Don Blackman has played with some of the biggest names in Funk & Soul, such as Earth, Wind & Fire, Parliament, Roy Ayers, and also did Jazz work with Charles McPherson and Lenny White.
Playing with groups like these, it’s no wonder some of that magic rubbed off. Don’s solo work is stuffed full of pure grooviness.
“Heart’s Desire” is a Jazz-Funk masterpiece, with a huge assortment of grooves and melodies, from the doo bop vocals, the fresh bassline, the slow burning, slightly dissonant piano chords, and some sweet strings that add a final touch of class.
The vocal jam in the chorus is lovely, and elevates the song’s funkiness a lot. In any case, the bass player was clearly given the green light to go for it in this one, with a expansive, free bassline underpinning it all.
There’s plenty of jamming going on, especially towards the end with the piano. The song leans heavily towards the funky end of the Jazz-Funk spectrum, but the improvised feel shows a strong jazz influence.
The song was released on Don Blackman’s eponymous debut album in 1982, and had some commercial success in Europe.