Gene Harris was always funky, right from the start of
the Three Sounds until he began a belated solo career in the early '70s, but he never tried to come to terms with contemporary funk quite as explicitly as he did with
In a Special Way. Teaming with a number of funk and fusion stars, including
Earth, Wind & Fire's
Philip Bailey and guitarist
Lee Ritenour,
Harris crafted a record that revels in contemporary soul trends from the mid-'70s -- lite funk in the vein of
EWF, disco, Philly soul, and vapid fusion. The production is heavy-handed and glossy, filled with drippy strings, thumping beats, wordless backing vocals, and silly synthesized effects. Through it all,
Harris plays exactly like he always does, as if he were oblivious to his surroundings. It makes for some truly bizarre moments: the disco interpretation of
Cole Porter's "Love for Sale," the farting synth-bass meshing with disembodied vocals on "Five/Four," the completely botched fuzak and fuzz guitar take on Coltrane's "Naima." Occasionally,
Harris plays quite nicely, as on "Rebop" or "Theme for Relana," but his solos just sink into the overproduced murk. There's really no explanation for the heavy-handed gloss of
In a Special Way -- with
Harris' piano mixed to the back, it sounds like the work of studio hacks, but there are enough glimpses of his unique musical personality to make it a wasted opportunity. And there's really no explanation for the cornucopia of children on the cover, either. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine