Clarence Wheeler & The Enforcers ”Doin’ What We Wanna”

Clarence Wheeler & The Enforcers

”Doin’ What We Wanna”
( LP Atlantic Records, 1970 )
Catalog # SD 1551

Tracklisting:
A1 Hey Jude (7:55)
A2 Sham Time (4:39)
A3 Theme From Electric Surfboard (7:29)
B1 Right On (4:39)
Vocals [Background] – Cissy Houston , Jackie Verdell , Judy Clay
B2 Dream Bossa Nova (3:29)
B3 Doin’ What I Wanna (4:04)
B4 C.W. (4:51)

Personnel & Credits:
Artwork By – Haig Adishian
Drums – George Hughes
Engineer – Jerry DeClerque
Organ – Sonny Burke
Photography – Mel Kaspar
Producer – Joel Dorn
Producer [Associate] – Mario Medious
Saxophone [Tenor] – Clarence Wheeler
Trumpet, Cowbell, Tambourine – Sonny Covington

Notes:
Recorded at Universal Studios,
Chicago, Illinois, November 18, 1969
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1970

Review:
A landmark album from this legendary Chicago soul jazz combo — and a record that helped set the tone for changes to come in funky jazz for the 70s! Tenorist Clarence Wheeler heads up the group — and they’ve got an amazing organ/bass sound that’s made them a legend with funk fans for years — a groove that’s filled with complicated riffing and changes, almost the “next level” of soul jazz beyond the already hip Jack McDuff groove of the Prestige years — taken into a lot more righteous territory! The grooves are totally infectious, and they echo with some of the best styles of the group’s contemporaries on the Chicago scene — particularly the electric Eddie Harris combo, or the best work going down over at Cadet Records! The album features a wonderful extended version of “Hey Jude”, with a million jazzy changes and loads of nice riffs (which is probably why it’s been heavily sampled) — plus groovy groovy versions of Eddie Harris’ “Sham Time” and Jack McDuff’s “Theme From The Electric Surfboard”. And all that’s only on side one! Side two’s got even more great stuff — like “Doin What I Wanna”, “Dream Bossa Nova”, and “Right On” — and the whole record’s a gem!
1996-2009, Dusty Groove America

Thanks to Celo for the label’s scans.

By Pier