Artist: Kevin Toney
Title: Special K
Year: 1982
Label: Fantasy
Format: Vinyl LP (Original)
Flwrpt Rating of this Record: 3.75/5.0
Review
Smooth shhh…
Kevin Toney is “Mr.Everything” from the famous jazz/funk band “The Blackbyrds”. This is his first solo attempt, 1982′s Special K. This album has a bit of everything on it as far as sound is concerned, and rightfully so, Toney is trying to demonstrate his talent (which he has a TON of) at this point in his career as a solo artist, because this was the era leading into digital music production. Marketing oneself was a MUST.
Funky for the most part, this album breaks typical jazz expectations and stretches the imagination into where music can go, if we’d just let it. Not a major commercial success for Toney, but a very solid album. Notable track, a cover of John Coltrane classic, Naima.
Check out the sound!
Naima
A Good Feeling
Special K
Design
As many musicians from the 70′s and 80′s did, they manage to create these super suspect album covers…and they always seem to get away with it. The music and creativity was so respected, that they could do whatever…and it was cool. Imagine if this was a male artists album cover in the year 2008…there would be a different reaction to it, think about it.
Overall, not a great cover, not such an interesting typeface, and the photography is overly-contrasted (yea i said overly, lol).
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Additional info on Kevin Toney
And Not The Kellogs.
Artist: Kevin Toney
Title: Special K
Year: 1982
Label: Fantasy
Format: Vinyl LP (Original)
Flwrpt Rating of this Record: 3.75/5.0
Review
Smooth shhh…
Kevin Toney is “Mr.Everything” from the famous jazz/funk band “The Blackbyrds”. This is his first solo attempt, 1982′s Special K. This album has a bit of everything on it as far as sound is concerned, and rightfully so, Toney is trying to demonstrate his talent (which he has a TON of) at this point in his career as a solo artist, because this was the era leading into digital music production. Marketing oneself was a MUST.
Funky for the most part, this album breaks typical jazz expectations and stretches the imagination into where music can go, if we’d just let it. Not a major commercial success for Toney, but a very solid album. Notable track, a cover of John Coltrane classic, Naima.
Check out the sound!
Naima
A Good Feeling
Special K
Design
As many musicians from the 70′s and 80′s did, they manage to create these super suspect album covers…and they always seem to get away with it. The music and creativity was so respected, that they could do whatever…and it was cool. Imagine if this was a male artists album cover in the year 2008…there would be a different reaction to it, think about it.
Overall, not a great cover, not such an interesting typeface, and the photography is overly-contrasted (yea i said overly, lol).
—
Additional info on Kevin Toney