Clarence Reid
“That's How It Is” (Alston 4584) 1970
by Wax Poetics
Graced by the funky chicken-scratch guitar of noted Miami bandleader James Knight, this 1970 B-side displays a level of musical cohesion between songwriter, producer, and musician most commonly associated with names like Whitfield, Mitchell, and Toussaint. While the lyric employs a universal soul trope—the transformative power of love—Reid’s arrangement, soul deep but dance-floor strong, defines the unmistakable Miami sound.
