Dance music is a confounding thing. And a mess to boot. There’s such a dearth of approaches to each genre and its sub-genres that a cursory figuring of something for organ jazz – or whatever else sounds funky – isn’t going to always yield a stunning listen. That’s a damnable shame. And while it was nearly impossible for funky jazz players during the ‘70s to move past the cheese ball ballads and soul amidst some of the flops are a number of gems: that’s as true on single albums as it is over the course of an entire career. And Eddie Russ’ career is studded with a bit of both.

Born in Pittsburgh, PA, the soon-to-be in-demand keyboardist found himself working with jazz greats like Sarah Vaughn, Stan Getz and Dizzy Gillespie. Those are some huge players to back, especially by the time that the ‘60s and ‘70s rolled around. None of the folks that Russ worked under where in their prime, but each had become an institution, laying the groundwork for what was to follow.

Under the tutelage of these giants Russ developed an all encompassing style that looked as much to the past and its blues inflection as to the future funk that would come to pass. But in these formative years, Russ was able to take in the dynamics of working with a large assemblage of people. And for that very reason, he’s today remembered for his congenial, good nature and the manner that he was able to find a common ground with any number of players and jazz educators.

Despite all of this, most of the success that Russ found was on the other side of the Atlantic. Never cracking the glass ceiling in the States, as it were, didn’t seem to discourage the band leader too much. He persisted through his career, releasing albums sporadically, but always keeping himself busy with tour dates and performances at festivals.

A few of his records, though, have persisted in giving deejays fits.

Most of Russ’ output came during the ‘70s after he’d graduated from his role as a sideman. And while each of his albums remains relatively difficult to track down, finding them is worth it. Well, at least some of each album is worth it.

Fresh Out has weathered time as well as any other disc that Russ issued. It’s still rife with problems, though. Any cover of “You are the Sunshine of My Life” is bound to raise an eyebrow. It should. And while most of the track is given over to breezy wah-wah guitar and Russ’ melodic concepts, the persistent strings in the background make the entire affair a bummer.

That being said, “The Lope Song” is all stone cold funk. Yeah, it might sound like something that would have accompanied Sesame Street during its first few years on air, but that’s just due to that fluttering flute. It’s all boss grooves, though. So don’t you fret dearest reader. The funk abounds. You just gotta be looking for it.