Wednesday, October 31, 2012

HENRI-PIERRE NOEL - PIANO

On moving to Canada from his original home of Haiti, pianist and singer/songwriter Henri-Pierre Noel brought with him much of the tropical island's influences. The 'Kompa Funk' sounds of his homeland, alongside contemporary North American jazz and disco, run throughout both of Henri's albums recorded in the late 1970s; Piano and One More Step. Both were released on very limited private presses and have since become holy grails of the black music scene.
Henri-Pierre Noel is an incredibly versatile musician who uses the piano in a very percussive and syncopated way, almost like a drum. This particular technique naturally brings disco and afro-funk elements into his unique brand of dance floor fusion.

The man himself is still playing in his adopted home of Montreal today, and having been introduced to Wah Wah 45s label boss Dom Servini by Canadian DJs Kobal, Moonstarr and Andy Williams, who were all keen fans of his early works, it became clear that Noel's finest moments needed to be re-released and re-discovered by a new generation.

Re-mastered from the original multi-track tapes by Kevin Moonstarr in Canada, and featuring a previously unreleased vocal version of album favourite Merci Bon Dieu, Henri-Pierre Noel's debut, Piano, is finally available to all on heavyweight vinyl, CD and digital formats - including full sleeve notes translated into both French and English.

NEW RELEASES - KARRIEM RIGGINS, KYLIE AULDIST, MALA

KARRIEM RIGGINS - ALONE TOGETHER

The Alone Together project from producer, beatmaker and instrumentalist Karriem Riggins – who's a brilliant jazz drummer, when that's what he wants to do – and he's also a beat-heavy hip hop production guru when duty calls! Alone Together finds Karriem wearing his hip hop instrumentalist hat, and he wears it very well – in a way that reminds us a bit of fellow Detroit-raised maestro J Dilla. Karriem's pedigree as a live drummer informs his MPC 3000 experimentation very nicely, too – as he holds an insistent jazzy soul beat underneath boundless sampler atmosphere. Alone Together has 34 tracks in all: "Round The Outside", "Moogy Foog It", "Orbiiz", "Forward Motion", "Esperanza", "Africa", "Double Trouble", "Ding Dong Bells", "Belle Isle Reprise", "Tom Toms", "Because", "Boy Is Doin It Right", "Back In Brazil", "Live At Berts", "Voyager 5000", "Matador", "Bring That Beat Back (Next Time)", "J Dilla The Greatest" and more. ~ Dusty Groove

KYLIE AULDIST - STILL LIFE

Soaring, soulful sounds from Kylie Auldist – maybe the best so far from this up-and-coming singer! The vocalist gets superb help from Lance Ferguson, of The Bamboos – and together, they both explore a mode that's more swinging 60s mod than some of Lance's usual funk – an upbeat, joyous groove that's some of the best female blue-eyed soul we've heard in years! Instrumentation is filled with great grooves and lots of bouncy brass – and titles include "Still Life", "Counting On You", "Changes", "Daydream", "Nothin Else To Beat Me", and "All In You". ~ Dusty Groove



MALA - MALA IN CUBA

A great little project that's very much in the same spirit as the Havana Cultura project on Brownswood – a set that features British producer Mala working with a host of contemporary Cuban musicians – all in a groove that takes their roots, and pushes them very firmly towards the future! Mala's not shy about his input here – and really works a lot of electronics and production techniques throughout the set – taking the core acoustic sounds, and moves them into some of the more 21st Century modes that you'd hear from other artists on Brownswood! Things get somewhat abstract at times, yet still have plenty of soul – and titles include "Ghost", "Curfew", "The Tourist", "Change", "Noches Suenos", "The Tunnel", "Mulata", and "Tribal". ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES - JEFFREY OSBORNE & CHAKA KHAN, SILVANA KANE, BROWNSWOOD ELECTRIC VOLUME 3

