That Lovin' Feeling (Mono)

That Lovin' Feeling was originally released in 1966 on Atlantic subsidiary Atco Records and featured King Curtis playing saxello (a soprano saxophone, for all practical purposes) on a dozen 1960s pop hits. This isn't the hard-blowing and honking Curtis that most people will recall from his Enjoy sessions, but shows him in a jazzy MOR mode working with heavily orchestrated arrangements done by Arif Mardin. The end result is a restrained and refined album with a mellow, after-hours feel, and if Curtis fails to really belt anything out, his tone is always appropriate (with just the hint of an edge) and his lead lines show his jazz roots and his ease with a ballad. The standout tracks are both Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller songs, the beautiful and easy groove of "Spanish Harlem" and the light, rhythmic funk of "On Broadway." Curtis is in full lyrical mode on these cuts, playing within the arrangements, and if this style is not the one most people expect from him, it is revealing to realize how versatile he was as a horn man (one of the reasons he was so in demand as a session player). Fans of King Curtis' more familiar hard R&B sax sound may want to skip this release, but listeners who want a full and rounded portrait of this wonderful musician's range should definitely give That Lovin' Feeling a try.