Blissful boogie-down soul by the Fatback Band alumnus, produced by Greg Carmichael and Patrick Adams; originally released in 1978. With the almighty It Ain’t No Big Thing.

Killer, mournful roots. Plus Pablo on xylophone, over his own awesome rhythm.

Even leaving aside the epochal title track, this is unmissable. Wildly original Jammys rhythms, cool as cucumber, with his old next-door-neighbour in full flow. Fire like E20, Like A Dragon, My Lord My God, Icky All Over…

That’s Maupin on Bitches Brew, and Lee Morgan’s Live At The Lighthouse, and Head Hunters. He co-wrote Chameleon. From 1977, this is killer fusion in the same dazzling tradition — as confirmed by transformative readings of two classics by the Mwandishi sextet, Quasar and Water Torture, from the LP Crossings. We’re in the same neck of the woods as Eddie Henderson’s two deadly Blue Notes around this time — Sunburst and Heritage — and the great trumpeter is here. Also Patrice Rushen, who plays a blinder: check her out on the opener. Pat Gleeson, who introduced Herbie to synths, Head Hunters mainstay Paul Jackson, Blackbyrd McKnight, from Flood and Man-Child…

Dewey Redman (tenor sax), Charles Eubanks (piano), Mark Helias (bass), Ed Blackwell (drums).