JEFFREY OSBORNE & CHAKA KHAN - BABY IT'S COLD OUTSIDE

I have to admit to having a certain seasonal weakness for the timeless ‘Baby, It's Cold Outside’ that despite being written in 1944 carries with it a festive charm which never gets old. Up until now my favorite version has always been that recorded by James Taylor in collaboration with Natalie Cole and hidden away on Taylor’s little known CD ‘A Christmas Album’ which was only ever available from Hallmark stores. However, right up there with it is a brand new and very different interpretation by soul icons Jeffrey Osborne and Chaka Khan. In fact it is the first single from Osborne’s upcoming project ‘A Time For Love’ and is sure to be a sumptuous stocking filler for the holiday season. Produced by George Duke, and due for release in February 2013, ‘A Time For Love’ is a collection of American standards spanning the four decades from the 40's to the 70's. With featured guest performances from Paul Jackson Jr., Christian McBride and John Roberts ‘A Time For Love’ will certainly be one to watch. ~ smoothjazztherapy.com

SILVANA KANE - LA JARDINERA

The musical journey of Silvana Kane has led the Vancouver-based singer on an intriguing global voyage through classical training and an industry-created girl band to improvisational club jams and freedom-songs-turned-lullabies. Vocalist for Six Degrees Records artist Pacifika, Kane’s debut solo album, La Jardinera, is her most personal and stunning effort to date. Comprised predominantly of Latin American cover songs by her favorite singers and composers—including Chabuca Granda, Mercedes Sosa and Violeta Parra—Kane has transformed songs of revolt and love into an exquisite collection of stunning ballads. Release date is November 13. ~ Six Degrees


BROWNSWOOD ELECTRIC VOLUME 3 PRESENTED BY GILLES PETERSON (VARIOUS ARTISTS)

The third in the surprisingly strong Brownswood Electric series – in which Gilles Peterson carefully peruses the leftfield electronic underground and puts together some of best, brightest and most worthy of discovery! We love both the eclecticism and the overall uniqueness of each track here. Gilles not only has excellent taste in modern sounds, but he has a great ear for odder, genre-defying material that avoid temporary trendiness. It's got some dancefloor ready neo-house, tripped out hip hop indebted instros, spacey keyboard textured tunes and more. Includes "Makin' Magic" by Krampfhaft, "Tiny Concrete Block" by Kidsuke, "Nothing" by Lost Twin, "Tride & Tride" by Anushka, "Girl" by Aftawerks, "Bootney Farnsworth" by Metabeats, "Hot Rain" by Pomrad, "Kick It VIP" by Frank Rodasm, "Never Been (Electr*c VIP" by Dub Phixion feat Fox and more. ~ Dusty Groove

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

NEW RELEASES - MENAHAN STREET BAND, LEE PERRY, THE J.O.B. BLUES STORY

MENAHAN STREET BAND- CROSSING

Sublime work from one of the coolest funky combos around – a group who aren't content to just hit the same funky styles as other outfits – and one who really stretch strongly in their pursuit of new sounds! The set's definitely funky – especially on the drums – but there's also this amazing interplay between the horns, weird sounds from the organ, and cool extra touches on auto harp and ukulele – which gives the music these exotic elements that are simply mindblowing! The set's a stone smoker from the start – instrumental, but in ways that let the Menahan Street Band open up way more than when working with a singer – showing us that they've got some of the freshest ideas in the contemporary funky underground. Titles include "The Crossing", "Sleight Of Hand", "Three Faces", "Keep Coming Back", "Seven Is The Wind", "Driftwood", and "Ivory & Blue". ~ Dusty Groove

