McCann and Harris Return to the Groove
A gem that continues to inspire a new generation of soul and jazz musicians, even if it stumbled at first.
Second Movement catches McCann and Harris in a looser, funkier space than Swiss Movement. Where the live predecessor had energy and spontaneity, this studio session finds them digging into soul-jazz grooves with more deliberate arrangements. McCann's organ and vocals anchor the sound—warm, soulful, sometimes almost spoken rather than sung—while Harris's saxophone weaves through with a conversational tone rather than flashy soloing. The tempos lean mid-tempo to slow; nothing here sprints. There's plenty of space between the notes, which means every phrase lands harder.
The album landed poorly on release, but time has been kinder. What sounded too spare or too restrained in 1971 now reads as confident and understated. McCann isn't trying to dazzle; he's trying to feel something, and Harris follows his lead without elbowing for dominance. This is a duo record in the truest sense—two voices in conversation, not a soloist backed by accompaniment. If you loved Swiss Movement's live telepathy, this studio version offers something different: the same rapport, but more thought-out, more patient.
This is not a debut for either man, and it doesn't have the wild success of its predecessor. But AllMusic's reassessment is earned. For listeners who like McCann's spiritual side and Harris's willingness to play behind the beat rather than on top of it, Second Movement is genuinely worth tracking down. Start here only if you've already felt what they do together on Swiss Movement; this one assumes you're already in the room.
Who's playing
Jerry Jemmottelectric bass guitar
Jimmy Rowserbass
Les McCannelectric piano
Cornell Dupreeelectric guitar
Eddie Harristenor saxophone
Donald Deandrums
Buck Clarkepercussion
[unknown]strings
Where next?
More by Les McCann
All 32 albums →
The musicians on this record
Their own records, close in time
