''The Sweet Life'' is an album by American jazz organist

Reuben Wilson Reuben Wilson (born April 9, 1935) is a jazz organist. He performs soul jazz and acid jazz, and is best known for his title track "Got to Get Your Own". He was born in Mounds, Oklahoma and his family moved to Pasadena when he was 5. He played in ...

recorded in 1972 and released on the

Groove Merchant Groove Merchant was an American jazz and R&B record label during the 1970s. It was run by producer Sonny Lester and distributed by Pickwick Records. Notable artists included Chick Corea, O'Donel Levy, Buddy Rich, Jimmy McGriff, Lonnie Smith and ...

label.Jazzlists: Groove Merchant Records 500 Series
accessed April 6, 2018
accessed April 6, 2018

Reception

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

's Jason Ankeny said: "After a series of sugary soul-jazz dates for Blue Note, Reuben Wilson resurfaced on Groove Merchant with ''The Sweet Life''. The title notwithstanding, the session is his darkest and hardest-edged to date, complete with a physicality missing from previous efforts".

Track listing

All compositions by Reuben Wilson except where noted. # "

Inner City Blues "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)", often shortened to "Inner City Blues", is a song by Marvin Gaye, released as the third and final single, and the climactic song from his 1971 landmark album, '' What's Going On''. Written by Gaye and Ja ...

" (

Marvin Gaye Marvin Pentz Gay Jr., who also spelled his surname as Gaye (April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984), was an American singer and songwriter. He helped to shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player and later as a solo ar ...

, James Nyx Jr.) – 4:45 # "Creampuff" – 5:30 # "Sugar" (

Stanley Turrentine Stanley William Turrentine (April 5, 1934 – September 12, 2000) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. He began his career playing R&B for Earl Bostic and later soul jazz recording for the Blue Note label from 1960, touched on jazz fusion dur ...

, Ted Daryll) – 6:09 # "

I'll Take You There "I'll Take You There" is a song written by Al Bell (using his real name Alvertis Isbell), and originally performed by soul music, soul/gospel music, gospel family band the Staple Singers. The Staple Singers version, produced by Bell, was release ...

" ( Albertis Isbell) – 6:25 # "The Sweet Life" – 6:11 # "

Never Can Say Goodbye "Never Can Say Goodbye" is a song written by Clifton Davis and originally recorded by The Jackson 5. The song was originally written and intended for the Supremes; however, Motown decided it would be better for the Jackson 5. It was the first s ...

" (

Clifton Davis Clifton Duncan Davis (born October 4, 1945) is an American actor, singer, songwriter, minister, and author. Davis wrote The Jackson 5's No. 2 hit " Never Can Say Goodbye" in 1971. He appeared on Broadway in the musicals '' Two Gentlemen of Vero ...

) – 4:15

Personnel

–

organ Organ may refer to: Biology * Organ (biology), a part of an organism Musical instruments * Organ (music), a family of keyboard musical instruments characterized by sustained tone ** Electronic organ, an electronic keyboard instrument ** Hammond ...

Bill Hardman William Franklin Hardman Jr. (April 6, 1933 – December 6, 1990) was an American jazz trumpeter and flugelhornist who chiefly played hard bop. He was married to Roseline and they had a daughter Nadege. Career Hardman was born and grew ...

− trumpet *Ramon Morris −

tenor saxophone The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor and the alto are the two most commonly used saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B (while th ...

*Lloyd Davis − guitar *

Mickey Bass Lee Odiss Bass III (May 2, 1943 – February 3, 2022), better known as Mickey Bass, was an American bassist, composer, arranger, and music educator. He played with Chico Freeman, John Hicks, and Kiane Zawadi. Bass was a Pittsburgh bassist who wo ...

– bass *Thomas Derrick − drums

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sweet Life, The Groove Merchant albums Reuben Wilson albums 1972 albums Albums produced by Sonny Lester