Between the seventies and the eighties, legendary soul/jazz drummer Harvey Mason was one of the most sought-after session players as well as a successful R&B/fusion solo artist. In those glorious days, Mason played drums on many seminal records including George Benson’s “Breezin,’” Herbie Hancock’s “Watermelon Man,” Bill Withers’ “Hello Like Before” and Kenny Loggins’ “Celebrate Me Home.” The revered drummer often crossed paths with fellow super session guy David Foster who co-wrote songs and played keyboards on his albums.

A couple of those funk anthems, “Till You Take My Love” and “Say It Again,” have become classics in the “rare groove” circle, often played by deejays around the world. Both songs were already reviewed here and can be rediscovered in the archives.

This week, the spotlight illuminates “I’d Still Be There,” an energetic mid-tempo from Mr. Mason’s 1979 Groovin’ You album. He co-wrote the track with keyboard player Onaje Allan Gumbs. Like a good portion of Groovin’ You, “I’d Still Be There” owes its inspiration to Earth, Wind & Fire’s music that was a big thing way back when. Quite unavoidably, the song’s catchy rhythms, powerful horns, falsetto vocals and orchestral strength echo the grandeur of the late Maurice White’s (1941-2016) classic productions. On “I’d Still Be There,” the future Hitman appeared playing electric and acoustic piano along with his Airplay pal Jay Graydon, Wah Wah Watson on guitar, Sheila Escovedo, a.k.a. Sheila E, on congas and Jerry Hey playing and arranging the dazzling horns. Mason, obviously on drums, handled the lead vocals with his younger brother Kenny who also played trumpet.

In the early nineties, after the end of his session man days, Mason started the renowned jazz/fusion supergroup Fourplay with three other music giants; Lee Ritenour on guitar, Nathan East on bass and Bob James on piano. Fourplay released fourteen cds, always topping the Contemporary Jazz charts. They still perform to sold-out audience all over the world. Mason’s last solo cd, Chameleon, was out in 2014 and was another journey among the most refined jazz/funk music made by one of the best musicians of that genre.

Listen

Lead Vocals: Harvey Mason & Kenny Mason
Drums Cowbell, Bells, Tambourine & Timpani: Harvey Mason
Electric & Acoustic Piano: David Foster
Congas: Sheila Escovedo
Bass: Mike Porcaro
Guitar: Jay Graydon & Melvin “Wah Wah” Watson
Trumpets & Flugelhorn: Chuck Findley, Jerry Hey, Kenny Mason, Steve Madaio
Woodwind: Gary Herbig
Trombone: Lew McCreary & Slyde Hyde

Rhythm Arrangement by Harvey Mason
Strings Arrangement by Gene Page
Horns Arrangement by Jerry Hey

Produced by Harvey Mason
Associate Producer: Kenny Mason

Lyrics

No Lyrics

Harvey Mason is a legendary drummer and a member of the fusion combo, Fourplay. Mason has had a versatile solo career that started in 1976 with his debut entitled “Marching In The Streets.” At the end of the seventies he reached the peak of his success with a couple of very good releases, “Funk In A Mason Jar” and “Groovin’ You.” Both these works are very well prepared mixes of the funky/soul sounds of the era. “Groovin’ You” is probably the richest in terms of production with material that is a cross between Quincy Jones’ productions of The Brothers Johnson and Earth, Wind & Fire’s black pop. David Foster co-wrote the hit from “Funk In A Mason Jar,” “Till You Take My Love.” He also joined the stellar cast of “Groovin’ You” and co-wrote one of its funkiest moments, “Say It Again.” This song has strong percussions and fat horns reminiscent of Earth, Wind & Fire. Foster also tickled the ivories on many other songs on the album and even arranged some strings. “Groovin’ You” includes a selection of energetic funky/disco moments like “The Race,” “I’d Still Be There” and the title track, all with Foster’s great work on keyboards. “We Can” is a smooth, refined ballad while the last two cuts of the album, “Kauai” and Antonio Carlos Jobim’s “Wave,” are two mellow fusion instrumentals. The most elaborate song is Bill Meyers’“Here Today And Gone Tomorrow.” It is a funky/jazz affair that features the extraordinary voice of Bill Champlin. Other big names on the album include Lee Ritenour, Bob James, Verdine White of EW&F, Sheila E., Jay Graydon, Ray Parker Jr., Steve Lukather of Toto, Richard Tee and Jerry Hey.

Listen

[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/archives/clips/say_it_again.mp3|titles=Say it again|artists=Fourplay]

Lead Vocals: Kenny Mason, Morris Paul Kennedy & Harvey Mason
Acoustic Piano: David Foster
Drums: Harvey Mason
Congas: Sheila Escovedo
Syndrums: Hoppy Mason
Bass: Verdine White
Guitar: Steve Lukather & Phil Upchurch
Background Vocals: Ron Hickland, Jim Haas and Jerry Whitman
Additional Vocals: Peter Chaiken & Phil Moores
Horns: Kenny Mason, Chuck Findley, Jerry Hey, Steve Madaio, Slyde Hyde, Lew McCreary & Gary Herbig
Rhythm Arrangement: Harvey Mason
Horn & Strings Arrangement: Bill Meyers
Produced by Harvey Mason
Associate Producer: Kenny Mason

Lyrics

NO LYRICS