Alphonse Mouzon – Why Can't We Make It (recorded December 13-15, 1972)

This powerful, funky message song from the pioneer fusion drummer's debut solo LP The Essence Of Mystery on Blue Note reminds us to choose love over hate.

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From December 13-15, 1972, original Weather Report member Alphonse Mouzon was in A&R Recording Studio in New York City recording The Essence Of Mystery, his 1973 debut solo album for Blue Note.

Originally released with all other musicians uncredited, their identities remained a true mystery for years.  But they created an album full of gems from start to finish.

The album’s masterpiece was arguably “Why Can’t We Make It,” a super funky love song reminding us that love can triumph over hate. Besides drums, Mouzon also played clavinet and sang lead vocals.

Mouzon wrote, arranged and conducted every track on The Essence Of Mystery including the hypnotic cut “Macrobian,” the soothing, laid back “Spring Water” on which he played electric piano, and the timeless jazz-funk jam “Crying Angels.” The lineup featured the late great players Sonny Fortune on alto sax, Buddy Terry on soprano sax, and Larry Willis on piano, all now jamming with Alphonse in the beyond.

The album’s remaining personnel were bassist Buster Williams and Wilbur Bascomb Jr. on electric bass. It was produced by George Butler, still in his first year of running Blue Note and steering the label in a more jazz-funk direction. The Essence Of Mystery was an important signpost along the way.

See our earlier post on Alphonse Mouzon (November 21, 1948 - December 25, 2016) for more on his musical career as one of the inventors of jazz-funk drumming.

#jazz #funk #BlueNote #AlphonseMouzon