LEE PERRY & OTHERS - THE SOUND DOCTOR: LEE PERRY AND THE SUFFERERS' BLACK ARK SINGLES & DUB PLATES 1972 - 1978

A stellar set of surviving 70s Black Ark productions by Lee Perry – with rare and unreleased sides and pivotal if long-buried sides by Junior Byles, U Roy, Delroy Butler, Tinga Stewart, The Upsetters, The Flames, The Ethiopians, Jah T and more – Perry-produced gems for Kingston's cultural rebels and sufferers! The Sound Doctor compilation is really an essential, perfectly-collected batch on Pressure Sounds – the UK label that once again proves to be among the finest and most respectful of Sound Doctor devotees. Among the exceptional rarities are the unreleased "Army Of Love" by Junior Byles, an exclusive dub plate mix of the Upsetters "Horny Train", the raw original mix of U Roy's "006" and many more – stirringly soulful Black Ark singles and dub versions including "Sound Doctor" by Bobby Floyd, "Do Good" by Al Maytone", "Different Experience" by Brother Ray", "Smiling Faces" by Tinga Stewart, "It’s Impossible" by The Ethiopians, "Grandfather Land" by Jah T, "King Of Kings" by Pat Francis, "Be Prepared" by Keith Poppin, "Key Card" by Lee & Jimmy, "Start Over" by The Gatherers and more. ~ Dusty Groove

THE J.O.B. BLUES STORY - VARIOUS ARTISTS

Postwar blues from Chicago – a great double-length collection of rare material from JOB Records – a Windy City imprint that was much smaller than Vee Jay, Chess, and Mercury – and who only ever issued most of this material as 78 rpm singles! The JOB sound is definitely rough and raw – still showing the strong influence of electric guitar's introduction to northern blues, yet putting the music forward with a stripped-down sound that's really timeless – and which often emphasizes piano as much as guitar. No surprise, there's some great keyboardists on the set – working in a really dark-edged style – as you'll hear on the 36 track set of tunes that includes "Evening Sun" by Johnny Shines, "Drinking Woman" by John Brim & His Trio, "My Head Can't Rest Anymore" by Baby Face Leroy Foster, "Down Home Child" by Sunnyland Slim, "Boogy Fool" by Snooky Pryor, "Dark Road" by Floyd Jones, "Five Long Years" by Eddie Boyd, "How Much More" by JB Lenoir, and "Rough Treatment" by Little Hudson & His Red Devil Trio. ~ Dusty Groove

TITO PUENTE - QUATRO: THE DEFINITIVE COLLECTION: CUBAN CARNIVAL / NIGHT BEAT / BEAT MANIA / REVOLVING BANDSTAND / TITO PUENTE QUATRO BONUS EDITION

A smoking set of work from Tito Puente – four classic albums, wrapped together in a single package – with a bonus album of rare material too! First up is Cuban Carnival – one of Tito Puente's finest albums for RCA, with a tight hard bunch of cuts that have a Cuban big band sound, and a lot more drive to them than some of Tito's other work for the label. Ray Bryant wrote the great track "Cuban Fantasy", and Tito contributed most of the other tunes on the set – a really unique batch of material that includes "Yambeque", "Elegua Chango", "Que Sera", and "Cha Cha De Pollos". The percussion is nice and hard, and the band grooves in tight ensemble playing throughout!

Night Beat is a really jazzy effort that was cut with a top-shelf list of players! The groove's a bit different than some of Tito's other work – but in a good way, and one that has him stretching past straight Latin to mix in a heavy dose of jazz – really getting the most of players who include Eddie Bert on trombone, Gene Quill on saxes, Bernie Glow on trumpet, and Barry Galbraith on guitar. The rhythms are key – and in addition to drums from Jimmy Cobb, the album also features Mongo Santamaria on congas and Willy Correa on bongos – not to mention more percussion from Tito himself!

Dance Mania is a burner of a set from Tito Puente – very well titled to suit the energy of the session! The tracks are all highly rhythmic numbers – short, but filled with jazzy horn flourishes and the kind of snapping rhythms that made the Puente group one of the biggest crossover favorites of the 50s. Tunes nicely mix up vocals with some more pronounced jazz soloing – getting a heck of a lot into a relatively small space, and really keeping up the energy of the record overall.

