Stuff - Albums Collection 1976-1980 (5CD) [Japanese SHM-CD 2012]

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Stuff - Albums Collection 1976-1980 (5CD) [Japanese SHM-CD 2012]

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Under the leadership of bassist Gordon Edwards, several of the most prolific studio players around teamed together to form an all-star rhythm section that on a part-time basis operated as an independent group. Back around 1967, Edwards put together the Encyclopedia of Soul and during the next decade, the group (which just played together on an occasional basis) evolved into Stuff. Such musicians as drummer Billy Cobham and Jimmy Johnson and altoist David Sanborn passed through the group. By the time of its initial recording in 1975, the lineup was set: Richard Tee on organ, electric piano, and acoustic pianos, both Eric Gale and Cornell Dupree on guitars, bassist Edwards, and drummer Steve Gadd; Christopher Parker was occasionally with the group on second drums and percussion. Although the band, which consisted of masterful accompanists, often sounded like a "music minus one" ensemble (as if they were waiting for the main soloist to show up), Stuff were quite popular for a few years, recording four albums for Warner Bros. and having occasional reunions in the '80s.

Scott Yanow, Allmusic.com

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Stuff - Albums Collection 1976-1980 (5CD) [Japanese SHM-CD 2012]

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Stuff - Albums Collection 1976-1980 (5CD) [Japanese SHM-CD 2012]

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Stuff never won the respect of bop snobs, but that isn't what they were going for. The band's specialty was an accessible, groove-oriented blend of jazz, R&B, and pop, and not everyone who bought their records was a jazz expert. Though some of Stuff's fans knew a lot about jazz, others were Average White Band or Chaka Khan fans who bought the occasional Grover Washington, Jr. album. Stuff's LPs weren't amazing, but they were generally likable. That is the case with this self-titled debut album, which was produced by Herb Lovelle and Tommy LiPuma and earned the band a loyal following in 1976. While congenial tunes like "Reflections of Divine Love" and "Foots" aren't breathtaking, they're pleasant and easy to like. Guitarist Eric Gale, drummer Steve Gadd, and other Stuff members were capable of a lot more. Nonetheless, the band's recording career was off to a decent, if unremarkable, start with this 1976 LP.

Alex Henderson, Allmusic.com

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Stuff - Albums Collection 1976-1980 (5CD) [Japanese SHM-CD 2012]

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Stuff's sophomore album More Stuff was quite similar to its first LP. Once again, the band offered a pleasant and good-natured, if unremarkable, blend of jazz, R&B, and pop. Many jazz critics gave this record negative reviews, attacking it for being commercial and groove-oriented. But Stuff never claimed to be Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers and tunes like Eric Gale's "Honey Coral Rock" and Cornell Dupree's "Subway" weren't meant to be straight-ahead bop. Stuff wanted to attract R&B and pop fans as well as jazz fans, and its members would have been happy to learn that someone who was into Marvin Gaye and Tyrone Davis also appreciated More Stuff. The fact that Stuff produced this LP with Charlie Kipps and the late Van McCoy says a lot; McCoy enjoyed one of disco's definitive smashes with 1975's "The Hustle," and he was also the guy who wrote Gladys Knight & the Pips' 1964 hit "Giving Up." So there was no way that an album McCoy co-produced was going to be a serious bop record. More Stuff isn't a masterpiece, although it's a decent LP that fared well in the crossover/NAC market.

Alex Henderson, Allmusic.com

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Stuff - Albums Collection 1976-1980 (5CD) [Japanese SHM-CD 2012]

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Stuff - Albums Collection 1976-1980 (5CD) [Japanese SHM-CD 2012]

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The fact that there is a dozen people credited for backing vocals on this album, but no one for lead, says a lot. There is actually only one song, "Talkin' About My Love for You," with solo vocals, and the rest are instrumental, sometimes with vocal choruses. This could give a feeling of a karaoke record, but getting used to it one will find the tracks with backing vocals the album's strongest; for example, the introductory "Mighty Love," with the groove slowly building up to an irresistible frenzy. And the extremely skilled ensemble manages to do this trick even when conditions seem really bad, like in "Dance With Me," starting out with lazy synth strings, a bossa rhythm, and quiet backing vocals. When listeners dance to the funky beat at the end of the song, they are likely to have forgotten what it sounded like in the beginning. And Stuff is obviously not about writing durable songs, but doing party music with a highly competent band, and this time including a whole lot of gospel in the jazz-funk. The only time Stuff is disappointing is when they don't raise the tempo. "Rainbows" and "Gordon's Theme" may be important for the balance of the album, but are actually a bit boring, though the latter has some comic ingredients. But that is followed up by the magnificent "Talkin' About My Love for You." And it has been said before, but this will make everyone dance.

Lars Lovén, Allmusic.com

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Stuff - Albums Collection 1976-1980 (5CD) [Japanese SHM-CD 2012]

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After releasing their last studio album in 1978, Stuff released three live albums in only two years. Wisely enough, they concentrated on up- and mid-tempo songs for this, the last one – wisely, because in their slick instrumental ballads, Stuff was often dangerously close to playing background music (they actually never ran totally clear of that risk). But on the whole, the instrumental funk found on this album has more in common with the first studio album than with later gospel- and soul-influenced releases. There are no horns, for example, which is unlucky because the horns did do a lot to lift the music on Stuff It, and the same can be said about the lack of vocals. There is more percussion than before though, as skilfully played as can be expected, and overall the band proves to be just as tight live as in the studio, and even more groovy. This may have been the band's last album ever, but the music is still intensely happy, though in the case of Stuff, that is more of a generic statement than a statement about mode. Happiest is the live version of "The Real McCoy," actually happy enough to position itself on an imaginary Stuff Top Five list, but the energetic medley "Love the Stuff – Ain't No Mountain High Enough" isn't far behind.

Lars Lovén, Allmusic.com