Like Roy Ayers, Patrice Rushen, George Benson, and George Duke, Tom Browne is a perfect example of a jazz musician who switched to R&B and was lambasted by jazz snobs for it. As jazz's hardcore saw it, the trumpeter was a sellout -- a gifted Clifford Brown disciple who was shamelessly wasting his chops playing commercial music. But commercial music isn't necessarily inferior to jazz, and the fact is that much of Browne's soul/funk output was excellent. While jazz snobs dismissed Browne's third album, Magic, because it contains very little jazz, the Dave Grusin/Larry Rosen-produced LP has a lot going for it from a soul/funk standpoint. The only cuts on Magic that have anything to do with jazz are the sensuous quiet storm instrumental "Night Wind" and a lush Grusin arrangement of Billie Holiday's "God Bless the Child." This is an R&B album first and foremost, and those who admired Browne for his 1980 hit "Funkin' for Jamaica" also admired such Magic cuts as the funky "Let's Dance," the Earth, Wind & Fire-ish "I Know," and the addictive funk hit "Thighs High (Grip Your Hips and Move)," all of which feature vocalist Toni Smith -- a passionate, Chaka Khan-influenced belter who had been featured on "Funkin' for Jamaica." While jazz snobs would be better off passing on Magic, R&B fans will find a lot to admire about Browne's third album. ~ Alex Henderson
Japanese reissue of the jazz/R&B artist's 1981 album for Arista. K2 24 bit mastering.
Tracklist/Personnel:01. Let's Dance [5:29]
Electric Guitar, Backing Vocals – Kevin Cummings (2)
Piano [Acoustic] – Terry Burris
Electric Piano [Rhodes], Clavinet, Backing Vocals – Cliff Branch, Jr.
Electric Bass, Arranged By, Backing Vocals – Sekou Bunch
Trumpet, Arranged By – Tom Browne
Lead Vocals – Toni Smith
Synthesizer [Obx] – Dave Grusin
Written-By – Sekou Bunch
Percussion – Crusher Bennett
Drums – Gregg Barrett (2)
Horns – Bob Franceschani, James Stowe, Tom Browne
Electric Guitar, Backing Vocals – Kevin Cummings (2)
Piano [Acoustic] – Terry Burris
Electric Piano [Rhodes], Clavinet, Backing Vocals – Cliff Branch, Jr.
Electric Bass, Arranged By, Backing Vocals – Sekou Bunch
Trumpet, Arranged By – Tom Browne
Lead Vocals – Toni Smith
Synthesizer [Obx] – Dave Grusin
Written-By – Sekou Bunch
Percussion – Crusher Bennett
Drums – Gregg Barrett (2)
Horns – Bob Franceschani, James Stowe, Tom Browne
02. Magic [4:27]
Electric Piano [Rhodes] – Bernard Wright
Electric Bass – Sekou Bunch
Trumpet, Arranged By – Tom Browne
Electric Guitar – Bobby Broom
Lead Vocals – Cliff Branch, Jr.
Written-By – Clifford Branch, Jr.
Tenor Saxophone – Robert Franceschani
Percussion – Crusher Bennett
Clavinet, Synthesizer [Obx] – Dave Grusin
Piano [Acoustic], Arranged By – Cliff Branch, Jr.
Drums – Buddy Williams
Backing Vocals – Toni Smith
Electric Piano [Rhodes] – Bernard Wright
Electric Bass – Sekou Bunch
Trumpet, Arranged By – Tom Browne
Electric Guitar – Bobby Broom
Lead Vocals – Cliff Branch, Jr.
Written-By – Clifford Branch, Jr.
Tenor Saxophone – Robert Franceschani
Percussion – Crusher Bennett
Clavinet, Synthesizer [Obx] – Dave Grusin
Piano [Acoustic], Arranged By – Cliff Branch, Jr.
