In the 1970s, versatility was one of
Jose Feliciano's strong points -- the Puerto Rican singer was a master of soul, although he also had strong soft rock and Latin pop credentials.
Feliciano's diversity is an asset on
And the Feeling's Good, which tends to favor soul but isn't without pop and rock. Released in 1974, this generally decent and occasionally excellent LP is best known for the charming "Stay With Me" and the two themes from the NBC sitcom Chico and the Man: the congenial opening theme and grittier closing number "Hard Times in El Barrio." The album's other selections range from
Feliciano's tender "Essence of Your Love" to enjoyable performances of "You're No Good" (which was a major hit for
Linda Ronstadt in 1974 and was covered by
Van Halen in 1979) and
Stevie Wonder's "Golden Lady." He makes an unexpected detour into hard rock on the instrumental "Virgo," which has a strong
Jimi Hendrix influence and is atypical of the LP on the whole.
And the Feeling's Good isn't the best album that
Feliciano provided in the 1970s, but it's a respectable release that is worth hunting for.