John Blair – We Belong Together

I'm tempted to rate this 5 stars just to raise its overall score, but I can't bring myself to do it (5 stars is reserved for the absolute masterpieces). This may not be a masterpiece, but it's a brilliant, eminently enjoyable record. Fantastic musicians courtesy of the CTI house musicians including Steve Gadd on drums and Gary King on bass (a super tight and funky rhythm section), tasty professionals Hiram Bullock on guitar and Cliff Carter on keys, and others; killer tunes including a psychedelifunk version of the Beatles' Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds, the alternately dreamy/rockin' Feather Lite & Honey Smooth, the Bee-Gees-esque (but with a killer guitar solo) I'm a Wizard, a smokin' rendition of Roll Over Beethoven with a ripping' guitar solo from Hiram Bullock that would impress any jamband fan, and the absolute funk bomb Got That Feeling; and the arranging talents of another CTI stalwart David Matthews, this is absolutely an album worth having. One of the most underrated/unheralded albums in my collection. It's absolutely of its time, -- part funk, part disco, extraordinarily well-produced and well-performed. I'm very surprised this record isn't more sought after than it appears to be. Those hip to this record are the lucky ones.