Sophisticated Funk

by Jason Ankeny Sophisticated? Maybe. Funky? Not so much. This forgettable effort from Jack McDuff veers far too close to smooth jazz territory for comfort--swapping his signature Hammond B-3 for keyboards, McDuff settles for a fusion sound suggesting a particularly tepid CTI session, with none of the swagger and groove of his most memorable records. Saxophonist/flutist Joe Harrell is similarly tentative, although one must blame Billy Jones' overly slick arrangements--there's really not much chance of salvaging cuts like "Mini Pads" and "?Mannix' Theme." Definitely don't judge this one by its lurid cover--it's as tame as a de-clawed house cat.