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Posted: 15 Oct 2013 01:11 PM PDT
Anybody who has seen the documentary 20 Feet from Stardom knows that the title of this album is an apt one when it comes to Lisa Fischer. Fischer, who is one of the featured backup singers in the film, comes across as a pretty mellow person when not practicing her art, but get her in front of the mic either in the studio or on stage, and what pours out is just pure, deep magic. You can see the respect the other musicians and singers in the film have for her; there's a reason she has sung with the Rolling Stones on every tour they've taken since the '80s, and sung backup for everybody from Sting to Tina Turner to Luther Vandross (who produces about half of So Intense). An outsized talent like hers would seem destined for stardom; but after she recorded this album for Elektra in 1991, she retreated from the spotlight, never to cut an album under her own name again, even though the record spawned three hits including "How Can I Ease the Pain," which went to #1 on the charts and won a Grammy. Our Real Gone Music reissue features liner notes by Pat Thomas and four bonus tracks. You need to hear this woman sing. The deluxe editions includes Three Hits Featuring the #1 Song "How Can I Ease the Pain," which won a Grammy for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance in 1992, and production by Luther Vandross and Narada Michael Walden.
Deluxe Edition Includes Four Bonus Tracks: 1. Save Me // 2. Get Back to Love // 3. How Can I Ease the Pain // 4. So Intense // 5. Wildflower // 6. Some Girls // 7. So Tender // 8. Send the Message of Love // 9. Chain of Broken Hearts // 10. Last Goodbye // Bonus Tracks: 11. Save Me (DM2 Mix) // 12. Save Me (Red Zone Dub) // 13. Save Me (Extended Mix) // 14. Save Me (Radio Mix).
 
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Posted: 15 Oct 2013 01:03 PM PDT
For a jazz guitarist, a trio setting -- uniting the featured instrumentalist with the support of just a bassist and a drummer -- is risky. Dispensing with, say, a piano to provide harmonic underpinning or a horn with which to share solo space, a guitarist becomes exposed. It takes a confident leader and an airtight rhythm team to pull off such a project. On his new recording, Variations, the San Francisco-based guitarist George Cotsirilos confirms that his now well-established trio is up to the task and then some. Variations also asserts that the promise of the trio's previous recordings has come to eminently satisfying fruition.
Uniting with bassist Robb Fischer and drummer Ron Marabuto, as he did on the earlier albums, Past Present and On The Rebop, Cotsirilos proves through his effortless mastery that there's still plenty of life in the mainstream guitar tradition. A fluent bop-oriented stylist who mates a sparkling tone with fleet fingered lines, harmonic ingenuity, melodic acuity and a gift for letting space have its own say, Cotsirilos also takes keen advantage of a gift that sets him apart: his ease on both the electric and acoustic guitars.
Where Cotsirilos's command of the electric instrument is given free range on such robust original tunes as the boppish "A Walk for Ethel," the earthy "I Know You Know" and "Blues For The J Man," the lyrical "Chimera," and the sprightly strutting "Madrugadora," his delicate yet bracing acoustic guitar work on Ivan Lins's "Doce Presenca," Fisher's "Sambrosia" and a solo rendition of the standard, "But Beautiful" is equally immediate and affecting.
"I aimed for three things when making Variations," says Cotsirilos. "First, I wanted to capture the deeper communication that's been progressively building between the members of the trio. We are now truly the sum of three equal parts."
"Second, I wanted to express more diversity in terms of instrumental color. It was important to feature both the electric and acoustic guitars and to set off the group performances with a solo setting. Dynamics and tempo were also kept in mind: soft versus loud, slow versus fast -- the trio is comfortable with these variables and I wanted to have them as part of our core sound."
"Lastly, I wanted to take advantage of the space that a trio provides. Not to have to fill it up all the time, as can be the natural approach, but to let the open space speak for itself - let it provide opportunities. You have to be very comfortable with each other in a small group setting to feel that each member can contribute as much or as little as they want to in a given performance, and we have reached that point."
In bassist Robb Fisher (whom Cotsirilos worked with in the popular San Francisco Nighthawks band, which also included the famed Bay-area drummer Eddie Marshall and pianist Paul Nagel) and drummer Ron Marabuto, Cotsirilos has bonded with sympathetic players whose near telepathic union has only sharpened in their seven year tenure as a unit.
