More Stuff
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Album Summary
Released in 1977 on Warner Bros. Records, 'More Stuff' was the second studio offering from the New York session supergroup Stuff, a band that read like a who's-who of the finest studio cats in the business. Featuring the silky fretwork of Eric Gale and Cornell Dupree on guitars, the heavenly keyboards of Richard Tee, the rhythmic wizardry of Steve Gadd and Chris Parker on drums, and the deep pocket bass of Gordon Edwards — with additional contributions from Alex Foster, Mike Clark, James Alan Smith, and Mick Gaffney — the album was a natural follow-up to the group's self-titled debut, delivering eight tracks of deeply soulful jazz-funk that only musicians of this caliber could conjure. Recorded and released through Warner Bros., the album captured a group of elite players doing what they loved most: playing together with effortless, breathing groove.
Reception
- The album was warmly received by fans of jazz-funk and the broader fusion community, who recognized the extraordinary musicianship on display from a cast of players who had individually shaped countless classic recordings.
- Critical response acknowledged the album's relaxed, organic feel, with reviewers noting that Stuff had a rare ability to make complex interplay sound like a Sunday afternoon conversation.
- While not a mainstream crossover chart sensation, 'More Stuff' solidified Stuff's reputation as one of the premier groove ensembles of the late 1970s jazz-funk scene.
Significance
- As a jazz-funk release featuring some of the most in-demand session musicians of the era, 'More Stuff' stands as a document of the golden age of New York studio culture, where the same hands shaping pop and soul records by night were creating deeply personal instrumental music under their own name.
- The album's inclusion of 'As' — a Stevie Wonder composition — reflects the deep connective tissue between the jazz-funk world and the soul tradition, with Stuff's interpretation showcasing their reverence for the era's songwriting greats.
- More Stuff contributed to the broader jazz-funk movement of the 1970s, a style that bridged the sophisticated harmonic language of jazz with the irresistible rhythmic pull of funk and soul, helping to define a sound that would influence instrumental music for decades.
Samples
- "Sometimes Bubba Gets Down" — the rhythmic groove of this track has been identified as a source sampled in hip-hop and funk-based productions, valued for its tight pocket feel courtesy of the album's world-class rhythm section.
- "Subway" — sampled for its infectious rhythmic and melodic elements, this track has found a second life in sample-based music production circles.
Tracklist
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A1 This One's For You —
5:07
-
A2 And Here You Are —
4:59
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A3 Subway —
3:22
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A4 Love Of Mine —
4:05
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B1 Honey Coral Rock —
5:09
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B2 Sometimes Bubba Gets Down —
3:36
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B3 As —
3:23
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B4 Need Somebody —
6:30
Artist Details
Stuff was a New York-based jazz-funk and fusion collective that brought together some of the most in-demand session musicians of the 1970s, including guitarist Eric Gale, keyboardist Richard Tee, and drummer Steve Gadd, whose combined studio pedigree ran deeper than the Hudson River. Recording for Warner Bros. Records, the group channeled the laid-back groove sensibility they had each honed behind countless other artists into a sound that was simultaneously tight and effortlessly soulful. With a rotating cast of heavy hitters like Cornell Dupree, Gordon Edwards, and Chris Parker rounding out their ranks, Stuff represented the cream of New York's session world finally stepping into the spotlight on their own terms.
