Danny Ward & Reality
Label: Jazz Room Records
Catalogue Number: JAZZ027
Release Date: 29th September 2023
Format: LP
Another Holy Grail album from Jazz Room Records with Danny Ward & Reality who were the Go To Funky Jazz Band for College and other Hardcore Funk Party gigs in the Mid to late ’70’s in the Seattle area of the Pacific North West. They didn’t just drop covers of the latest Disco or Top 40 hits though but instead took their audiences on a musical trip through the Funkiest and Jazziest sounds of the day featuring a coterie of Steely Dan inspired covers of cuts made famous by George Benson, Lydia Pense and Coldblood, The Headhunters , Mandrill and many more.
This unique recording capturing them live at a midweek gig showcases their style which of which Danny Ward says:
“In the summer of 1977 this album was recorded at a club called The Tyee Restaurant and Lounge in Bremerton, Washington State, USA.
The night this album was recorded, there was hardly an audience, perfect conditions for making this recording.
We played every kind of venue, a lot of Top 40 dance clubs,but our style was to do a lot of soloing, despite the pressure of club owners and agents not to do so much soloing and be so “jazzy”.
We didn’t care, we knew the audience loved us and we were very popular.
This was the best group of musicians that i’ve ever worked with under the name of Danny Ward and Reality.
Paul Murphy
https://jazzroomrecords.com/