A native of Chicago - hence his strong affinity for the blues - George Cotsirilos has become a leading musical fixture of the Sam Francisco music scene. Included among the varied artists he's worked with are Pharaoh Sanders, Etta James, Chuck Israels, Jane Olivor, Mel Martin, and the R&B band, The Whispers. He is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley, and has studied classical guitar at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
 
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Posted: 15 Oct 2013 01:00 PM PDT
'Fabiola' began taking shape in 2010, when Chris Franck and Patrick Forge, finding themselves again single and with Forge having returned from living in Japan, took their first tentative steps towards writing new material. Drawing together a worldwide family of collaborators both old and new, they embarked upon a "new era" of Da Lata. 'Fabiola' their first album in ten years, features a host of talent including singer and guitarist Luiz Gabriel Lopes from tropicalia band Graveola (Brazil), Mayra Andrade (Cape Verde), Miguel Atwood Ferguson (USA), spoken word and rap from Philly's finest – Rich Medina (USA) Marcelo Janeci (Brazil) Luisa Maita (Brazil), Fabricio FBC (Brazil), Sacha Gabriel (Canada), Jason Yarde (UK), Finn Peters (UK) and Diabel Cissokho (Mali) who have all helped craft a record with a raw and live approach fusing Afro-Brazilian influences with a dance-floor sensibility.
The big question is, can their album be categorised as solely 'World Music?' Or has the world become too small a place for such divisions? Ultimately, it's the melting pot of London that really lies at the heart of 'Fabiola', a city where cultures and taste continually collide. 'Fabiola' is not bound by any set of rules, for all its authenticity in the musicianship and grooves, the tunes themselves seek out new territory beyond glib categorisation. The new album is characterised by Da Lata's new "organic edge", dispensing with programming and electronic production, 'Fabiola's' emphasis is definitely on the "real" in every sense. Written exclusively by Chris Franck and the various collaborators; Franck, Forge and super engineer Toni Econimides are the team that have crafted 'Fabiola' into Da Lata's most mature and accomplished album yet.
In essence it's been 20 years since Franck and Forge first came together and began experimenting and redefining Brazilian music. The duo have had major international success both in bands (Smoke City, Zeep and Da Lata) and for Patrick as a respected DJ who was a pioneer for Brazilian music with UK station Kiss FM in the early 90s.
Famed for melding elements of Brazilian and African styles with everything from folk, rock and psychedelia to spoken word, soul and dub, they've made a permanent mark in their respective scenes, bringing down the divide between 'world' and 'electronic' music – both can be charged with popularizing Brazilian music on an international stage.
Over the course of their 20 year careers they have worked alongside and collaborated with Palm Pictures label mates Femi Kuti, Sly and Robbie, Ernest Ranglin, Baaba Maal, and Bebel Gilberto. They've played some of the biggest stages around the world including Roskillde, Coachella, Glastonbury, North Sea Jazz, Womad and Summer Stage New York. Additionally during the 2012 Olympics, while the album was still in progress, Da Lata came together with a new line-up to perform at Gilles Peterson's and Patrick's Another Sunday Afternoon At Dingwalls and the Casa Brasil sessions at Somerset House to high praise.
With a mighty cast of remixers set to re-interpret 'Fabiola' and their first single 'Um Amor A Mais', a rugged organic afro-electro number set for a late summer release, Da Lata are about to start a new chapter in their memorable story. 20 years of Afro-Brazilian adventure and its definitely not over yet…
 
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Posted: 15 Oct 2013 11:40 AM PDT
The "Very Special" video is from GRAMMY® Award-winning drummer, composer and bandleader Terri Lyne Carrington's March shows at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola/JALC. Appearing in the video with Carrington are Gerald Clayton and James Genus. The March shows feature the music of Carrington's Money Jungle: Provocative in Blue - the 50th anniversary homage to Duke Ellington's iconic 1963 Money Jungle recording. Carrington's album, which reached #1 on the Jazz Week Charts, is released on Concord Jazz in the U.S., Europe and other global markets; and, the album is on Universal Music's Somethin' Else label in Japan.
The September 1962 original recording sessions led by Duke Ellington featured bassist Charlie Mingus and drummer Max Roach.
Today, it is considered one of the pivotal jazz recordings of the 1960s; and the 1963 album release that emerged from the session, was - among other things - a commentary on the perennial tug-of-war between art and commerce. In some ways, that album's 11 tracks were intended as a sort of counterbalance to the capitalist bent of the Mad Men generation. Now, 50 years later, this precarious balance in the world of jazz - or in any art form, for that matter - hasn't changed much. Terri Lyne Carrington, with the aid of two high-profile collaborators - keyboardist Clayton and bassist Christian McBride - paid tribute to Duke, his trio and his creative vision with a cover of that historic recording.