Revolving Bandstand is a joint project from Tito Puente and Buddy Morrow – both leaders who recorded some great work for the label in the 50s, sounding great here in a unique variation on their classic sounds! The album has both Morrow and Puente playing back to back – creating a "revolving bandstand" that has both groups playing the same tunes at the same time – a very odd approach, but one that comes off well here – mixing Tito's Latin and Buddy's swing nicely, without too much confusion in the instrumentation. There's some great vibes on a few tracks!

Last up is Tito Puente Quatro Bonus Edition – a set that features 13 rare tracks, with singles, outtakes, and more – including "La Virgen De La Macarena", "Moonlight In Vermont", "The Continental (alt take)", "Blue Moon (alt)", "Ran Kan Kan", "Timbal Y Bongo", and many outtakes of "Pa Los Rumberos"! All LPs on 180 gram vinyl – with liner notes too! ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES - MACY GRAY, AVISHAI COHEN, BUKKY LEO & BLACK EGYPT

MACY GRAY - TALKING BOOK

A pretty brave batch of covers from Macy Gray – one that covers an entire album from beginning-to-end – and not just any album, either: Steve Wonder's immortal Talking Book! It actually works really well. No one up to and including Macy Gray herself would try to tell you that Talking Book needed to be updated – and to the well-earned credit of Macy, producer Hal Wilner and producer/keyboard wiz Zoux,, they manage to freshly adapt each cut in a respectful way – while tailoring each one nicely to Macy's distinct voice and style. It rolls from spacey, keyboards and bass flavored backdrops, to some with acoustic strings and percussion – and track-by-track, it works really well! Talking Book from start-to-finish: "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life", "Mayben Your Baby", "You And I (We Can Conquer The World)", "Tuesday Heartbreak", "You've Got It Bad Girl", "Superstition", "Big Brother", "Blame It On The Sun", "Lookin' For Another Pure Love" and "I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever)". ~ Dusty Groove

AVISHAI COHEN -TRIVENI II

Amazing work from trumpeter Avishai Cohen – working here with his Triveni trio, and sounding even more powerful than on the first release from that group! The combo features incredible bass from Omer Avital – a player we've really come to love in recent years – and rocketing drums from Nasheet Waits – working with Cohen's trumpet in this power-trio mode that's usually reserved for tenorists in this type of setting – but which really helps open up Avishai's music in a wonderful way! The quick-time improvisation of the trio is brilliant – proof that these guys really feel each other strongly – and things are free, yet never too outside – a beautiful balance from all players. Titles include "BR Story", "Safety Land", "Get Blue", "Portrait", "Art Deco", "Music News", and "Nov 30th". ~ Dusty Groove

BUKKY LEO & BLACK EGYPT

No anarchy here – as the groove is bold and tight, and right on the money – making for maybe the greatest album so far from the legendary Bukky Leo! The reedman's been working in London for decades, yet has only gotten his due in recent years – turning out a pan-global blend of spiritual jazz, Afro Funk, and possibly a bit of Caribbean groove too – all wrapped together in a style that really shows off Bukky's long legacy in music! The overall production and execution of this album is even greater than previous recent releases – helping give Bukky that tight focus we first heard many years back – and which really helps keep a strong spark to the groove throughout this entire album. Bukky wrote and arranged the entire set – and titles include "Afrobeat Jam", "Hard Times", "Fella Fella", "Rhythemic", "Mansa Dialema", "Jahfrobeat", "Skeleton", "Time Scale", and "Anarchy". CD also features bonus saxophone versions of "Hard Times" and "Time Scale" – plus "Skeleton (Gilles Peterson beach mix)" and "Skeleton (Gilles Peterson winter dub)". ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES - THE JAZZ CONVENTION, LUCA MANNUTZA SOUND SIX, LORENZO TUCCI

