"Experience And Judgment" - Andy Bey (voc, p); Bill Fischer (keyb, perc); George Davis, Richard Resnicoff (g); Wilbur Bascomb (b); Selwart Clarke (v, va); Buddy Williams, Jimmy Young, Ira "Buddy" Williams (dr) Andy Bey was one of the most sought-after vocalists in the era of jazz fusion. Between 1968 and 1973 he was first choice as a studio singer for Max Roach, Duke Pearson, Horace Silver, Gary Bartz and Stanley Clarke, to mention but a few. His warm and engaging baritone voice easily crossed the bridge from conventional blues and gospel to a pugnacious, politicising style of soul – Andy Bey was 'spiritual' in every sense of the word. "Experience And Judgment", his debut album under his own name, was recorded in New York in 1973 and quickly became a cult album. Bey delivers twelve songs in single length, which are full of relaxed, funky grooves, soulful and electrifying, and quite lacking in gimmickry – in many of them a blues number is lurking in the background as a basic idea. His most important colleagues are Wilbur Bascomb, who lets his electric slap bass really thump out, and Bill Fischer who joins in on an electric piano, synthesizer and various other keyboards and really sets off a little fusion firework display. The most powerful numbers come from Andy Bey himself, such as "Experience", "Judgment", "Celestial Blues", "Tune Up" and "Being Uptight" – often powering forwards with a vengeance. Bill Fischer – at that time Artistic Director at Atlantic Records – added a few soul ballads to balance out the LP. This album inspired numerous jazz singers, including Gregory Porter. Jamie Cullum says: »What I love about Andy Bey is that he creates an atmosphere. As soon as he opens his mouth, you’re transported to another place.« This Speakers Corner LP was remastered using pure analogue components only, from the master tapes through to the cutting head. All royalties and mechanical rights have been paid. Recording: July and September 1973 at Regent Sound Studios, New York, by Bob Liftin Production: William S. Fischer
Andy Bey gehörte zu den begehrtesten Vokalisten in den Jahren des Fusion-Jazz. Zwischen 1968 und 1973 war er der Studiosänger der ersten Wahl für u.a. Max Roach, Duke Pearson, Horace Silver, Gary Bartz und Stanley Clarke. Seine warme, sympathische Baritonstimme schlug mühelos die Brücke zwischen herkömmlichem Blues und Gospel und einem kämpferischen, politisierten Soul-Stil – Andy Bey war „spirituell“ in jedem Sinn. Experience And Judgment, sein Debütalbum unter eigenem Namen, entstand 1973 in New York und wurde zur Kultplatte. Über relaxten, funky Grooves, soulful und elektrisch, liefert er zwölf Songs jeweils in Single-Länge ab, ganz ohne Mätzchen – in vielen versteckt sich noch eine Bluesnummer als Grundidee. Die wichtigsten Begleiter sind Wilbur Bascomb, der seinen elektrischen Slapbass so richtig knallen lässt, und Bill Fischer, der nebenher an E-Piano, Synthesizer und anderen Keyboards kleine Fusion-Feuerwerke abbrennt. Die stärksten Stücke kommen von Andy Bey selbst, etwa Experience und Judgment, Celestial Blues, Tune Up und Being Uptight – das geht zum Teil richtig druckvoll nach vorne. Als Gegengewicht hat Bill Fischer – damals künstlerischer Leiter bei Atlantic Records – einige Soul-Balladen beigesteuert. Dieses Album hat viele Jazzsänger inspiriert, nicht zuletzt Gregory Porter. Jamie Cullum meint: »Was ich an Andy Bey mag, ist, dass er eine Atmosphäre schafft. Sobald er den Mund öffnet, versetzt er dich an einen anderen Ort.«
