Mel Brown - Chicken Fat (1967) (2024) (Vinyl / LP / Reissue) (FLAC)

The 1967 Impulse Records legendary Funk/Soul Instrumental masterpiece album Chicken Fat. If you haven't heard Chicken Fat yet, get ready because the LP won't leave your turntable until your jaw stops hitting the floor.

Initially working as a guitar player for such greats as Sonny Boy Williamson & Etta James, Impulse Records eventually offered Mel Brown the chance to record his own material. Recorded in 1967 in Hollywood, CA, for the Impulse record label, Brown amassed a group of session musicians who had played with Charles Mingus, Marvin Gaye, and Dizzy Gillespie. Much of the album was arranged by Oliver Nelson, who worked with Thelonious Monk, Sonny Rollins, Jimmy Smith and more. His touch is felt all over the record and helps solidify the journey. These recording sessions also reflected the Sunset Strip and the energy of late ‘60s Los Angeles so incredibly, you can almost hear the go-go boots hit the floor to dance til they drop.

Last but not least is Mel Brown's Chicken Fat. That title perfectly describes the nine instrumentals contained within. Brown's mix of soul and jazz on this Impulse Records release was, at times, breathtaking. One oddity about the record is the second guitarist. It's none other than Herb Ellis, who fits in nicely, playing rhythm guitar. One other oddity… Herb actually plays an acoustic 12-string on two blues cuts!

Tracklist
01. Chicken Fat (4:16)
02. Greasy Spoon (5:52)
03. Home James (6:31)
04. Slalom (2:30)
05. Hobo Flats (2:17)
06. Shanty (4:41)
07. Sad But True (5:01)
08. I'm Goin' to Jackson (4:22)
09. Blues for Big Bob (4:27)