Sea Level - Sea Level (1977) (1LP Vinyl) - Near Mint (NM)

Condition: Used

Media Condition: Near Mint (NM)

Sleeve Condition: Near Mint (NM)

Sea Level by Sea Level.

When four musicians step out from under a legendary shadow, the result can go one of two ways. For Sea Level, the self titled 1977 debut on Capricorn Records, the answer was a confident stride into fusion territory that blended jazz sophistication with the deep Southern groove its players knew in their bones. This is a record born of restless creativity, and it carries the unmistakable warmth of the Macon, Georgia sound that Capricorn made famous.

At the heart of it all sits Chuck Leavell on keyboards and lead vocals, a player whose fingers dance across the material with equal parts precision and soul. Alongside him, Lamar Williams anchors everything on bass and lends his voice to the harmonies, while Jai Johanny Johanson brings his singular touch on drums and percussion. Jimmy Nalls rounds out the core on guitar and vocals, trading lines and locking in with a chemistry that feels lived in rather than assembled.

Side A opens with "Rain In Spain" before rolling into the propulsive "Shake A Leg," a track that lets the band flex its rhythmic muscle. "Tidal Wave" stretches out with instrumental ambition, giving Leavell and Nalls room to explore, and "Country Fool" closes the first half with a nod to the down home roots that ground the whole affair. These are performances that reward close listening; there is texture in every corner.

Flip to Side B and the mood deepens with "Nothing Matters But The Fever," a title that captures the record's blend of heat and yearning. "Grand Larceny" struts with a knowing swagger, and then comes the album's most surprising turn: a reading of the traditional "Scarborough Fair" filtered through the band's fusion sensibility, a graceful reworking that shows off their range. "Just A Good Feeling" sends the set out on exactly the note its title promises, leaving the listener wanting the needle to drop again.

Producer Stewart Levine, whose ear for arrangement and clarity shaped countless sessions of the era, brings a polished yet unforced quality to the proceedings, with engineer Sam Whiteside capturing the ensemble in full bloom. The result is a session that breathes, allowing space for the interplay that makes this quartet so compelling on repeated spins.

Pressed and distributed in the United States by Phonodisc for Capricorn Records, Inc., copyright 1977, this original wax carries the matrix numbers CPN-0178-A and CPN-0178-B in the runout. It remains a cornerstone document of the late seventies fusion movement, a record that stands proudly on its own terms and belongs in any collection that values the crossroads where jazz, blues, and Southern rock meet.

Pressing Details:
Track Listing:
A1. Rain In Spain
A2. Shake A Leg
A3. Tidal Wave
A4. Country Fool
B1. Nothing Matters But The Fever
B2. Grand Larceny
B3. Scarborough Fair
B4. Just A Good Feeling

Credits:
Lamar Williams - Bass, Vocals
Jai Johanny Johanson - Drums, Percussion
Sam Whiteside - Engineer
Jimmy Nalls - Guitar, Vocals
Chuck Leavell - Keyboards, Lead Vocals
Stewart Levine - Producer

Notes:
(C)(P)1977
Capricorn Records, Inc. distributed by Phonodisc, Inc./Made in U.S.A.

Matrix:
CPN-0178-A
CPN-0178-B

Artist: Sea Level

Format: 1LP

Genre: Jazz

Label: Capricorn Records

Catalog Number: CPN 0178

Release Year: 1977

Country: United States