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Posted: 10 Sep 2013 02:06 PM PDT
SPRINGDALE QUARTET - HEIST
The sophomore album from Boulder, CO based Springdale Quartet, "Heist" was produced and mixed by widely-respected producer/engineer Alan Evans (Soulive, Alan Evans Trio) and represents a decided step forward in the band's sound and style. Composed of eight original tracks and one cover (an instrumental rendition of Weezer's 'Say It Ain't So'), the album was recorded over a week in January 2013 at Evergroove Studio in Evergreen, Colorado where the band secluded themselves, along with Alan Evans and session engineer/studio owner Brad Smalling, to cut the record. The result is a big, modern, and live sounding instrumental record with elements of funk, jazz, prog, blues, and more... All of this done with classic instrumentation and a touch of studio flair showcases a young band at an exciting developmental point in their creative career. Listen, and enjoy! ~ cduniverse.com
KIM ARRINGTON - GETTING II YES
Getting II Yes is the highly anticipated, jazzy follow-up to soul singer Kim Arrington's debut CD, First Love Note of Kim Arrington (2008). Described as a "genre-bending, musical conversation through loss and liberation," Getting II Yes boasts original songs penned and produced by Arrington and pianist Victor Moore. Rounding out Getting II Yes are punchy covers of Tears for Fear's Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Janet Jackson's Control, and Morris Albert's Feelings. Complete with warm, unassuming vocals and dynamic backgrounds, Arrington is accompanied by 25 instruments ranging from Hammond B3 organ to trumpet to viola to the African Kora on Getting II Yes. Kim Arrington has been described by the Indy Week as "a singer boasting an appropriately smooth and sultry voice![Kim Arrington's songwriting] relishes turns of phrase and unexpected details, subtle character development and sung dialog." ~ cduniverse.com
FRANCY BOLAND - PLAYING WITH THE TRIO
One of the few small group recordings ever cut by pianist Francy Boland – and a set that cooks every bit as much as his work with the larger Clarke Boland Big Band on MPS! The reason for the cooking is clear – Francy's got key rhythmic help from group members Jimmy Woode on bass and Kenny Clarke on drums – players who are way more than just partners with Boland on the session – more musical soulmates, especially from a rhythmic perspective – and able to work at that unique Clarke Boland level that's both lyrical and swinging, soulful and modern! The tunes are played in this way that really shows off Boland's skills on the keys – but never in a style that's flashy, just fresh and filled with surprising tones and twists – backed superbly by Woode and Clarke. Titles include "The Girl & The Turk", "Gamal Sady'N'Em", "Night Lady", "Myriam Doll", "I'm All Smiles", "Lonely Girl", and "Nights In Warsaw". ~ Dusty Groove
 
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Posted: 10 Sep 2013 09:00 AM PDT
Saxophonist Shannon Kennedy and guitarist U-Nam have recently released Open Beta (Skytown Records), their first EP as Nivo Deux. Open Beta includes five original tracks written and produced by U-Nam from their upcoming album 2 the Next Level, a refreshing collection of original music and popular 80s hits featuring Kennedy on sax and vocals and U-Nam on guitar. Nivo Deux (pronounced nee-voh doo) is a French-American duo based in Los Angeles, California comprised of up and coming sax player and vocalist Shannon Kennedy and Chart-Topping guitarist/producer U-Nam, each well-established artists in their own right.
Their music is a blend of smooth jazz, funk, electropop and new wave, continuing in the tradition of diverse artists such as Blondie, Chic, New Order, Duran Duran, Level 42, and even David Sanborn. Their origins and style may seem eclectic but the clever ways in which they bring together these diverse influences is what makes their music interesting and even addictive.
Kennedy and U-Nam met and fell in love during while performing together as part of the One Soul Jazz Series U-Nam hosted in Southern California. They got married and combined forces to become Nivo Deux in 2013, creating music that blends the 80s pop and smooth jazz styles. Nivo Deux made it's debut with "Love's No Distance" on July 15, 2013. The song made it onto the US Billboard's Most Added Charts its first day. Their first full album, 2 the Next Level, will be released later this year on Skytown Records.
 