In speaking about Money Jungle: Provocative in Blue Carrington reflects, "Duke's original recording is something that has haunted me since I first heard it about a decade ago. I had bought it on CD, from the discount bin in a music store," she recalls. "I put it on in my car, and I immediately just felt something mysterious about it. There was just an energy that moved through the tracks. Duke and Charles and Max had a chemistry about them. There was this tension that you could hear, and yet they fit together like a hand in a glove."
In preparation for the project, Carrington read up on Duke's biography. "I felt like a method actor," she says. "I just dug as deep as I could in the time that I had to get a glimpse of his perspective on things. When you start rearranging music by someone like Duke Ellington, you better feel really good about what you're doing. In the end, I felt confident that I didn't do him a disservice, because he was a very open-minded artist, and he was very much about moving forward."
Carrington considers her Money Jungle - like its predecessor - primarily a trio album, but she's not averse to some enhancement and additional textures along the way. Helping out with the rearrangements and reinterpretations is an impressive list of guest artists: trumpeter Clark Terry, trombonist Robin Eubanks, reed players Tia Fuller and Antonio Hart, guitarist Nir Felder, percussionist Arturo Stabile and vocalists Shea Rose and Lizz Wright. In a special appearance, Herbie Hancock appears in a spoken word segment as the voice of Duke Ellington.
"The music of Duke's Money Jungle may have first emerged a half-century ago, but there's nothing old about great music and great musicians," says Carrington, who sees her own Money Jungle: Provocative in Blue as addressing some of the same issues as its 1963 predecessor. "There's always something that's new, if you know how to listen to it. You have to be able to appreciate the past if you want to have a future. I think that's a big part of our job as artists and entertainers and educators - to keep reminding the younger musicians how important our predecessors were - especially the people who made the music what it is today. So it was my goal to bring some fresh light and fresh energy to some of Duke's music in general and this recording in particular."
In speaking about his and Carrington's partnership with Concord Music, Robert Hebert, CEO of Hebert-Carrington Media, shares "Terri Lyne and I are very excited about our relationship with Concord Music ... John (Burk) and Glen (Barros) ... and their team: Mark Wexler, Jason Linder, Larry Bole, Mike Wilpizeski, Kajo Paukert, Rick Nuhn, Zak Weil, Evelyn Mowbray and the rest of the Concord team all have done a great job supporting the Money Jungle: Provocative in Blue project. And, of course their work on the 2012 GRAMMY® Award-winning Mosaic Project yielded unforgettable dividends for us all. We are proud to be counted as a part of the Concord family. They believe in us, and we in them."
Hebert continues: "As far as the new relationship with Universal Music in Japan ... Bruce Lundvall and Hitoshi Namekata assisted our company over several years in putting this together. We look forward to doing much more with Universal Music Japan, and especially to the opportunity to continue our collaboration with Ken Arai, Yoshimitsu Harashima, Rutsuko Hanamura and their teams in Tokyo."
Carrington has been quite busy of late. In addition to her solo work, she is on a global tour with her ACS Trio configuration with Geri Allen and Esperanza Spalding.
Upcoming ACS Performances:
October 5 / Quick Center for the Arts / Fairfield, CT
October 11 / The Terrace Theater, The Kennedy Center / Washington, DC
October 15 / McCain Auditorium, Kansas City University / Manhattan, KS
October 16 / Juanita K. Hammons Hall / Springfield, MO
October 17 / Paramount Theatre / Austin, TX
October 19 / Cullen Theater, Wortham Theater Center / Houston, TX
October 20 / Lensic Performing Arts Center / Santa Fe, NM
October 22 / Ikeda Theatre, Mesa Arts Center / Mesa, AZ
October 24 / SFJAZZ Center / San Francisco, CA
October 25 - 26 / Samueli Theater / Costa Mesa, CA
October 27 / The Broad Stage / Santa Monica, CA
November 7 / Helsinki Music Centre / Helsinki, Finland
November 8 / Stockholm Konserthuset / Stockholm, Sweden
November 9 / National Jazzscene / Oslo, Norway
November 12 / Heidelberg Stadthalle / Heidelberg, Germany
November 13 / Stadtcasino / Basel, Switzerland
November 14 / Palau de la Musica / Barcelona, Spain
November 15 / Sala Multiusos / Zaragoza, Spain
November 17 / Barbican Centre / London, England
November 22 / Corp of Massey Hall and Roy Thomson Hall / Ontario, Canada
November 24 / Symphony Hall / Boston, MA
Other Upcoming Terri Lyne Carrington Performances:
October 23 / Smith Center for the Performing Arts / Las Vegas, NV
January 24, 2014 / Carlsen Center / Overland Park, KS
February 8, 2014 / Kirkham Auditorium, BYU / Rexburg, ID
March 21, 2014 / Puerto Rico Heineken Jazz Festival / San Juan, Puerto Rico
March 29, 2014 / Brubeck Institute Jazz Quintet / Stockton, CA
May 2, 2014 / Chicago Symphony Hall / Chicago, IL
Looking ahead to 2014, Hebert-Carrington Media is turning its attention to three major recordings that have been long-planned: Carrington's next recording project is the Mosaic Project II follow up, the company's first Brazilian-themed multimedia project: Alma Brasileira - which it plans to release at the time of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, and the Password collaborative with Carrington, Chris Walker, Frank McComb and Dwight Sill.
