He shut the band down at the height of its popularity in 1986 to pursue production and studio work, as well as occasional solo efforts. As smooth as Galaxy and substantial as Hacienda, this set offers the best of both albums but goes further in its imaginative lyricism and charts. Keyboardist Jeff Lorber launched Jeff Lorber Fusion in the late '70s, and it become one of the biggest draws in smooth and contemporary jazz. Everything in the mix comes back to swinging, meaty, in-the-pocket R&B.
The tenor, Lorber, and the guitarist dialogue in a series of finger-popping cadences, taut funk breaks, and fleet solo moments. Mann’s horn chart has a wider color palette thanks to Haslip’s bassline presence. Ford and Mintzer also feature on “Soul Party,” the other single. The interplay between keyboard tones, melodies, and chunky rhythmic vamps contrast beautifully with the guitarist’s deep blues fills and solo. “Arecibo,” the first of two tracks to feature Ford on lead guitar, is feel- good jazz-funk.
Colaiuta’s kit and Castro’s congas create a hypnotic center around the melody before Mintzer’s meaty tenor break turns left of center. Magic period, with a very similar keyboard vamp and contrasting harmonic interludes in the bridge. Em Am G A C Eb Gm Abm Ab Bm Ebm F D E Bb Dbm Gbm Chords for Jeff Lorber Fusion - Hacienda with song key, BPM, capo transposer, play along with guitar. “Mustang,” one of two pre-release singles, comes right out of Grover Washington, Jr.’s Feels So Good/Mr. Musically, this material harkens back to the mid-’70s knotty funk, modal jazz, and the melodic invention of R&B are carefully balanced in a breezy, thoughtful, and spine-tingling presentation. Em Am G A C Eb Gm Abm Ab Bm Ebm F D E Bb Dbm Gbm Chords for Jeff Lorber Fusion - Hacienda with song key, BPM, capo transposer, play along with guitar, piano, ukulele & mandolin. The horn charts were expertly scripted by David Mann. There are also a couple of star guest appearances from Haslip’s former Yellowjackets bandmates, tenorman Bob Mintzer and guitarist Robben Ford. and Michael Thompson, saxophonist Gary Meek, percussionist Lenny Castro, and a slew of drummers including Vinnie Colaiuta. The pair got help from their regular stable of sessionmen including guitarists Paul Jackson, Jr. Keyboardist Lorber and bassist Jimmy Haslip co-produced the 57-minute, 11-track set of originals. Step It Up, the fourth offering from the revamped Jeff Lorber Fusion, picks up almost exactly where 2014’s Grammy-nominated Hacienda left off - with a couple of twists.