Houston Person is one of the most outstanding figures in the Souljazz genre, his saxophone playing is extraordinarily concise and the musicians in his sessions are always a who’s who of the most soul-groovin’ musicians at the time.

So, also on this 1971 recording on Prestige – among others Garnett Brown, Harold Vick, Billy Butler and the sensational Bernard Purdie, a guarantee for the perfectly grooving funk carpet. The title track alone is worth the record, ‘The Houston Express’ is an incredibly driving monster with brass arrangements that go forward without compromise.

Not for nothing was the track ennobled by Mr. Gilles Peterson himself on the first Acid Jazz compilation in 1988.

Stefan Mohr