 
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Posted: 15 Oct 2013 11:21 AM PDT
Blue Note Records has announced a November 26 release date for Thelonious Monk Paris 1969, a fascinating and important late-career document of the legendary jazz pianist and composer in performance with his Quartet at the Salle Pleyel concert hall in Paris, France on December 15, 1969. Beautifully captured on B&W film, the concert also featured a surprise guest appearance from renowned drummer Philly Joe Jones. Also included is a rare on-camera interview with Monk that was conducted by the French bassist Jacques Hess after the concert. Paris 1969 will be available in several formats including physical releases on CD/DVD, CD and vinyl, as well as a digital album and digital long-form video.
"The 1969 Paris concert captures the power and the undiminished beauty of Monk's music, reminding us that even as his body aged his musical imagination knew no limits," writes Monk scholar Robin Kelley in his liner notes essay. However, Kelley also illuminates what a peculiar and challenging moment 1969 was for the 52-year-old pianist. Monk hadn't achieved true success until the late-50s with his legendary run at the Five Spot Café in New York City with John Coltrane (a band that was brilliantly captured on the lost recording Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane at Carnegie Hall from 1957 which was discovered and released on Blue Note in 2005). By the early-60s Monk's success had peaked when he signed with Columbia Records and was eventually featured on the cover of TIME Magazine in 1964.
However, by 1969, in addition to health issues, Monk's success was beginning to wane with the emergence of rock and the resulting jazz fusion movement. His recording contract with Columbia had just come to end after an ill-advised attempt at marketing him to a younger rock audience. That disappointment was followed by the departure of drummer Ben Riley and bassist Larry Gales from his band which left Monk with two chairs to fill on short notice before his European tour.
Monk eventually found two young musicians – bassist Nate Hygelund and drummer Paris Wright – to fill out the Quartet with his longtime tenor saxophonist Charlie Rouse. Luckily the inexperienced rhythm section had some time to gel before hitting the stage in Paris with a lengthy engagement in London followed by stops in Germany and Italy. By the time they reached the Pleyel the band was in fine form, which made for a triumphant return for Monk to the very stage he had made his Parisian debut on in 1954 in front of a hostile audience who felt that Monk was too avant-garde. 15 years later the situation could not have been more different with an enthusiastic audience and the concert being broadcast on television.
In addition to rollicking Quartet versions of Monk classics such as "I Mean You," "Straight No Chaser," and "Blue Monk," the set also includes three stunning solo piano performances on "Don't Blame Me," "I Love You Sweetheart Of All My Dreams," and "Crepuscule With Nellie." However, an undeniable highlight of the concert was when the veteran drummer Philly Joe Jones who was an expat living in Paris at the time comes from backstage to borrow the sticks from the 17-year-old Wright, providing a palpable spark on Monk's "Nutty."
~ Blue Note Records
 
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Posted: 15 Oct 2013 11:14 AM PDT
"I love people from Brooklyn. Because they're real. Down to earth. They tell it like it is." So Barbra Streisand informs an adoring audience at the opening of her heralded hometown return at the brand new 19,000-seat, billion-dollar Barclays Center. Barbra Streisand: Back to Brooklyn airs on THIRTEEN's Great Performances Friday, November 29 at 9 p.m. on THIRTEEN's as part of the PBS Arts Fall Festival (check local listings).
Mixing her trademark classics with rarer older material and selections from her more recent albums, Streisand, in her first concert appearance in six years, and backed by a 60-piece orchestra led by William Ross, keeps the capacity house enthralled. In all, she sings 27 songs, nine of which she never before performed live, and three which she sings in different ways; that is, either with different arrangements or with newly composed lyrics.
