THE JAZZ CHILL CORNER BOMBAY DUB ORCHESTRA - TALES FROM THE GRAND BAZAAR

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BOMBAY DUB ORCHESTRA - TALES FROM THE GRAND BAZAAR Posted: 26 Sep 2013 08:03 AM PDT Andrew T. Mackay and Garry Hughes formed Bombay Dub Orchestra nearly ten years ago after multiple visits to India. Both men loved their experiences working with Indian orchestras and decided to pursue their compositional skills by melding electronica and dub with orchestral textures. Three years of germination lead to their self-titled debut, released to great acclaim in 2006; two years later, their second full length album, 3 Cities hit the shelves. Alongside their unique originals, Bombay Dub are renowned for their globally minded remixes, having reworked the songs of Bob Marley, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Bebel Gilberto and many others. This worldly mentality continued as recording sessions for their new album, Tales From The Grand Bazaar saw them bouncing around the United States and London, through the Bombay and Delhi they know so well, as well as into Kingston, Jamaica to work alongside the legendary rhythm section of Sly & Robbie. Grand Bazaar also features some beautiful new Turkish musical flavors, due to prominent sessions in Istanbul which saw the group working with a Turkish orchestra, as well as renowned soloists from the region. While Istanbul is a focal point for the new release, India is in no way forgotten. The duo's greatest conceptual challenge was uniting their South Asian foundation with Turkish melodies. The challenge soon dissolved when they performed with their respective orchestras and the new album's sound came together beautifully. What remains most provocative about Bombay Dub's growing catalog is the imagery each song invokes: movements through medinas, riverside strolls, even the scent of the spice markets Hughes loves walking through. "The sense of the unexplored territory is always very exciting," he says, explaining that while one moment can leave a last impression, capturing it properly can take many months of detailed studio work. For Mackay, who likens the experience of this album to being in a kind of Paris, Texas scenario—the 1984 film co-written by playwright Sam Shepard—it is impossible to separate sound from picture. He's spent a lifetime doing it, and along with Hughes, eloquently captures the beauty and struggle of an entire planet on Tales From the Grand Bazaar. "Music creates something visual," he says. "When you have a subject matter of a piece of music, you automatically start having visions. From the day I left music college, I was doing music to picture in some way; for both Garry and myself there has always been an integral connection between music and images." ~ giantstep.net

THE ATLANTIC AND WARNER SOUNDS OF BURT BACHARACH FEATURE JAZZ AND SOUL RENDITIONS OF HIS MUSIC Posted: 26 Sep 2013 05:55 AM PDT THE ATLANTIC SOUND OF BURT BACHARACH  (VARIOUS ARTISTS) A tremendous tribute to the music of Burt Bacharach – but one that's almost completely comprised of soul and jazz songs recorded for Atlantic Records in the 60s! Hard to believe that Burt and Atlantic had so much in common – but as you'll hear in this massive 45 track set, Bacharach tunes worked surprisingly well for the label's soul singers – including both those working on the scene down south, and those closer to the Brill Building in New York! CD one features Atlantic Ladies – a whole host of female soul – and side two features Atlantic Men & Jazz – with a few instrumental cuts thrown in next to the male singers. Titles include "Please Stay" by the Drifters, "Any Day Now" by Carla Thomas, "April Fools" by Aretha Franklin, "Please Stay" by Lulu, "Let The Music Play" by Leslie Uggams, "Alfie" by Sweet Inspirations, "In The Land Of Make Believe" by Leslie Uggams, "The Look Of Love" by Carmen McRae, "I Say A Little Prayer" by Sergio Mendes, "This Guy's In Love With You" by Roy Ayers, "Please Stay" by The Persuaders, "Close To You" by Richard Evans, "Anyone Who Had A Heart" by Nino Tempo, "They Don't Give Medals To Yesterday's Heroes" by Ben E King, "Any Day Now" by Percy Sledge, "Walk On By" by Arif Mardin, and "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head" by The Young Holt Unlimited. ~ Dusty Groove THE WARNER SOUND OF BURT BACHARACH (VARIOUS ARTISTS) One of the grooviest collections of Burt Bacharach songs we've ever heard – a sweet double-length set that dips deep into the Warner Brothers catalog of the 60s, then moves into later decades for a few choice moments too! Tracks here represent a great range of Warner pop from the time – a bit of jazz, mod instrumentals, soul, girl pop, and more – including some excellent cuts from overseas that fit perfectly in with the American tracks that dominate the set. CD2 moves into some later territory that includes some 70s and 80s takes on Burt's music – showing the ever-growing power of Bacharach, even after his initial burst of songwriting and production. Titles include "Made In Paris" by Trini Lopez, "The Look Of Love" by Anita Kerr Singers, "Cross Town Bus" by Gals & Pals, "And This Is Mine" by Connie Stevens, "You're Following Me" by Caterina Valente, "Promise Her Anything" by Marty Paich, "I'll Never Fall In Love Again" by Ella Fitzgerald, "Baby It's You" by Jeff Phillips, "Me Japanese Boy" by Harpers Bizarre, "Non Mi Innamoro Piu" by Johnny Dorelli & Catherine Spaak, "I Wake Up Crying" by Watts 103rd Street Rhythm BAnd, "I Say A Little Prayer" by Siw Malmkvist, "In My Reality" by Natalie Cole, "Alfie" by Everything But The Girl, "Are You There With Another Girl" by Mari Wilson, "Tell It To Your Heart" by Randy Crawford, and "Anyone Who Had A Heart" by Linda Ronstadt.  ~ Dusty Groove