Les McCann

While Invitation to Openness was Les McCann's progressive statement of 1972, this was his populist sermon, with a title to match. With four vocals among the seven tracks, Talk to the People preaches earthily in the funky soul/jazz and R&B languages of the time, with some social comment besides. Having gone completely over to the Rhodes electric piano and Hohner clavinet, McCann became a fervent convert -- indeed, he and Stevie Wonder were the funky-butt champs of the clavinet in the 1970s -- and he could beat on them with the rhythmic snap of a conga drummer. ''Shamading'' may be the funkiest, hip-shaking thing McCann has ever recorded; the cool, swaggering funkathon ''North Carolina'' runs a close second; and the best of the vocals is a very gritty and convincing treatment of Marvin Gaye's ''What's Going On.'' Although there are some weak links in this chain of tunes, the highs are sky-high, and they represent some of McCann's peak studio performances.

• 1 What's Going On (vocal)
• 2 Shamading
• 3 Seems So Long (vocal)
• 4 She's Here
• 5 North Carolina
• 6 Let It Lay (vocal)
• 7 Talk To The People (vocal)