Streisand masterfully holds the stage for two hours, joined by special guests Il Volo, trumpeter Chris Botti, and (making it a true family affair) son Jason Gould, who thrilled the audience singing solo and in a duet with his mother.
Elegantly gowned by Donna Karan, she plays to those in front, to the sides, and behind her. Some had flown halfway around the world to see this iconic and beloved performer in person. Utterly at ease, Streisand chats with the audience as casually as if they were in her living room.
The songs are framed by multi-faceted video montages of Streisand's childhood and early career. Her alma mater Erasmus High School, the Loews Kings Theatre, the Dodgers, her yeshiva, Brighton Beach and Brooklyn Heights all figure in her reminiscences. The superstar left her fourth-floor apartment at 3102 Newkirk Avenue (one of three residences at which she lived as a child) when she was 16 to pursue her acting career, and the rest is history. She joked that "the last time…(she) sang in Brooklyn was on a stoop on Pulaski Street."
Specially adapted lyrics to "As If We Never Said Goodbye" and "You're the Top" pay humorous homage to the borough.
Among the vocal highlights is a medley of Jule Styne show tunes. Styne wrote the music to Streisand's Broadway and Hollywood megahit "Funny Girl." In that medley, Streisand also gives us a tantalizing glimpse of what her Mama Rose might sound like if she proceeds with her hoped-for remake of Styne and Sondheim's "Gypsy."
Throughout the concert, she sings selections from every stage of her career, including "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered" (which she sang during her memorable appearance on "The Judy Garland Show" in 1963); "Enough is Enough (No More Tears)" (her disco hit with the late Donna Summer); "My Funny Valentine" (from her 1967 album "Simply Streisand"); and "The Way We Were" (in loving tribute to Marvin Hamlisch who unexpectedly passed away in August 2012).
And then there are songs from her more recent albums like "Nice 'N' Easy," "That Face," "Some Other Time," and "Here's to Life."
The concert also includes "Make Our Garden Grow" from Leonard Bernstein's "Candide," a song she recorded for an unreleased Broadway album in 1988. Here, she's backed by the Brooklyn Youth Chorus.
Her two nights in Brooklyn were followed by a national tour which included Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Chicago, Vancouver, Las Vegas, San Jose, and Los Angeles, continuing on to Europe in 2013, with stops in London, Amsterdam, Cologne, Berlin, and Tel Aviv, where she was greeted by more devoted crowds and critical accolades.
Critics all over the world were unanimous in praise of Streisand. Stephen Holden in The New York Times observed, "Like few singers of any age, she has the gift of conveying a primal human longing in a beautiful sound." Charles McNulty of The Los Angeles Times wrote that her performance provided "a chance to spend quality time with a legend and enjoy the sights and sounds of her alternate reality." And Bernard Perusse of The Montreal Gazette observed, "Streisand has always done it with elegance and a peerless voice. She is truly, it seems, the last of her kind."
The full musical program follows:
As If I Never Said Goodbye (with special lyrics)
Nice N Easy / That Face
The Way He Makes Me Feel*
Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered
Didn't We
Smile (with Il Volo)
Sam, You Made The Pants Too Long*
No More Tears (Enough is Enough)*
The Way We Were/Through The Eyes of Love
Being Good Isn't Good Enough*
"Gypsy" medley: Rose's Turn/Some People*
Don't Rain On My Parade
You're The Top (Brooklyn Version)
What'll I Do* / My Funny Valentine (with Chris Botti)
Lost Inside of You* (with Chris Botti)
Evergreen (with Chris Botti)
Nature Boy (Jason Gould)
How Deep Is the Ocean* (with Jason Gould)
People
Here's To Life
Make Our Garden Grow* (with Chris Botti, Il Volo, Jason Gould, & the Brooklyn Youth Chorus)
Somewhere
Some Other Time
Happy Days Are Here Again
*live performance premiere
Barbra Streisand: Back to Brooklyn will be available on CD and DVD from Columbia Records.
Directed for television by Scott Lochmus, the program is produced by Lochmus and Eileen Bernstein, with Barbra Streisand and Marty Erlichman as executive producers. The concert performance is directed by Barbra Streisand and Richard Jay-Alexander, and written by Barbra Streisand, Jay Landers, Richard Jay-Alexander and Jeffrey Richman. William Ross is music director.
