Alphonse Mouzon - By All Means (1980)

Busy week this week and vacation in a couple of days but I hope to work in a few posts. Today's album is from a drummer (multi-instrumentalist, technically) that I learned about via keyboardist Joachim Kuhn. Also a founding member of Weather Report, Alphonse Mouzon went on to release quite a few enjoyable albums as leader in the 70s and into the 80s. We looked at one of his albums during our Herbie Hancock and Friends deep dive. 

Released in 1980 on MPS Records, By All Means is a jazz-funk/fusion record that features an impressive, and sizeable, supporting cast. You can check the link for a full breakdown but on keyboards we have Herbie Hancock, on guitar we have Lee Ritenour and on the final tune we have Freddie Hubbard on flugelhorn. We also have the horn section from the band Seawind lending support. It's my first time hearing of them so I'll check their albums for a potential future post.

All originals from Mouzon on this one and there really aren't any misses here. We start of with the super groovy tune "Do I Have To?" which includes great flute play as well as Herbie on his Rhodes. "Space Invader" follows and is a solo drum tune where Mouzon shows off his abilities, quite furiously. Herbie shines on the acoustic piano on "The Next Time We Love" which also features Ritenour on acoustic guitar - another very groovy tune that honestly reminds me a bit of early 80s Mickey Masuda we heard recently. 

One of the best tunes here for me is "The Jogger" which is super funky and includes Mouzon also playing the synthesizer. Herbie also shines as usual on the Rhodes. We close with another fantastic tune in the title track which has a perfect tempo, in my opinion. This one features Hancock playing the acoustic piano and, as mentioned, personal favorite Freddie Hubbard playing the flugelhorn. Excellent closing to a great album. 

Enjoy!