Continuing the jazz portion of 1974’s Chicago VII, “Hanky Panky” opens with leftovers of experimental computer noises that were present throughout “An Italian From New York,” an element which sounds rather dated today. Luckily, the song progresses past those leftover pretensions into more accessible jazz fare.
Bearing a stark contrast to the subtle brush strokes on “Devil’s Sweet,” Danny Serpahine’s drumming here is decidedly more present and forceful than on the other jazz material that graced Chicago VII. Instrumentally, this is a very strong track: The tight rhythm section of Seraphine, Terry Kath and Peter Cetera fires on all cylinders, as does the horn section of James Pankow, Lee Loughnane and Walt Parazaider.
Of note is the bass. While Peter Cetera is and always will be known for his voice, his exceptional playing is often overlooked – and I’d argue the groove on “Hanky Panky” is one of the tightest since the bass line he laid down on Chicago V’s “State of the Union.” It shows a versatility at his instrument for which he never truly receives due credit.
“Hanky Panky” provides an enjoyable and, at under two minutes, brief interlude before Chicago segues into the pop portion of VII with “Life Saver.”
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