 
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Posted: 15 Oct 2013 11:03 AM PDT
JORGE LOPEZ RUIZ - CUARTETO
Beautiful recent work from this legendary Argentine bassist – heard here in the company of a quartet of young players who really know how to follow his lead! Half the tracks are originals, and half are jazz standards – but all are given a very fresh spin by the bass of Lopez – which leads the tracks in a really bold way, often from the ground up – kind of a bubble and flow that's as melodic as it is rhythmic, and which really opens up a space for the sax and flute of Jorge Cutello and guitar of Tomas Fraga. Titles include "Retrao Em Branco E Preto", "Careful", "Exactly Like You", "Pablo", "Seven Come Eleven", and "A Marieta". ~ Dusty Groove .
BOBBY POWELL - THERE IS SOMETHING IN A MAN: THE BEST OF BOBBY POWELL
Tremendous work from Bobby Powell – a Louisiana soul singer from the 60s, but one with a groove that's got all the grit and funk of the Memphis scene at the time! Bobby packed a punch to his music that was a bit different than some of his contemporaries – a slight echo of earlier R&B, but focused towards a tighter 60s soul style too – one that really took off on the wonderful singles in this collection, which have an appeal that got Bobby plenty of play on both sides of the Mason-Dixon line! The set features a whopping 24 tracks in all – a wealth of singles cut for the tiny Whit label – brought together here with some mighty nice sound. Titles include "Hold My Hand", "It's Getting Late In The Evening", "There Is Something In A Man", "Question", "Into My Own Thing", "I'm Not Going To Cry Over Spilled Milk", "I'm Gonna Leave You", "Have A Good Time", "CC Rider", and "Stay In The Bed". ~ Dusty Groove
BOARDWALK - BOARDWALK
Summer of 2012 Boardwalk duo Mike Edge and Amber Quintero were introduced by mutual friends in Los Angeles. Although both were involved in different musical projects (Mike contributing his musical and production know-how, Amber contributing her vocal ability), an undeniable creative chemistry made itself present between the two within a short time of introduction. This chemistry sparked a curiosity that could only be satiated by a collaboration of minds. The creative compatibility test came one day on an impromptu road trip. The elements involved were basic yet obligatory: a guy, a girl, a car, the open road. The end result was 'I'm Not Myself,' their first song written together. The title itself is indicative of Mike and Amber's altered state of being after that ride. The road trip was over, but the journey was only beginning. Focused on creating a sound that was their own, Mike sourced and built the gear that was requisite in capturing the essence of their sound. Their exploration of tracking analog sounds and vocal melodies over dreamy instrumental layers continued until an album of songs was complete. The needle makes contact with the record, and so continues Boardwalk's journey, their self-titled album released by the legendary independent music label Stones Throw Records. ~ www.stonesthrow.com
 
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Posted: 15 Oct 2013 10:59 AM PDT
FINK & THE ROYAL CONCERTGEBOUW ORCHESTRA - RCO: LIVE IN CONCERT
Some of the coolest, most complex work we've ever heard from Fink – a set that takes the trio way past their usual Ninja Tune territory – thanks to the addition of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra! The core trio serve up spare instrumentation that's dramatically augmented by the RCO – not in ways that are the usual orchestral style, but sort of shaded in with fuller colors and tones – creating a moody feel that definitely makes the record the group's most expressive so far! The vocals are especially nice in this setting – especially when the orchestra is offering some strikingly avant counterpoint – and the whole thing comes packaged in an amazing book-like package, with lots of notes and photos on the project. Titles include "Berlin Sunrise", "The Infernal Machine", "Wheels", "This Is The Thing", and "Sort Of Revolution". ~ Dusty Groove.
STAHL'S TRIO - JAG SKULLE BARA GA UT
Amazing vibes from Mattias Stahl and his trio – easily one of the most inventive players on his instrument in recent years – ringing out here with a sense of tone and timing that's simply superb! There's a modern edge to all these tracks that takes us back to Teddy Charles' vibes experiments of the 50s – and maybe a bit to early Walt Dickerson, too – and like the latter, Stahl has key rhythm players that really help him shape the sounds on the set – Joe Williamson on bass and Christopher Cantillo on drums – both of whom add a strong pulse that lets the vibes really take off on their own. Titles include a version of Sun Ra's "Satellites Are Spinning" – plus the tracks "Did You Give The World Some Love Today Baby", "Formaldehyde", "The Siamese Twin", "I Was Only Going Out", and "The Mooche".~ Dusty Groove
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ROSCOE MITCHELL / TONY MARSH / JOHN EDWARDS - IMPROVISATIONS
Beautifully-blown work from Roscoe Mitchell – some of the loosest sides we've heard from him in years – and some of the most striking, too! The tracks are all long improvisations done with drummer Tony Marsh and bassist John Edwards – but they've got a really respectful approach that has Mitchell's reed lines very much out front in the mix – this bold sax and flute voice that's holding incredibly strong after all these years – freed from some of the more academic modes that have kept Roscoe a bit muted on other recordings, with the rich, organic quality we loved so much in his earliest years with the AACM. 2LP set spins at 45rpm, for really great fidelity – and vinyl is nice and heavy! ~ Dusty Groove
 
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Posted: 15 Oct 2013 10:53 AM PDT
OMAR FEATURING. CARON WHEELER - TREAT YOU
Omar continues his magnificent re-emergence to the forefront of contemporary soul on this new single - from his recent new album The Man - with Treat You, as he generously features another legend of similar pedigree in Soul II Soul's Caron Wheeler.
