Reading the credits of
What a Diff'rence a Day Makes, one could easily assume that it is a jazz album. This 1975 LP was produced by
Creed Taylor and arranged by guitarist
Joe Beck; the other participants range from
Michael Brecker on tenor sax,
David Sanborn on alto sax, and
Randy Brecker on trumpet to
Steve Khan on guitar and
Don Grolnick on keyboards. With that lineup,
Esther Phillips could have easily delivered a first-class jazz album. But
What a Diff'rence a Day Makes doesn't contain any jazz -- not even jazz-funk or soul-jazz. It is, however, an excellent soul/disco outing. This LP is best-known for its hit title song, an inspired disco version of a standard that has usually been heard in jazz and pre-rock pop settings. But the song works surprisingly well as disco, and the other tracks are equally impressive.
Phillips is as soulful and convincing on the bluesy "I Can Stand a Little Rain" as she is on
Gamble & Huff's "One Night Affair" (a Philadelphia soul classic that was recorded by
Jerry Butler in 1972 and
the O'Jays in 1969) and
Ralph MacDonald's "Mister Magic."The latter is the gem that
Grover Washington, Jr. is best remembered for; while his famous version was instrumental jazz-funk,
Phillips' is vocal-oriented soul. It should be noted that most of the jazz musicians who back
Phillips on
What a Diff'rence a Day Makes are not jazz snobs.
The Brecker Brothers and
Sanborn, for example, have done their share of R&B sessions, and they would probably be the first to tell you that this LP needs to be judged by R&B standards instead of jazz standards. And when R&B standards are applied, it is easy to conclude that
What a Diff'rence a Day Makes is among
Phillips' finest releases. [The 2002 reissue adds a second version of "What a Diff'rence a Day Makes."] ~ Alex Henderson