Brian Auger & Julie Tippetts - Encore (Remastered)

After originally working together in Steampacket and then Brian Auger and the Trinity, Brian Auger and Julie Driscoll (later Tibbetts following her marriage to jazz musician Keith Tippet) moved on to separate musical paths.  In 1977, nine years after last working together, they reunited for Encore.  Now, after being out of print for many years, the album, comprised of two Auger originals and seven covers they picked out before heading into the studio, has been remastered and reissued.  The release is bookended with tracks from Al Jarreau, opening with “Spirit”, a laid-back song with a soulful jazz vibe and a bit of a funky groove that maintains the spirit of the original but adds a little more of an edge.  Their version of “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” is an outstanding extremely soulful take that Tippets has said was influenced by the version recorded by Nina Simone (her version was the original).  “Git Up”, the first of two Auger originals, has a super funky groove and some solo sections that do a great job of showcasing his keyboard playing.  Their take on the Staples Singers’ “Freedom Highway” is a really good upbeat version of the gospel tune and features strong backing vocals from Maxine Waters Willard, Julia Waters Willard and Jessica Smith.  The second Auger original, “Future Pilot”, is a nice mix of jazz and soul with more strong keyboard work.  In my opinion, one of the standout tracks here is their version of Jack Bruce’s “Rope Ladder To The Moon”.  While this track is already gorgeous in its original incarnation, their version speeds the tempo a little, turning it into more of an upbeat funky jazz tune.  Another highlight is Traffic’s “No Time To Live”, which isn’t too far removed from the original, but Tippetts’ powerful vocal performance along with some really nice guitar flourishes and Auger’s keyboards give it a little punch.  Auger does a good job taking over the vocals on the catchy, upbeat, jazz-tinged “Nothing Will Be As It Was”, originally co-written and performed by Brazilian singer Milton Nascimento.  Closing out the album is the second Al Jarreau tune “Lock All The Gates”, which has a gorgeous opening with just Auger’s piano and Tippetts’ strong vocal performance, but then about halfway in it explodes into a powerhouse song bordering on gospel, that provides the perfect ending to the album.  Unfortunately, when Encore was initially released it didn’t get much promotion and sadly went largely unnoticed, but now that it’s once again readily available hopefully it will get some of the attention it rightly deserved back then.  

(Esoteric Recordings)