Don Blackman
Don Blackman
Don Blackman is the self-titled debut album from New York-born pianist, vocalist, and songwriter Don Blackman, released in 1982 on Arista Records and produced by the celebrated Dave Grusin. A cult classic that has only grown in stature over the decades, the album is widely regarded as a rare groove and jazz-funk masterpiece — a seamlessly blended mix of funk, soul, R&B, and jazz that moves between gritty, P-Funk-inflected grooves and tender, lushly arranged midtempo ballads. Blackman's approach was remarkably well-rounded: his sweet, effortless voice sat comfortably alongside his sophisticated piano and keyboard work, and the album's arrangements carry a richness and ambition that rivaled the best work of his contemporaries, particularly George Duke.
The supporting musicianship is exceptional throughout. A young Dennis Chambers delivers standout drumming, while Barry "Sonjohn" Johnson's slap bass work anchors many of the record's most infectious moments. Standout tracks include "Heart's Desire," with its nasty bass groove and alluring piano outro, and "Holding You, Loving You," the album's best-known song, built on romantic harmonies and a killer bassline that became a touchstone for rare groove collectors. The album also features flautist Hubert Laws and closes with an arrangement of Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring," underscoring just how wide Blackman's musical ambitions ran. Though he would go on to collaborate with artists like Roy Ayers, Bernard Wright, and Weldon Irvine, this debut remains his greatest achievement — a happy-spirited, genre-blending record that has since been sampled by J Dilla and Madlib and continues to find new listeners decades after its original release.
Don Blackman
Don Blackman
Don Blackman is the self-titled debut album from New York-born pianist, vocalist, and songwriter Don Blackman, released in 1982 on Arista Records and produced by the celebrated Dave Grusin. A cult classic that has only grown in stature over the decades, the album is widely regarded as a rare groove and jazz-funk masterpiece — a seamlessly blended mix of funk, soul, R&B, and jazz that moves between gritty, P-Funk-inflected grooves and tender, lushly arranged midtempo ballads. Blackman's approach was remarkably well-rounded: his sweet, effortless voice sat comfortably alongside his sophisticated piano and keyboard work, and the album's arrangements carry a richness and ambition that rivaled the best work of his contemporaries, particularly George Duke.
The supporting musicianship is exceptional throughout. A young Dennis Chambers delivers standout drumming, while Barry "Sonjohn" Johnson's slap bass work anchors many of the record's most infectious moments. Standout tracks include "Heart's Desire," with its nasty bass groove and alluring piano outro, and "Holding You, Loving You," the album's best-known song, built on romantic harmonies and a killer bassline that became a touchstone for rare groove collectors. The album also features flautist Hubert Laws and closes with an arrangement of Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring," underscoring just how wide Blackman's musical ambitions ran. Though he would go on to collaborate with artists like Roy Ayers, Bernard Wright, and Weldon Irvine, this debut remains his greatest achievement — a happy-spirited, genre-blending record that has since been sampled by J Dilla and Madlib and continues to find new listeners decades after its original release.