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Posted: 10 Sep 2013 08:49 AM PDT
YOUNGBLOOD BRASS BAND - PAX VOLUMI
Wonderful work from this combo who really live up to the "young blood" in their name – way more than just a standard brass band, as they draw on styles from a range of genres that include funk and hip hop, plus a slight touch of punk as well! There's an edge to the performance that shakes the genre free of any old time cliches – and although the instrumentation is heavy on brass, there's some pretty fierce rhythms too – especially on cuts that show more of a hip hop influence, and which feature lyrics. The blend of beats and brass is really unique, and makes the record way different than even any of the other contemporary attempts to reinvent the genre. Titles include "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot", "Cite The Line", "20 Questions", "The Plank Will Nod & You Will Go", "E La E", "A Gust Inside The God", "Erik Owen", "Wrestlevania", and "Third Half". ~ Dusty Groove
LUIS LOPES - NOISE SOLO AT ZDB LISON
set – as the album uses guitar noise as much as it does musical sound – but in a way that's quite revelatory overall! Lopes plays live here in a solo performance – and often uses feedback tones in this spare and striking way that rings out with brash tones – almost more of a improvised reed solo than a regular electric guitar piece – given the way that feedbacked notes cascade together in these sheets of sound! This approach is especially true once Luis hits some of the higher registers of sound, too – as the whole thing's got a feel that's different than some of the more familiar guitar noise modes of yore. Lopes uses some nice vintage elements to craft his sound – including a valve Fender Blues De Ville amp, and a Big Muff pedal too! ~ Dusty Groove
MASTER PLAN INC. - MASTER PLAN INC.
Previously unreleased work from an excellent Chicago soul group – Master Plan Inc, a group with deep roots in the Windy City scene, but hardly ever any presence in the record racks! The combo worked together heavily throughout the 70s – and you can really hear that in their grooves on this set – tunes that are better-crafted than most of their contemporaries' work, and played with this sharp edge that really belies the indie status of the act. The ensemble's got a punch that's past the usual smaller group sound of the funky 45 generation – yet they still have all the rawness of that era too, and none of the disco or boogie modes you might guess from the date of these recordings. Drums are especially nice, and really kick strongly on most numbers – and the set's got some especially nice notes, which feature personal reflections from grup leader Frederick Douglas Shorts. Titles include "Bright Lights Big City", "Heartbreaker", "Bag Up", "Try It You'll Like It", "Younger Generation", "You", "Something To Be Done", and "Special Love". ~ Dusty Groove
 
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Posted: 10 Sep 2013 08:45 AM PDT
THE INVENTIONS TRIO - LIFE'S A MOVIE
Life's a Movie is the third project by Bill Mays' highly imaginative Inventions Trio, and his first recording for Chiaroscuro. Featuring the versatile and impeccable Marvin Stamm on trumpet, and the excellent young classically-trained and vividly swinging cellist, Alisa Horn, the Inventions Trio embodies the essence of synergy and masterful interplay that is so important to successful "chamber" jazz. The album is centered around an imaginary soundtrack - the title suite - that beautifully displays Mays' compositional and conceptual skills. There is also a heartfelt tribute to the immortal Bill Evans with a medley of four Evans' originals; a tour of Spain with the trio's version of Joaquin Rodrigo's "Concierto de Aranjuez" (which earned a permanent place in jazz history through Miles' Sketches of Spain) and Chick Corea's own classic "Spain," inspired by the same piece; and a three-piece medley from the utterly unique Thelonious Monk.
JONAS KULLHAMMAR - LAT DET VARA
An incredible step forward for reedman Jonas Kullhammar – an album that's put together as a summation of his feelings after taking a brief break from the recording business – but which also stands as one of his greatest moments to date! We've always loved Jonas' music, but there's a sense of power and majesty here that we've never heard before – at least not this clearly – an unbridled love of jazz-based expression, served up with longtime partners Torbjorn Gulz on piano, Torbjorn Zetterberg on bass, and Jonas Hongersson on drums. The vibrancy of these players has been documented before on other recordings by the quartet, but there's really something special going on here – possibly because the album's slated to be the group's last (as might be guessed by the Let It Be cover image), but also just because Kullhammar's tenor work is so expressive, so personal, and at the same time, so much more straightforward than ever before – a sound that will definitely get him the attention we've been saying he deserves for years – one of the greatest voices on his instrument of the past few decades. All material is played by the quartet – save for the title track, which features a larger group with guests who include Goran Kajfes on cornet, Per Rusktrask Johansson on alto, and Janne Kullhammar on drums – and titles include "Alvsalavals", "KBT", "Fodelsedagen", "Julaftonsfan", "Domedagen", and "Lat Det Vara". ~ Dusty Groove
WEBSTER WRAIGHT ENSEMBLE - NO LUCKY DAYS
A really stunning collaboration between Charles Webster and Peter Wraight – the former mostly known for his house music, the latter an arranger for the Herbert big band sessions – coming together here in a lush new sound that's totally their own! There's an expansive feel to the record that definitely lives up to the cover – a rich landscape of sound, but also a bit misty at times too – never just a straight representation of Wraight's jazz and soundtrack modes, and instead this very textured, painter-like approach to music – one that's shimmering with beautiful tones and soulful vocals from Emilie Chick and Paul Randolph. Webster handles the keyboards and samples, and Wraight conducts a large group with reeds, brass, and even a bit of harp – and the record's got a far-reaching sound that's very unique, but which might sit nicely next to projects by Cinematic Orchestra or Chris Bowden. Titles include "A World Of Fire", "Rise", "Storm Clouds", "Unexpected News", "Nature & Light", and "The Ruins Of Britain". ~ Dusty Groove
 
