Time Has Changed

O'Donel Levy's Time Has Changed (LRC Records, 1977, LRC-9319; also tied to Groove Merchant/Lester Radio vibes) is the guitarist's slick late-'70s pivot into smoother, more produced jazz-funk territory—think the era when disco was creeping into every corner and even jazz cats were told to add a little gloss. This was Levy's final major statement before stepping back, and it's got that big-studio sheen: strings, punchy rhythms, occasional vocals, and O'Donel's always-melodic guitar holding the center like a cool uncle at the family reunion who still knows how to dance. The core band includes Levy on guitar (of course), with Stafford Levy (his brother) likely involved in the drum chair somewhere in the family network, plus pros like Jimmy Maelen on percussion, George Young on flute/saxes, Aleta Green adding vocal touches, and engineering that aims for radio-friendly polish. Bigger production than Levy's earlier Groove Merchant rawness, with a touch more fusion gloss and disco-adjacent beats, but Levy's tone stays warm, bluesy, and never overly slick. It's smoother than Windows but still has that earthy Baltimore soul underneath. Comparisons to George Benson's commercial turn or early Pat Metheny come up, but Levy keeps a funkier, less yachty edge. By 1977, "sophisticated disco" was basically code for "we added strings and a click track so the kids will buy it." Levy delivers without fully selling out—it's like he showed up to the disco in a tuxedo jacket over his usual jeans, played a few tasteful solos, then politely excused himself before the mirror ball dropped. It's his most polished album, sometimes criticized for being too slick compared to his grittier earlier work, but if you dig that transitional jazz-funk-disco sweet spot (think Benson's Breezin' era with a bit more street). Play it loud on a summer night; time may have changed, but good grooves haven't.