Wilbert Longmire - Sunny Side Up (1978) Tappan Zee - Rare Soul/Jazz Funk (FLAC)

Wilbert Longmire (Born 1941 in Alabama- Passed 2018) was a Jazz/Soul Guitarist whio appealed to the Northern Soul Modern Rooms & Jazz/Funk crowd via this superb album. Born in Alabama, Longmire’s family moved to Cincinnati when he was 3. Longmire’s early career (beginning in the ’60s) included King Records studio work and stints in the bands of organists Hank Marr and Trudy Pitts, as well as sessions for 1969 albums by Jean-Luc Ponty and Gerald Wilson. Longmire’s first album as leader was 1969’s Revolution, released on the World Pacific Jazz label and featuring arrangements by Joe Sample of songs by The Beatles, James Brown and others. After early ’70s work with saxophonist Rusty Bryant and organist Bill Mason, Longmire’s friend George Benson,a Jazz superstar following the release of his massively successful 1976 album Breezin, recommended Longmire to musician/composer Bob James, who was starting his own label, Tappan Zee Records. With help from James (whose “Angela” found success as the theme song of the TV show Taxi) and top-of-the-line session players like Michael and Randy Brecker and David Sanborn, Longmire (who also sang) released three albums for the label 1978’s Sunny Side Up, 1979’s Champagne and 1980’s With All My Love.
Longmire returned to Cincinnati and became entrenched in the local Jazz scene, performing and acting (as he long had) as a supporter and mentor to other musicians. He is said to have offered a young Bootsy Collins one of his first jobs, and just searching his name on Facebook in the wake of his death brings up a wealth of heartfelt posts of gratitude and admiration from a variety of musicians in the area. Longmire’s various recordings have been reissued and many tracks have been featured on compilations over the years, as he was considered a big part of the roots of Jazz Funk, Smooth Jazz and Acid Jazz. His releases are also popular among “crate-digger” DJs and producers according to the site whosampled.com, artists like Atmosphere and The Foreign Exchange have used Longmire samples in their work. Longmire contributed to Cincinnati Jazz compilations released by the local J Curve label in the late ’90s/early ’00s, and in 2001 he was given a lifetime achievement award from the Cincinnati Enquirer’s Cammys alongside fellow guitarists Cal Collins and Adrian Belew. All 6 of his studio albums are now very sought after!

AMM 

                                                                        The Taster!

                                                        Tracks & Line Up Below (FLAC)

Guitar,Electric Guitar.Vocal(Track 3) – Wilbert Longmire
Piano,s – Bob James),Richard Tee
Electric Piano – Bob James,Richard Tee
Backing Vocals – Gwen Guthrie,Patti Austin,Vivian Cherry
Bass – Gary King
Cello,s – Alan Shulman,Charles McCracken
Concertmaster – David Nadien
Drums – Harvey Mason
Electric Guitars – Cornell Dupree,Eric Gale
English Horn – George Marge
Flute (Alto) – George Marge
Flute (Bass) – Eddie Daniels
Oboe – George Marge
Percussion – Sue Evans
Producer – Bob James, Jay Chattaway
Synthesizers - Bob James,Stephen Horelick
Tenor Saxophone – Harvey Estrin
Trombone,s – Dave Taylor,Paul Faulise,Wayne Andre
Trumpet,s – Alan Rubin,Jon Faddis,Marvin Stamm,Mike Lawrence,Randy Brecker
Viola,s – Emanuel Vardi,LaMar Alsop
Violin,s – Barry Finclair,Charles Libove,Harry Cykman,Harry Lookofsky
,Matthew Raimondi,Max Ellen,Paul Gershman