THE JAZZ CONVENTION - SOUND BRIEFING

The long-awaited return of The Jazz Convention – a group we first grew to love for a late 90s release on Schema Records – finally back here with a set that's an equally great cooker! As before, there's a strong 60s vibe to the music – heavy soul jazz and modal elements – in a blend that's somewhere between vintage Blue Note, and some of the more grooving music of the European scene. The front hornline is wonderful – Fabrizio Bosso on trumpet and Gaetano Partipilo on alto – working with spectacular rhythms from the trio of Claudio Filippini on piano, Giuseppe Bassi on bass, and Fabio Accardi on drums. Bosso's trumpet is especially great – as soulful and sparkling as ever – and titles include "Yes I Can No You Can't", "Hozic", "Silly Toy", "In Volo", "Endless Dream", and "Silversonic". ~ Dusty Groove

LUCA MANNUTZA SOUND SIX - MY MUSIC

Maybe the greatest album so far from this ultra-hip group – a sweet Italian combo with a strong ear for the best side of jazz in the 60s! The album's a cracker right from the start – full of life and soul, and delivered with the sort of depth we'd usually just expect from a vintage album – yet all in ways that are hardly a copycat of older Blue Note or Prestige – and really still a very fresh statement from this crack ensemble of Italian players! Pianist Luca Mannutza heads up the group – but it's definitely an equally-weighted outfit – with incredible horn work from Max Ionata on tenor, Paolo Recchia on alto, and Francesco Lento on trumpet and flugelhorn. Titles are almost all originals by Mannutza – who's a hell of a writer – and tunes include "Evan's Even", "Libero", "Nel Mare", "Shades Of Gira", "Cosi Com Sei", and "Two Friends". ~ Dusty Groove

LORENZO TUCCI - SWEET REVELATION

One of the hardest-hitting albums we've ever heard from Italian drummer Lorenzo Tucci – a set that's got some especially smoking tenor from Daniele Scannapieco of the High Five Quintet! Daniele's sound is proud and bold right from the start – working with a soulful, 60s sort of energy as he carves out these massive lines on tenor that really take hold of a tune, and give it an even greater sense of feeling and form! Tucci's drums are great too – recorded with a sharper sound than before, to provide a great illustration of his key power for moving a group – in this case a quartet that also features piano from Pietro Lussu and bass from Dario Rosciglione. The set features great versions of the Wayne Shorter tunes "Adam's Apple" and "Fee Fi Fo Fum" – plus the cuts "Sweet Revelation", "Dede's Song", "Ghost", "In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning", and "Tita's Song". ~ Dusty Groove

Monday, October 29, 2012

NEW RELEASES - GAP BAND, BILLY PAUL, BUNNY SIGLER

GAP BAND - GAP BAND VI

A tight groover from The Gap Band – already past the "V" in their classic run of 80s albums, and still very might at the top of their game! The core trio work here with sweet production from Lonnie Simmons – a pairing that continues to set the group up above most of their competition, and give them a groove that goes way past the obvious. Mellow cuts stand out as strongly as upbeat ones – and if anything, the mellow groovers are the best! Titles include "The Sun Don't Shine Everyday", "Weak Spot", "Video Junkie", "Beep A Freak", "Don't You Leave Me", "Disrespect", "I Believe", and "I Found My Baby". CD features bonus tracks – "Beep A Freak (12" long version)", "I Found My Baby (12" club/dance mix)", "Disrespect (12" club mix)", "Beep A Freak (12" special dance mix)", and "I Found My Baby (12" rmx with breakdown)". ~ Dusty Groove

BILLY PAUL - WAR OF THE GODS

A stone treasure from one of the greatest soul singers of the 70s – and a set you'll regularly find in the coolest of record collections from back in the day! Billy Paul was always one of the hippest talents on Philly International – mixing together soul and jazz influences with a deeper sense of spirituality, and long experience as a sophisticated vocalist. This album's one of his most sublime efforts – kind of a quasi-spiritual record with a similar high-concept approach to some of Marvin Gaye's work from the same time – really righteous, in ways that the Philly label didn't always hit – and which really goes past even most of Billy's already hip previous efforts. Gamble and Huff produced and wrote most of the record – including the two long tracks that make up side one, "I See The Light" and "War Of The Gods", the latter of which starts out slow and moody, then breaks out into a club groove. Other titles include the more standard soul tune "The Whole Town's Talking", plus "Thanks For Saving My Life" and "Peace Holy Peace". CD features bonus tracks – "War Of The Gods (part 1)", "The Whole Town's Talking (single)", and "I Was Married (single)." ~ Dusty Groove

