In the early '70s in Houston, Texas, a place you might not expect to find fiery spiritual and modal jazz, Bubbha Thomas & The Lightmen released four amazing albums of maverick jazz, on par with top Tribe or Strata East releases. Drummer, bandleader, and activist Bubbha Thomas, after touring with R&B revues and being a session musician, was influenced by the late - 1960s upheaval and followed in Coltrane's footsteps. His music was part of a resistance to the status quo. This boxset collects his four classic albums with The Lightmen.
'Free As You Wanna Be' came before the deep spiritual jazz of Tribe, Strata, and Black Jazz. It's available in stereo and previously unreleased mono mixes. 'Fancy Pants' is more meditative, like later Sun Ra or Phil Cohran's records, with 'On The Road Home' being a great modal jazz piece, presented in stereo and extended mono mixes. 'Energy Control Center', the masterpiece, has bonus tracks and unreleased takes. 'Country Fried Chicken' is the most accessible, mixing spiritual jazz with funk, and comes with alternate synth - led mixes and unreleased disco and boogie tracks.
Original copies of these albums cost $500 - $1,100, so this set is a steal. Remastered from original tapes by Egon and Now - Again, it has in - depth liner notes, bonus alternate takes, 61 tracks in 8 LPs in an envelope - style sleeve. It also includes a booklet about The Lightmen's story and a download card for wav files and live performance footage. Released by Now - Again Records in 2018.
Features:
- 8 LP set in envelope style sleeve
- Remastered from original tapes
- Extensive booklet by Lance Scott Walker about Bubbha and the albums
- Download code for wav files and live performance footage
- Music label: Now - Again 2018
Reviewed by Ralphy Corduroy 2/2019
Using this 8LP boxset is easy. Just grab your record player, pick an LP, and place it on the turntable. Drop the needle gently and enjoy the amazing jazz music. When handling the LPs, make sure your hands are clean to avoid getting dirt on the records. Store the boxset in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight to prevent warping of the LPs. The download card included can be used to access wav files and live performance footage. Simply follow the instructions on the card to download the content. Remember, these records are remastered from original tapes, so handle them with care to keep the sound quality at its best.
