Chicken Fat

by Mel Brown

Overview

Guitarist Mel Brown is hailed as "An Impulse! Discovery" on Chicken Fat, his debut for the label, and this album does feature a fantastic unique sound. Brown played in the bands of T-Bone Walker and John Lee Hooker, and has an aggressive (though not harsh) single-string picking style. For this date he is paired with either Herb Ellis or Arthur Wright on guitar, Gerald Wiggins on organ, and Brown's regular rhythm section of Paul Humphrey on drums and Ronald Brown on electric bass. There are a couple tracks that are played as pretty straight blues, but this is a hoppin' soul-jazz date. The tunes are bouncy and funky, and Brown's playing is a real treat. His bluesy, almost reckless soloing gives a vastly different flavor that the playing of guys like Grant Green or Melvin Sparks. Gerald Wiggins' organ playing is cool and swinging, and the electric bass of Ronald Brown makes this album about as funky as Impulse ever got. Both Herb Ellis and Arthur Wright get some solo space as well, with Ellis sounding quite interesting playing an unamplified 12-string on a couple cuts. Brown gets some nice tones as well, and on "Hobo Flats" plays "an electronic guitar with Wah-Wah distortion" (remember, this is 1967 jazz) "that gives a weird shimmering sound," according to the liner notes. Leave it to Impulse! to put a new spin on the guitar/organ sound. This is hot stuff. ~ Sean Westergaard

Product Details

Release Date:	06/14/2024
Label:	Jackpot Records
UPC:	0843563174500

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Mel Brown   Primary Artist,Guitar (Electric),Guitar
Herb Ellis   Guest Artist,Guitar,Guitar (Electric),Guitar (12 String)
Arthur Wright   Guitar,Guitar (Electric)
Gerald Wiggins   Organ
Paul Humphrey   Drums
Ronald Brown   Bass,Bass (Electric)

Technical Credits

Oliver Nelson   Arranger,Composer
Arthur Wright   Composer,Personnel
Ronnie Brown   Composer
Herb Ellis   Composer,Personnel
Mel Brown   Personnel,Composer
Robert Flynn   Cover Design
Eddie Brackett   Engineer
Bob Thiele   Producer
Bob Irwin   Mastering
Gerald Wiggins   Personnel
Paul Humphrey   Composer,Personnel
Ken Druker   Executive Producer
Stix Hooper   Composer
Ronald Brown   Personnel
Jayme Pieruzzi   Mastering
Hollis King   Art Direction
George Hoefer   Liner Notes
Fred Seligo   Cover Photo,Photography
Jules Chaikin   Composer
Joe Lebow   Liner Design
Sherniece Smith   Art Producer