus theme ended up on more than 400 songs released by Public Enemy, A Tribe Called Quest, Ghostface Killah, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Danny Brown, etc.), is Bob James’ sober live album. Recorded as a trio alongside drummer Billy Kilson and bassist Michael Palazzolo, without an armada of strings or bass, the Missouri pianist (who once accompanied singer Sarah Vaughan in the early days of her music career) revisits his greatest hits with some stripped back versions. As you might expect, Nautilus has made the track list, as has Westchester Lady, Mister Magic and Angela, the hit soundtrack from the sitcom Taxi. A special mention must go to his cover of Feel Like Making Love by Roberta Flack, which propelled One, his first album for the label CTI, to the top of the charts in 1974. Now, at 82 years old, Bob James’ Feel Like Making LIVE! is an unapologetic exhibition of his (overly?) well-oiled and meticulous art. © Marc Zisman/Qobuz