Great Day (LP)

Great Day is one of the very best albums on the Music De Wolfe label and certainly one of the most sought after library records, full stop. It’s been sampled by such heavyweights as Madlib, LTJ Bukem, El-P and The Alchemist (among many others). You likely already know all this. If you don’t, get to know. One listen through and the £350 asking price for a VG copy starts to all make sense… Originally released in 1972, it’s credited to Music De Wolfe legends Simon Haseley (real name Simon Park) and “Peter Reno” (a collaborative alias used by composers Clifford “Cliff” Twemlow and Peter Taylor) Confused? No matter. It’s one of the most consistent libraries you’ll ever hear, packed with heavy blaxploitation-esque drama-funk break themes. It opens with the feel-good, breezy piano beat number “Little Big John” before switching up to modern sweeping orchestral with heavy drums on the warm, deeply emotive “Summer Friend”. Total highlight “Hammerhead” is as heavy as you’d want, from a track so-titled. It’s a driving, imposing, orchestral funk-rock monster, famously used by The High & Mighty for their classic “Dirty Decibels” and, also, it was used as the backing for Beyonce’s ace “Woman Like Me”. Up next, “Crimson” is melodic, plaintive and moodily introspective; a soft, oboe-enhanced instrumental of delicate beauty. Again, ace beats and breaks abound. The expansive title track, “Great Day” is melodic and bold; a horn-fuelled, mid-tempo rhythmic workout which builds to rather big end. Rounding out this first side, “Hard Crust” ups the ante with thrilling wah-wah funk-rock, a dramatic, pounding and aggressive thriller. Killer! Side B opens with the steady, stealthy crime-funk of “Highball” before segueing brilliantly into the Hammond-laced relentless flute-funk of the driving “Bora”. The powerful wah-wah wonderful “Hold Back” is haunting orchestral funk-rock, sampled by Madlib, El-P, Rakim, Sean Price and The Alchemist. It’s easy to see why. Swaggering and staggering. The co…