In this story of a somewhat troubled love affair, the infectious groove rolls on whilst Omar and Caron take turns to air their voices; the bitter sweet subject matter is reflected in minor key and mellow synthesiser sounds. How these two legendary voices blend into something quite amazing isn't something that can easily be described in words - but it can be said that this duet between such fine and unique talents is a rare and beautiful thing. Ordinary Day is where the sound heads south of the equator as Omar stamps his trademark voice and production all over this happening salsa rhythm. The uptempo, sun drenched feel is augmented by huge sounding horns, a storm of blistering, latin percussion and one of Omar's best vocal performances ever. Opolopo, renowned remixer and producer is the man who put his stamp on the recent big club version of Gregory Porter's 1960 What? and his exclusive remix of Treat You for this single is utter class, putting the emphasis on the contemporary dance floor tip without losing any of the original's soul or integrity. One of Omar's favourite remixes of his new material, Opolopo shows us why he is the man of the moment when it comes to bringing a fresh perspective to the great voices of modern soul and jazz. Finally, long time Omar collaborator/co-producer Scratch Professer, puts his totally individual and quirky touch on Treat You, rounding off this essential 12 inch single and download.
HARLEIGHBLU - FORGET ME NOT
Tremendous soul from Harleighblu – a young UK singer we bet we'll be hearing plenty from in years to come! Harleighblu really represents the strongest side of the UK soul scene – bursting forth with a mix of classic and contemporary modes that make her way more than just another deep funk vocalist – and instead show a sense of power and poise that really blows us away – an approach that's fresh, but which feels very familiar too – kind of that blend of modern and deep soul we first heard in Amy Winehouse. There's a hell of a lot of personality on the record – more than enough to really send these songs home strongly, even without the great tight production of the rhythms – and titles include "Casanova", "Enough Now", "I Believe", "Play Me", "Who's That Girl", "Love Of My Life", "Sittin' By The Window", and "Love Like This". ~ Dusty Groove
YELLOWTAIL FEATURING LA NOTE - SWEET THING
'Street Thing' is a jazz-tinged roughneck soul number - by Yellowtail featuring La Note (of Electric Conversation). Yellowtail teams up with La Note from Electric Conversation to deliver 'Street Thing,' a jazz-tinged roughneck soul number. Dirty rhodes, bubblin bassline, straight-up hip-hop riddim, combined with La Note's sultry vocals make this a track a headnodder's delight. The release also includes 'Platinum Jackson,' a breezy, jazzy downtempo number and 'Sleazy Like Sunday Morning,' a laid back downbeat joint with a healthy dose of sleaze. Includes: Street Thing [feat. La Note] (Original); Platinum Jackson; Sleazy Like Sunday Morning; and Street Thing (Original Inst.)
