Lightmen Plus One!!

This is my first post and I thought I'd kick it off with an album given to me by my Pops. A fellow jazz lover and collector, he bought this record in '73-ish after hearing them in Houston, Tx shortly after moving there from his native Chicago. I played it many times as a kid loving every note, and wondered why this group wasn't more well known. Flash forward 15 years and it is a grail mentioned by many, including Stones Throw Records (which reissued a little of Lightmen's work). Energy Control Center is the second release by LM and it's one of the best examples of jazz spiritual-funk-madness-soul I have come across. I mean just look at that cover! The only other band anywhere close is Black Jazz Records' The Awakening, (which I'll post both of those albums in the future), or maybe Tribe Records artists (Phil Ranelin, Wendell  Harrison, Doug Hammond). It may seem odd that this murderous jazz group led by Bubbha Thomas comes out of Houston, but we must remember that a host of badassery came from there, including brothers Hubert & Ronnie Laws,  Melvin Sparks, and The Jazz Crusaders. Enjoy this gem.