Johnny Lytle was a big deal during the 1960s and early 1970s. In some respects, the vibraphonist and composer perfected an album model that inspired Creed Taylor's CTI label, combining jazz originals and jazzy interpretations of soul hits. As far as I'm concerned, there isn't a bad Lytle album. One of my favorites is his 1967 cover of songs from the soundtrack of A Man and a Woman. Also terrific are Blue Vibes (1960), The Loop (1966), New and Groovy (1967) and Fast Hands (1980). [Photo above of Johnny Lytle]
Earlier this year, Concord's Craft Recordings, in partnership with Jazz Dispensary, reissued a remastered vinyl version of Lytle's People & Love. The LP has been out of print for more than 50 years. Recorded in August 1972 and released originally on the Milestone label that year, the record features Johnny Lytle (vib), Marvin Cabell (fl, alto fl, ts), Daahoud Hadi (Butch Cornell) (org,el p), Bob Cranshaw (el b), Josell Carter (d), Arthur Jenkins, Jr.(conga,perc) and Betty Glamann (harp).
What makes the album exceptional is the mix of hypnotic originals and jazzy renditions of two soul standards. Two of the originals were written and arranged by Lytle and the third was written and arranged by Hadi. The soul standards are Where Is the Love?, a hit at the time by Roberta Flack, and the Stylistics' People Make the World Go 'Round, recorded by Lytle months before Milt Jackson's Sunflower album for CTI.
The tracks:
- Where Is the Love
- Libra (Johnny Lytle)
- Family (Lytle)
- Tawhid (Hadi)
- People Make The World Go ‘Round
People & Love features lacquers cut from the original tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio and pressed on 180-gram vinyl at RTI. The jacket features original art. And the addition of Betty Glamann was a stroke of genius. [Photo above of Johnny Lytle]
Johnny Lytle died in 1995 of kidney failure at age 63.
JazzWax tracks: You'll find Johnny Lytle's People & Love issued on vinyl (and previously issued digital formats) here.
JazzWax clips: Here's Family...
And here's Tawhid...