Drums – Buddy Williams
Backing Vocals – Toni Smith
03. I Know [4:45]
Electric Bass – Marcus Miller
Electric Guitar – Jeff Mironov
Written-By – Tom Browne
Percussion – Crusher Bennett
Piano [Acoustic], Electric Piano [Rhodes], Synthesizer [Obx], Arranged By – Dave Grusin
Vocals – Toni Smith
Drums – Buddy Williams
Horns – Bob Franceschani, James Stowe, Tom Browne
Trumpet, Vocals, Arranged By – Tom Browne
Electric Bass – Marcus Miller
Electric Guitar – Jeff Mironov
Written-By – Tom Browne
Percussion – Crusher Bennett
Piano [Acoustic], Electric Piano [Rhodes], Synthesizer [Obx], Arranged By – Dave Grusin
Vocals – Toni Smith
Drums – Buddy Williams
Horns – Bob Franceschani, James Stowe, Tom Browne
Trumpet, Vocals, Arranged By – Tom Browne
04. Midnight Interlude [5:16]
Electric Guitar, Arranged By – Grisha Dimant
Electric Piano [Rhodes], Synthesizer [Arp String Ensemble], Arranged By – Dennis Bell
Piano [Acoustic] – Bernard Wright
Electric Bass – Sekou Bunch
Drums – Howard Grate
Lead Vocals – Pat Windham
Written-By – Claudette Washington, Dennis Bell, Grisha Dimant
Percussion – Crusher Bennett
Clavinet – Dave Grusin
Trumpet – Tom Browne
Backing Vocals – Claudette Washington, Dorothy Terrell, Lynette Washington
Electric Guitar, Arranged By – Grisha Dimant
Electric Piano [Rhodes], Synthesizer [Arp String Ensemble], Arranged By – Dennis Bell
Piano [Acoustic] – Bernard Wright
Electric Bass – Sekou Bunch
Drums – Howard Grate
Lead Vocals – Pat Windham
Written-By – Claudette Washington, Dennis Bell, Grisha Dimant
Percussion – Crusher Bennett
Clavinet – Dave Grusin
Trumpet – Tom Browne
Backing Vocals – Claudette Washington, Dorothy Terrell, Lynette Washington
05. God Bless The Child [5:04]
Trumpet – Tom Browne
Piano [Acoustic], Arranged By – Dave Grusin
Written-By – Ira Herzog, Billie Holiday
Trumpet – Tom Browne
Piano [Acoustic], Arranged By – Dave Grusin
Written-By – Ira Herzog, Billie Holiday
06. Night Wind [6:30]
Electric Bass – Marcus Miller
Drums – Buddy Williams
Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar – Jeff Mironov
Flugelhorn – Tom Browne
Written-By – Dave Grusin
Percussion – Crusher Bennett, Larry Rosen
Electric Piano [Rhodes], Piano [Acoustic], Arranged By – Dave Grusin
Electric Bass – Marcus Miller
Drums – Buddy Williams
Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar – Jeff Mironov
Flugelhorn – Tom Browne
Written-By – Dave Grusin
Percussion – Crusher Bennett, Larry Rosen
Electric Piano [Rhodes], Piano [Acoustic], Arranged By – Dave Grusin
07. Thighs High (Grip Your Hips And Move) [4:39]
Music By – Tom Browne
Piano [Acoustic] – Bernard Wright
Electric Bass – Sekou Bunch
Drums – Buddy Williams
Electric Guitar – Bobby Broom
Lead Vocals – Toni Smith
Trumpet, Arranged By – Tom Browne
Electric Piano [Rhodes], Synthesizer [Obx] – Dave Grusin
Percussion – Crusher Bennett
Clavinet – Cliff Branch, Jr.
Lyrics By – Dave Grusin, Sekou Bunch, Toni Smith
Backing Vocals – Babi Floyd, Cliff Branch, Jr., Frank Floyd, Sekou Bunch, Toni Smith
Music By – Tom Browne
Piano [Acoustic] – Bernard Wright
Electric Bass – Sekou Bunch
Drums – Buddy Williams
Electric Guitar – Bobby Broom
Lead Vocals – Toni Smith
Trumpet, Arranged By – Tom Browne
Electric Piano [Rhodes], Synthesizer [Obx] – Dave Grusin
Percussion – Crusher Bennett
Clavinet – Cliff Branch, Jr.
Lyrics By – Dave Grusin, Sekou Bunch, Toni Smith
Backing Vocals – Babi Floyd, Cliff Branch, Jr., Frank Floyd, Sekou Bunch, Toni Smith
08. Making Plans [4:02]
Piano [Acoustic] – Terry Burris
Electric Bass – Sekou Bunch
Vocals [Vocal Group] – Cliff Branch, Jr., Kevin Cummings (2), Sekou Bunch, Tom Browne, Toni Smith
Piano [Acoustic], Timpani, Arranged By – Dave Grusin
Electric Guitar – Kevin Cummings (2)
Trumpet, Lead Vocals, Arranged By – Tom Browne
Written-By – Ronny Pace
Percussion – Crusher Bennett
Drums – Gregg Barrett (2)
Horns – Bob Franceschani, James Stowe, Tom Browne
Piano [Acoustic] – Terry Burris
Electric Bass – Sekou Bunch
Vocals [Vocal Group] – Cliff Branch, Jr., Kevin Cummings (2), Sekou Bunch, Tom Browne, Toni Smith
Piano [Acoustic], Timpani, Arranged By – Dave Grusin
Electric Guitar – Kevin Cummings (2)
Trumpet, Lead Vocals, Arranged By – Tom Browne
Written-By – Ronny Pace
Percussion – Crusher Bennett
Drums – Gregg Barrett (2)
Horns – Bob Franceschani, James Stowe, Tom Browne
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