Joe Farrell — Penny Arcade/Upon This Rock/Canned Funk

Here we have a trio of mid 1970’s albums from Chicago based saxophonist & flutist Joe Farrell. And there’s a decidedly strutting, grooving & good-time feel to all three of these albums, which move between jazz-funk & upbeat fusion, with some slight detours into Latin-influenced waters , and the occasionally mellow moments.

The double CD reissue appears on BGO Records- coming in the labels trademark cardboard slip sleeve, the clear & slimline double jewel case takes in a glossy twenty-page inlay- this features a new fourteen-page write-up about the three albums here, and Farrell's career in general. On the first CD, we have two albums Penny Arcade & Upon This Rock. With the final album Canned Funk on the second disc.

Farrell started his jazz career in late 1950’s when he joined Ralph Marterie band, later going onto play with Maynard Ferguson and The Thad Jones/ Mel Lewis Orchestra. He also recorded with Charles Mingus, Andrew Hill, Jaki Byard, Players Association and Elvin Jones. Though it wasn’t until the late 60’s/early 70’s he recorded albums as bandleader- the three albums here where his 5th, 6th, and 7th albums as bandleader.

So first out of the bag, we have 1973’a Penny Arcade- this takes in five tracks, and features: Joe Farrell-  tenor & Soprano Sax, Flute, and Picollo. Herbie Hancock- Paino. Steve Gadd- Drums. Herb Bushier- bass. Joe Beck- Guitar, and Don Alias- Congos. The album moves from the  title track- which features a  wonderful chugging & tightly jiving mix of sax, strutting bass & guitar- with coolly snaking keyboard work from Hancock- it’s like you’ve just been zoomed back to the time of bright neo, bellbottoms, and platform shoes- and your just walking into pumping & thumbing bar on the strip. Later on we have the choppy-yet- grooving fusion of "Hurricane Jane"- which features a few moments of smooth Hammond break-downs. Or the  building & Congo lined Latin vibe of "Cloud Cream"- featuring wonderful vivid & wailing flute work from Farrell. All in all Penny Arcade is a good, mainly upbeat record- that sees Farrell offering up five memorable tracks, which tread the line between populous & worthy break-downs/ solos.

Next up is 1974’s Upon This Rock- this features another five tracks, and the mood here heads more towards fairly heavy jazz rock/ hard bop side of things. The line-up here for most of the tracks are a three-piece- Farrell- tenor & soprano sax, and flute. Joe Beck- Guitar. Jim Madison- drums. Though Herb Bushler- bass. Hancock, Alias, and Gadd appear on one track. The albums kicks off in a snaking-yet- groove tinged manner with "Weathervane"-this sees Becks distorted & simmering guitar work moving though power-chugs & searing solos, as Farrell keeps the melody line in check with smoky horn work, and Madison adds in a nice twisting & churning percussion.  Or there's the smoking funk rock guitar chug-meets jazz bar rock dirtiness of the title track. And ending the album off we have the strutting guitar –meets- weaving horn sassy-ness of "Seven Seas". Once again Upon This Rock another is another consistent selection of tracks- that sees all the players on top smoking form, though I would say Beck’s snaking, funking-to- rocking guitar work is the star here.

So lastly, of course, we move onto the final disc, and we have 1975’s Canned Funk- and this very much lives up to its funk themed title, with four grooving- though- at times fairly tripped-out examples of 70’s jazz funk. The line-up here is Farrell- Tenor, Soprano & baritone sax, and flute. Bushier- bass. Beck -Guitar. And drums, percussion & congas from Jim Madison & Ray Mantilla. We go from the dirty deep horn honk meets meaty-to-intricate jazz-rock guitar & dreamy bass noodlings of "Animal". Onto broodingly grooving & slightly wonky vibe of "Suite Martinique"- with its blend of spacey & trippy percussion fills, deep squelching bass, moody & darkly air flute weaves, and almost progy metallic guitar fills. Ending the album is "Spoken Silence"- a  bright & buoyant affair that blends together strutting- yet melodic guitar work, smoking-yet-mellow sax work, and a grooving-yet-fairly set pop/ rock beat.  Aside from "Suite Martinique" slightly darker-more- trippy edges, of the three albums Canned Funk is the most commercial & populous; but thankful it never becomes bland, or throw-away- with Farrell getting that sweet spot between approachable, yet interesting interplays.

So, in conclusion, this is a rather nice trio funky-to-rocking fusion albums from the 1970’s. If you dig the likes of Tom Scott, or similar upbeat 70’s jazz/ funk/ rock, this will be right up your alley.