Deodato Albums (26)
What The Critics Say
Eumir Deodato has long been hailed for his smooth jazz/fusion blend. And although he had moved closer to a disco-pop sensibility by the time of this release, at least some of the early, cohesive elements of his trademark sound remain. Night Cruiser is smooth, studied, and packed with those moments that scream disco-lite, pop nightmare, and '70s television show soundtrack. But, as mediocre as some of these songs seem, bizarrely it's hard not to at least tap a toe on "Skatin." Where this album takes an interesting turn is at the opening of side two, as "Uncle Funk" finds Kool & the Gang's saxophonist, Ronald Bell, guesting. Deodato and Kool & the Gang had formed a productive partnership for the Gang's hit single "Ladies Night," and here Bell returns the favor. "Uncle Funk" is a juicy blend of fusion and classic funk sax that puts the rest of the album to shame. Clocking in at over six minutes, the song is allowed to find a groove and follow it through. "Love Magic" and "Groovitation" try to follow on from there, but they fall short, proving that although Deodato was capable of turning in a set that was musically perfect and flawlessly arranged, he really couldn't grasp the mastery of his early era output. ~ Amy Hanson, All Music Guide
'Knights of Fantasy'
Release Date 1/1/1979
Tracks 5
Label Warner Bros.
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Deodato's Knights of Fantasy, released in 1979, contains trace elements of the Brazilian producer and composer's fusion persona while melding them with disco and lite funk -- as many other jazzmen were also doing at the time, from Lonnie Liston Smith to the Crusaders. The album is a thoroughly kitschy sci-fi affair with some very fine playing and horn and string arrangements, particularly on the bass- and ARP-driven "Space Dust/Sherlock," which goes on for nearly eight minutes. Here, funk grooves are allowed to find their way and wind out while a popping bassline holds down the fort even as Deodato goes ape on the synth for his wildly improvisational solo. "Shazam" is another case in point, though it contains some smoking Brazilian polyrhythms undercutting the basic disco funk groove and a slight riff cop from Talking Heads' "Life During Wartime." The weirdest thing here is one of Deodato's trademarks -- taking classical themes and weaving them together in some "futuristic" way. In this case it's Bach, as he combines the composer's Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring with Andre Popp's "Love Is Blue" (a huge easy listening hit in the 1960s by Paul Mauriat & His Orchestra) and his own "Whistle Bump"! The bottom line is that while it's somewhat shocking, it doesn't really work at all -- there are too many variables and too many instruments layered in, and when the disco groove tropes are added on top it falls far short of the mark. The title track is a handclap-saturated lite dance tune with a killer guitar solo by John Tropea., All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
1978's Love Island found Deodato in pretty much the same space he'd been for much of the decade, concocting his own ineffable brew of fusion and funky disco, with the help of friends and cover songs along the way. Love Island finds him unleashing yet another passel of songs which are all pleasant to the ear, if not completely fresh -- what makes it most interesting is that it could almost be considered a concept album, every song title apparently revolving around jungle tropics, warm winds, sandy beaches, and, more likely than not, a few beauties bearing cocktails to complete the picture. The album kicks off with "Area Code 808," which places the initial action in Hawaii, a twitchy extended fusion revolving around quite a nice funk bassline. The remainder of the set carries on from there, with the groove ebbing and flowing from the punchy "Whistle Bump" to the pleasant and decidedly mellow strains of "San Juan Hut," and on to the title track. It is unfortunate hindsight alone, and no fault whatsoever of Deodato's, that it conjures up nothing so much as scenes from The Love Boat. Damn pop culture. Also of note is "Tahiti Hut," co-written by Deodato and Earth, Wind & Fire's Maurice White, and buoyed by guest appearances by three more EW&F members: Verdine White, Freddie White, and the percussive genius of Philip Bailey. A pleasing piece of easy listening, Love Island probably won't thrill the pants off anyone but the most rabid fan. By this late in the decade, one had kind of heard it all before. But if you should need to hear it all again, Love Island sounds great when the sun is shining. ~ Amy Hanson, All Music Guide
