Album of the Day

After-hours clubs are a great place to catch a jazz gig or a comedy set – or in the case of THE REASON WHY I'M TALKING SHIT, a little bit of both. Eddie Harris' penultimate album for Atlantic after 10 years on the label was recorded at cafes, clubs and lounges on tour in Minneapolis, Evanston, Milwaukee and Redondo Beach, and focuses on the saxophonist's pre-performance monologues. The quintet he leads is in fine funky form and can be heard on a few songs (“Brother Soul,” “The Aftermath”), but the bulk of the 1976 collection is Harris' funny, often X-rated, observations on modern life, the music business and more. A fascinating curio, THE REASON WHY I'M TALKING SHIT captures one of the greats of modern jazz letting his hair down.