Dr. Strut - s/t

Name: Dr. Strut
Album: s/t
Year: 1979
Style: Smoooooth Jazzzzzz
Similar Bands: Brand X, Spaces, Roger Voudouris, Steely Dan
"One-Word" Review: your favorite 80's tv theme
Based Out Of: LA, CA
Label: Motown

 Cover & Record

Back & Record

Dr. Strut (1979)

1. Granite Palace 3:38
2. The Look in Your Eyes 4:36
3. Canadian Star 4:23 (Steely Dan cover)
4. More Stuff 4:57 / 
5. Blowtop 3:15
6. Soul Sermonette 4:30
7. Chicken Strut 3:22
8. Eddieisms 3:09
9. Who Cares 3:00
10. No! You Came Here For an Argument :57

Album Rating (1-10): 3.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Lee Young Sr -  Producer
• David Woodford - Sax, Flutes (Legendary Groovadelics, Swallow, Supertramp, Livingston Taylor, Michael Kamen, Aerosmith, John Cougar, Eric Carmen, Richie Havens, Sneaker, Bonnie Raitt, Sheena Easton, Robert Hazard, Jimmy Buffett, Juice Newton, Supertramp, Roy Orbison,Rod Stewart, California Raisins, Eddie Money, Natalie Cole, Ringo Starr, Alyssa Milano, Dan Hill, Johnny Mathis, Little Feat, Kenny Loggins, Michael Hutchence  )
• Kevin Bassinson - Keys (Legendary Groovadelics, Victor Feldman, Jackie DeShannon, High Energy, Peter McCann, Giants, Jermaine Jackson, Ollie Mitchell's Sunday Best, Jean-Francois Roulot, Pascal Bacoux, Miki Matsubara, Olivia Newton-John, Lynn Carey, Charlene, Barry Manilow, Jane Fonda, Mark Winkler)
• Tim Weston - Guitar (Legendary Groovadelics, Wishful Thinking, Cheech & Chong, Kerry Chater, Jackie DeShannon, Celebration, Tonio K, Peter McCann, Ollie Mitchell's Sunday Best, Bobby King, Robbie Patton, Jean-Francois Roulot, Miki Matsubara, Lynn Carey, Matthew Wilder, Victor Feldman's Generation Band, Daved Discos Dance Orch, Wishful Thinking, China Crisis, Fra Lippo Lippi)
• Peter Freiberger - Bass (Legendary Groovadelics, Wha-Koo, Batteauz, Kerry Chater, Tonio K. Peter C Johnson, Jackie DeShannon, Peter McCann, Danny Douma, Ollie Mitchell's Sunday Best, Jean-Francois Roulot, Miki Matsubara, Lynn Carey, Walter Murphy, Parachute Express, Mister Paradise, Dawn & Dupree, Hans Zimmer)
• Claude Pepper - Drums (Legendary Groovadelics, Silver Condor, Wha Koo, Tonio K, Bill Bergman, Earl Slick Band, Peter McCann, Ollie Mitchell's Sunday Best, Jean-Francois Roulot, Miki Matsubara, Walter Murphy, Josh Leo, Willie Dee, Dean Ray, Fra Lippo Lippi)
• Everett Bryson - Percussion (Home Boy and the COL, Danniebelle, Jessy Dixon, Rufus, Chaka Khan, Alpha Band, Teddy & Nanci, Bili Thedford, Ozone, Cecil Lyde, Dan Hill, Teena Marie, Cook Country, Miki Matsubara, Jim Mandell, Charlene, Chris Montan)
• Barney Perkins - Recording Engineer
• Caryl Woodford - Recording Engineer
• Roger Nichols - Mixing Engineer
• Bernie Grundman - Mastering
• John Banuelos - Asst Engineer
• Gary Goodman - Asst. Engineer
• Bill Glasser - Asst. Engineer
• Ron Wakefield - Product Coordinator
• Brenda M. Boyce - Product Manager
• Tim Bryant - Cover Concept, Album Designer
• Irma Newton - Cover Concept
• Ron Slenzak - Photographer

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band...not sure what to make of the levitating instruments that we're sneaking a peak at with the slightly open door...are we catching the instruments in a compromising position? Is the idea that the instruments are a live while no one is watching (ala Toy Story). Moreover, what does that mean the music will be? I like the stretching of the joke to the back, where the song titles are on an Rx pad, like they are the medicine Dr Strut can dole out. My guess is that this is pub rock with a heavy inclusion of sax.

Album Review: Rather than pub rock- or any kind of rock for that matter- what is contained on this album is smooth jazz. These tracks come across as some sort of resume of 80's tv show themes (Cagney & Lacey, Knots Landing, LA Law, My Two Dads) that knew their moment of popularity was but a brief fleeting couple of years. The smooth loungy aspect of the songs makes them less appealing than say Brand X, or other jazz fusion bands, and overall, its not my thing. They were the flagship band for Motown's newly formed Jazz division & put out two records. Their third record was set to begin production right before Motown's Jazz division shut down. It was still recorded & released in Japan.

Stand Out Track: No! You Came Here For An Argument

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