 
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Posted: 15 Oct 2013 10:48 AM PDT
RICHARD TEE - STROKIN' / NATURAL INGREDIENTS
A pair of gems from keyboardist Richard Tee – back to back on a single CD! Strokin is filled with sweet electric keys from the great Richard Tee – and was originally issued on Bob James' classic Tappan Zee imprint! Tee was one of the 70s best studio keyboard players – and his talents showed up on plenty of great Atlantic soul albums, and a fair number of jazz-related dates. This album, one of his few on his own, features Tee out front, soloing keyboards, in very much a Bob James kind of way. The set's perhaps a bit disco/R&B, more so than some of James' own work at the time – but it's still got a nice jazz component, and features work by Eric Gale on guitar, Tom Scott on saxes, and the great Steve Gadd on drums. Titles include "Virginia Sunday", "First Love", "Strokin", "Jesus Children Of America", and "I Wanted It Too". Natural Ingredients is a bit more electric than you might guess from the "natural" in the title – but a great set of keyboards from the mighty Richard Tee – one of his few albums as a leader back in the day! The set's produced by Bob James, and has a groove that's not unlike some of James' own smoother fusion from the end of the 70s – a style that still has a fair bit of jazz in the mix, but which also shines with some warmer R&B touches as well. Players on the set include Tom Scott on saxes, Eric Gale on guitar, and Steve Gadd on drums – and some of the best numbers have a nicely stripped-down approach. Titles include "The Nut's Off The Screw", "Now", "Tell It Like It Is", and "Us". ~ Dusty Groove
DR. LONNIE SMITH OCTET - IN THE BEGINNING VOLUMES 1 & 2
Lonnie Smith revisits some of the key songs of his early yers – but does them here in the company of a cool octet – so that the results often come out sounding a heck of a lot different than the originals! Lonnie was a hell of a player right at the start, but in recent years he's developed a depth that we never would have expected – a sense of tone and color, phrasing and phasing, that really pushes him into a whole new level. The work of the larger group here illustrates that quality wonderfully – as the added trumpet, alto, flute, and tenor help give the music a sophisticated edge while still never losing the groove that's always made Smith so great. The Hammond lines are completely sublime – and the set features long versions of "Aw Shucks", "Move Your Hand", "In The Beginning", "Turning Point"," Mama Wailer/Hola Muneca", "Keep Talkin", "Slouchin", "Track Nine", and "Psychedelic Pi".~ Dusty Groove
GLENN LEWIS - MOMENT OF TRUTH
Glenn Lewis in all his glory – stepping out in a sweet set of slightly electrified tracks that remind us why he's been one of the best voices in mainstream soul over the past decade or so! Glenn's got a way of reaching out with expressiveness without ever going too crossover commercial – and the production has that excellent crackle that always seems to make Lewis' vocals percolate slightly – but always without the too-smooth or too-modified way of so many other singers on the charts. The songwriting's often nice and basic, and relatively personal too – and titles include "Random Thoughts", "Time Soon Come", "I Wanna Go Deep", "Make Luv", "All I See Is You", "Searching For That One", and "Up & Down". ~ Dusty Groove
 
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Posted: 15 Oct 2013 10:44 AM PDT
SADAO WATANABE - OUTRA VEZ
One of our favorite sides of music from Sadao Watanabe – his ongoing love of Brazilian jazz and the bossa nova format – served up here in a sweet small group set that's got all the sparkle and charm of his vintage bossa albums of the 60s! Watanabe's alto has this wonderfully feeling sort of quality – sharp edges that evoke just the right sort of tristesse to make the tunes work just right – all original numbers penned by Sadao, and cuts that go way past the usual bossa standards! The group's got a gentle rhythm approach, but swings strongly in a straight jazz style too – with a lineup that includes Fabio Torres on piano and Swami Jr on guitar – plus mighty nice bass and percussion. Fabiana Cozza sings a bit on the record, but the set's mostly instrumental – and titles include "Cabo Verde Amor", "Pelourinho", "Outra Vez", "Color Of Spring", "Reqiuem Of Love", and "Simpatico". ~ Dusty Groove
BOB JAMES - ALONE: KALEIDESCOPE BY SOLO PIANO
A side of Bob James that we maybe never knew existed – a solo piano mode, but spun out here with all the fluid sensibility we love from Bob's Fender Rhodes days! The acoustic keys are filled with warmth and tone – and the playing here definitely shares James' traditional love of space between the notes – especially the left hand lines, which wash out gently while Bob pushes a more complex agenda with his right! The "kaleidoscope" in the title is very well-put – as the album shifts in these surprising and cyclical ways throughout – waves of pianistic brilliance that never let up throughout. Titles include "Restoration", "Karensansui", "Wild Stallion", "Never Let Me Go", "Garbo Redux", "Put Our Hearts Together", and "Scarborough Fair". ~ Dusty Groove
SOULFUL ORCHESTRA - A MOOD SO
A group that really lives up to its title – and one with a sound that's proudly in the mode of the best Northern Soul of the 60s! The backings are full, and done in a style that's strongly inspired by Detroit soul of the Motown years – a bit rougher and more funky overall, given the indie level of production – and a nice change from some of the more 70s-oriented combos on the market! Maya Giglio sings leads on most tracks – with a quality that's nicely gritty at most points, and mostly in English – except for a few very cool numbers that feature lyrics in Italian. A few tunes have slight contemporary touches, but the overall sound is pretty 60s all the way through – and tracks include "Don't Freeze On Me", "Occapella", "I'm Mad At You", "Questo Mondo Non Mi Va", "Secret Love", and "Bring It On Home To Me". ~ Dusty Groove
 
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