In listening to Blue Note recordings, it’s usually a good guess that Rudy Van Gelder engineered the session. But as the label moved towards its natural end and embraced fusion and funk, the sound that each record reports doesn’t necessarily seem to keep with what we all associate Van Gelder with. But after tossing on Reuben Wilson’s Blue Mode, listeners will be nothing more than pleased with the engineers work.

Wilson’s not necessarily touted today as his forbearers like Jimmy Smith are. And while that titan of the B-3 industry released a spate of similar sounding dinner musics masquerading as soul jazz, what Wilson has here on Blue Mode almost completely eschews jazz templates and works out funk grooves. It’s all still instrumental, but the focus here isn’t on knotty progressions and endearing solos – although they’re present – but on a stoned groove as good for staring off into space as it is for dancing.

The covers included here aren’t going to translate to a modern audience, though – they just come off as kitsch until some of the soloing kicks in. “Knock on Wood” should be instantly recognizable to anyone with a radio. It’s not a track that someone would seek out, but at the same time at the first break when Wilson lets loose, it’s nothing short of funky. Supported by Tom Derrick (who?) on drums and a young Melvin Sparks on guitar, the rhythm section works amply to allow Wilson to get out the ju-ju. And he does. Again, the covers, this one or “Twenty-Five Miles,” isn’t what listeners are here for, each is just a palette cleanser for some other funk stuffs.

“Bus Ride” works in much the same way as the album opener, “Bambu,” making use of some glitchy sounding stutter on the B-3 as Sparks follows Wilson around the progression, in and out of some bouncy percussion. When Sparks grabs the first solo, it’s almost as much slow-burning rock and roll as it is soul, jazz or funk. And that’s why it works so well. Blue Mode isn’t a single thing, or appealing to a single kind of music fan. It’s a buncha stuff and should be heard by as many different people. Yeah, Soulive probably really likes this disc – their drumming is almost identical to a buncha stuff here…but it’s still good.

The saxophone – lent here by John Manning – gets a bit of time in the spotlight. And while Wilson might get the most featured time on the album, it’s not for lack of supporting talent. The sax player wouldn’t go on to greater success. In fact, he only really recorded a few more times: some of them with Sparks of all people. But it’s a good combo that works all of this out. The interplay isn’t flawless, but there certainly isn’t a dull spot anywhere on the album after getting through those familiar melodies on the covers. That being said, some could argue that Wilson’s recordings contributed to the beginning of Blue Notes downfall, being watered down into pop music. Whatever. Shut up and dance.