SAVE THE COUNTRY

First George Duke's solo recording for American Record Company. Guitarist Jay Graydon worked with George Duke in The Don Ellis Big Band. The horn section consisted of Ernie Watts sax & flute, Jay Daversa and Charles Findley trumpets, Ernie Tack and Glenn Ferris trombone (also worked with Don Ellis). The album is an eclectic mix of Jazz Funk using pop material, with some straight ahead tunes thrown in. The LP was recorded during the Spring of 1970 while Duke was touring with Frank Zappa.

In fact, this album contains big amount of pop-rock materials, but with jazzy arrangements, and some brass section (or big-band feeling). There are covers of Laura Nyro, Judy Collins, and The Beatles songs included. Really quite eclectic mix, album's music is more attractive for fans of r'n'b or early pop-rock songs in brassy arrangements, or even pop post-bop tunes, than fusion ones. Hardly progressive, this music still has its moments. But mostly release for George Duke hot fans, or lovers of such kind of (non-progressive) pop-funk-jazz-rock.