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Posted: 10 Sep 2013 08:41 AM PDT
PHIL WOODS & THE FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA - NEW CELEBRATION
Phil Woods' New Celebration is the long-awaited follow-up to his 1997 Grammy® Award-nominated release Celebration, and features many of the same players, along with a number of other world-class musicians from Woods' Poconos home region comprising the 18-piece Festival Orchestra. All but two of the compositions - Johnny Mandel's "Here's to Alvy" and Al Cohn's arrangement of Raye & de Paul's gorgeous "You Don't Know What Love Is" (featuring vocalist Najwa Parkins) - were specially written and arranged by Woods for this recording, which was done in April of 2012. Woods' extraordinary writing creates an ideal setting for his solo virtuosity, as well as some excellent contributions by other members of the orchestra. But more than being a launching pad for solos, the arrangements display a mastery of context that makes each piece a fully conceived and compelling musical story. Woods' longtime friend Quincy Jones contributes liner notes for the CD, Woods' second album as a leader on Chiaroscuro.
CARLA BEY / ANDY SHEPPARD / STEVE SWALLOW - TRIOS
Sublime trio recordings from Carla Bley on piano, Steve Swallow on bass, and Andy Sheppard on tenor and soprano sax – musicians who've been working together in different ways for many years, and who really come together here in a very special way! Although all three players were once known to enforce the more modern sides of their identities, that tendency seems left behind and replaced by a more confident maturity – one that still allows for knowledge of all the dark corners and sharp edges of sound, but worked out into a mode that's beautifully lyrical, poetic, and surprisingly rich in feeling. There's nothing cold or academic about the set at all – and although the presentation is definitely in an ECM mode, there's this sense of deeper heart that recalls some of the recordings that Swallow made with Jimmy Giuffre decades back – or even Giuffre's trio before Swallow joined in. Sheppard is wonderfully expressive – very vivid in his solos – and Bley's doing so much with so little, her sense of tone and texture are mindblowing. Titles include "Vashkar", "Utviklingssang", "The Girl Who Cried Champagne", and "Wildlife". ~ Dusty Groove
WILL PRESTON - #REACQUAINTED
We're getting reacquainted with the music of Will Preston all over again – thanks to this sweet little set and its really fresh sound! Will's vocals are very much at the level of his previous two sets – but the groove here is even greater, and bristles with lots of nice crackle right from the outset – a renewed sort of energy that sets the record on fire right from the start, then keeps things burning with a steady flame that really works great for Preston's vocals. Will sings with a sense of personality that keeps the set far from any overdone cliches – and there's an upfront feel to the whole record that we really love. Titles include "Bring Back The Days", "I Gave My All", "Emotions In It", "Falling In Love", "My Book", "Painful Times", and "Candy Coated Raindrops". ~ Dusty Groove
 
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