GEORGE BROWN: ‘Where I’m Coming From’ (Astana Music)

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Not content to be the pulsating rhythmic heartbeat of Kool & The Gang for many years, drummer George Brown was also the talented co-writer of several of the band’s biggest hit tunes, namely the disco anthems ‘Ladies Night’ and ‘Too Hot.’ As he entered his twilight years, he began working on his first solo album but his death from cancer in November of last year at the age of 74 robbed him of the opportunity of seeing that dream realised. Thankfully, before his passing, he had finished the album, which is now released. 

Where I’m Coming From will undoubtedly surprise those who are expecting something along the lines of a stereotypical Kool & The Gang record. Sure, there are examples of no-nonsense get-down party-funk – like the incendiary ‘Leave It On The Fire’ and blistering ‘My Woman’ – but elsewhere, the album offers an eclectic blend of styles, fusing elements of contemporary R&B with pop, a smidgeon of hip-hop attitude, a soupcon of country music, jazzy infections, and a piquant pinch of Latin music. 

For the opening track, the haunting ‘Gemma’ with its sensuous mid-tempo bossa nova pulse, Brown takes us on a trip to Brazil. It’s a gorgeous piece and not what students of Brown’s past work with Kool & The Gang were expecting. From there, Brown takes the listener on a journey whose destinations range from smoothly percolating R&B (the super-catchy ‘She Just Wants To Be Loved By Somebody’) to impassioned romantic ballads (‘Honey’) and dark tales of romance gone wrong (‘What If’). There are also mid-tempo declarations of undying devotion (‘Nobody Loves Me Like You’), sensual erotic slow jams (‘Your Body’), and stirring depictions of young love (‘Shawty’s Got’). One of the most potent tracks is the gospel-tinged ‘Hands Up,’ a socio-political sermon that reverberates with echoes of Marvin Gaye’s ‘Inner City Blues.’

Though his skill as a drummer who could keep a groove flowing is undeniable, Brown reveals on Where I’m Coming From that he was an accomplished multitasker: besides possessing a soulful and gritty baritone voice, he was also a skilled keyboard player and arranger. He also knew how to tell a story with a song and craft an addictive chorus. It’s a shame that he didn’t reveal the depth of his talent earlier in life but as musical epitaphs go, Where I’m Coming From is a powerful one. Undoubtedly one of the year’s best R&B albums.       

(CW)  4/5