Album Liner Notes
Eye of the Beholder
Eye of the Beholder is Ray Barretto in a crossover frame: still rooted in Latin rhythm, but clearly leaning into jazz-funk, fusion, and electric studio polish. That makes it a strong Jeff Berlin album credit because the bass has to work inside both groove language and arranged ensemble writing.
Overview
What makes this album worth the time is the way it widens the Jeff Berlin picture. Ray Barretto is a giant in Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz, but Eye of the Beholder is not a straight salsa record. It is a late-1970s Atlantic studio album where Latin rhythm, fusion keyboards, and jazz-funk arranging all meet.
Jeff's role is concentrated rather than album-wide. He appears on 'Senor Funk,' 'Leti,' and 'Tumbao Africano,' which is useful because those tracks let you hear him inside the more electric side of the record while Wilton Felder handles the rest of the program.
It is also a very cast-specific session. Joe Sample and Gil Goldstein both show up on keys, Steve Ferrone handles drums on Jeff's tracks, Marcus Fiorillo and Ray Gomez split guitar duties, and the horn writing shifts from track to track. This is one of those albums where the personnel map is part of the story.
Quick Snapshot
- Released in 1977 on Atlantic, Eye of the Beholder is Ray Barretto's 26th album and an eight-track studio record.
- Sessiondays credits Jeff Berlin on tracks 2, 7, and 8, while Wilton Felder plays bass on tracks 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6.
- The production is split between Crusaders members Joe Sample, Wilton Felder, and Stix Hooper, with engineering by Lew Hahn and Rik Pekkonen and mastering by Dennis King.
Barretto in fusion territory
This is a Latin-jazz artist working in a late-1970s electric studio frame rather than on a purely traditional Afro-Cuban session.
Jeff and Wilton split the bass chair
Jeff Berlin plays three tracks while Wilton Felder covers the other five, which makes the album unusually easy to compare from track to track.
Crusaders connection
Joe Sample, Wilton Felder, and Stix Hooper all appear in the production frame, which says a lot about where Atlantic aimed this album.
Listen For
Senor Funk
Jeff's first appearance on the album, with Steve Ferrone, Marcus Fiorillo, Joe Sample, and Gil Goldstein putting the record squarely into jazz-funk territory.
Leti
One of Jeff's strongest spots on the record, with a roomy groove and a horn/percussion blend that keeps the Latin center intact.
Tumbao Africano
Jeff's last track is also the most overtly percussion-driven one, with batá, timbales, and extra percussion pushing the Afro-Cuban side back to the front.
Track Listing
- 1. Here We Go Again — 5:02
- 2. Senor Funk — 4:43
- 3. Eye of the Beholder — 4:24
- 4. Salsa-Con-Fusion — 6:13
- 5. Numero Uno — 4:48
- 6. Expresso — 4:05
- 7. Leti — 6:59
- 8. Tumbao Africano — 4:34
Musicians
- Ray Barretto: congas, percussion
- Jeff Berlin: bass on tracks 2, 7, and 8
- Wilton Felder: bass on tracks 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6
- Steve Ferrone: drums on tracks 2, 7, and 8
- Terry Bozzio: drums on tracks 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6
- Joe Sample: keyboards on tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, and 7
- Gil Goldstein: keyboards on tracks 2, 3, 6, and 7
- Eddy Martinez: keyboards on track 8
- Clifford Carter: synthesizer on track 8
- Barry Finnerty: guitar on tracks 1 and 4
- Marcus Fiorillo: guitar on tracks 2 and 7
- Ray Gomez: guitar on track 8
- William Green and Pete Christlieb: saxophone on track 1
- Todd Anderson and Reynaldo Jorge: horns on tracks 2, 7, and 8
- Roger Rosenberg: saxophone on tracks 7 and 8
- Garnett Brown: trombone on track 1
- Luis Ortiz: trumpet on track 8
- Rafael Cruz: percussion on tracks 7 and 8
- Angel Maldonado and Ray Romero: batá on track 8
- Jimmy Delgado: timbales on track 8
Technical Credits
- Producer: Stix Hooper
- Producer: Joe Sample
- Producer: Wilton Felder
- Coordinator: Raymond Silva
- Engineer: Lew Hahn on tracks 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, and 8
- Engineer: Rik Pekkonen on tracks 1 and 4
- Mastered by Dennis King
- Recorded at Atlantic Studios and Hollywood Sound Recorders
- Mastered at Atlantic Studios
- Art direction: Bob Defrin
- Photography: NASA