In a Special Way (album) explained

In a Special Way
Type:	studio
Artist:	Gene Harris
Cover:	In a Special Way (album).jpg
Released:	1976
Recorded:	March 29 and April 1, 2 & 7, 1976
Genre:	Jazz
Length:	40:28
Label:	Blue Note
Producer:	Jerry Peters
Chronology:	Gene Harris
Prev Title:	Nexus
Prev Year:	1975
Next Title:	Tone Tantrum
Next Year:	1977

For the 1983 DeBarge album, see In a Special Way

In a Special Way is an album by American jazz pianist Gene Harris recorded in 1976 and released on the Blue Note label.^[1]

Reception

The Allmusic review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine awarded the album 4 stars, stating: "Harris crafted a record that revels in contemporary soul trends from the mid-'70s – lite funk in the vein of EWF, disco, Philly soul, and vapid fusion. The production is heavy-handed and glossy, filled with drippy strings, thumping beats, wordless backing vocals, and silly synthesized effects. Through it all, Harris plays exactly like he always does, as if he were oblivious to his surroundings".^[2]

Track listing

1. "Theme for Relana" (Skip Scarborough) – 6:35
2. "Rebop" (Ronaldo N. Jackson, Jerry Peters, John Rowin) – 3:58
3. "Zulu" (Peters) – 4:59
4. "Always in My Mind" (Bradley "Mbaji" Ridgell, Peters, Sigidi Abdullah) – 4:31
5. "Love for Sale" (Cole Porter) – 4:48
6. "It's Your Love" (R. Melendrez, Charlotte Politte, John Rowin) – 3:02
7. "Soft Cycles" (N. Brown) – 2:30
8. "Five/Four" (Charlotte Politte) – 3:44
9. "Naima" (John Coltrane) – 6:21

• Recorded at Total Experience Studios in Los Angeles, California, on March 29 (tracks 1 & 3), April 1 (tracks 4 & 9), April 2 (tracks 5 & 6), and April 7 (tracks 2, 7 & 8), 1976.

Personnel

• Gene Harris – keyboards
• George Bohanon – trombone
• Sidney Muldrow, Marnie Robinson – French horn
• Azar Lawrence – tenor saxophone
• Ed Green – violin
• Charlotte Politte – electric piano, synthesizer
• Jerry Peters – electric piano, synthesizer, string ensemble, arranger, vocals
• Lee Ritenour – guitar, electric guitar
• Al McKay – electric guitar
• John Rowin – electric guitar, arranger
• Chuck Rainey, Verdine White – electric bass
• James Gadson – drums
• Harvey Mason – drums, percussion
• Mayuto Correa – percussion
• Phillip Bailey – percussion, vocals
• Merry Clayton, Ann Esther Jessica, D.J. Rogers, Sigidi, Stephanie Spruill, Deniece Williams – vocals

Notes and References

1. http://www.jazzdisco.org/blue-note-records/catalog-bn-la-series/#bn-la-634-g Blue Note Records discography
2. Erlewine, S. T. Allmusic Review, accessed January 10, 2011.