BUNNY SIGLER - HOW LONG I'LL BE LOVING YOU

Great work by Bunny Sigler – and a perfect bridge between his earlier Philly soul from the late 60s, and his later disco from the end of the 70s! Bunny's in perfect form vocally – and the record is a super-strong batch of tracks that deserves to be well up there in the Gamble/Huff cannon – oft-overlooked for some odd reason, but prime 70s Philly all the way through – and quite different than some of Sigler's later material! The songwriting's great – loads of compelling original cuts – and arrangements are by Bunny, Ronnie Baker, and Norman Harris – ensuring a top-shelf Sigma sound all the way through! Titles include "I Lied", "Picture Us", "Things Are Gonna Get Better", "Your Love Is Good", and a different take on "Love Train". CD features 2 bonus tracks – "Love Train (part 1)", and "I Lied (single version)". ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES - WELDON IRVINE, ERNEST DAWKINS, THE BAR-KAYS

WELDON IRVINE - WELDON & THE KATS
Rare work from Weldon Irvine – a selection of tracks recorded as private studio outings, reissued briefly by Luv N Haight in the early 90s, and then only on vinyl! The style here is much more jazz-based than some of Irvine's soul recordings – a mode that's often all instrumental, and which features Weldon playing more acoustic piano than on his 70s fusion classics – but usually mixed in with sweet electric elements, too – which creates this wonderfully righteous balance in the music! The whole thing's very soulful, with plenty of undercurrents of the RCA years – and guest players include Steve Grossman on tenor, Marcus Miller on bass, Tom Browne on trumpet, and Bobby Broom on guitar – the latter 3 of which all worked with Weldon at GRP, making us guess that some of these 80s sides were intended for release on that label. Titles include "Kundabuffer", "Music Is The Key", "Mr PC", "We Can Try Again", and "Blues For Spike". CD features a huge amount of bonus tracks – including "Blue In Green", "Heard It All Before", "It's Funky", "Shopping", "The Sisters", "Think I'll Stay A While", and "Misty Dawn" – all only ever on the Sisters album, making their first appearance here on vinyl.  ~ Dusty Groove
ERNEST DAWKINS - AFRO STRAIGHT
One of the greatest albums we've heard from Ernest Dawkins in years – and one of the straightest, too! The set's got a hardbop fury we've not always heard from Dawkins – a tight, soulful energy that's spun out beautifully by the local group in the set – a lineup that includes Ernest on alto and tenor, Corey Wilkes on trumpet, Willerm Delisfort on piano, Junius Paul on bass, and Isaiah Spender on drums. Other tracks add in bits of percussion, and Hammond on one tune – and while the music still has all the sharp edges you'd know from Dawkins' time in the AACM, the overall execution feels more like a killer Blue Note or Prestige date from the 60s – particularly in the interplay between trumpet and sax. Titles include "Afro Straight", "United", "Central Park West", "Footprints", "Old Man Blues", and "Juju". ~ Dusty Groove
THE BAR-KAYS - GROWN FOLKS
The Bar-Kays are back in business – with a sweet EP's worth of cuts that show that the group definitely haven't lost their touch! The sound's a lot more contemporary than before, yet still deeply rooted in older traditions too – especially the 80s elements of the group's later years, which seem to be a perfect fit for the modern southern production used on the set – lots of keyboards and vocal processing at points, with almost a g-funk touch that's mighty nice! George Clinton guests on one track – and titles include "Grown Folks", "Return Of The Mack", "What Goes N-Da Club", "Return Of The Mack (remixx)", and "Anticipation (live)". ~ Dusty Groove

Friday, October 26, 2012

NEW RELEASES - JOHNNY MATHIS, GENE HARRIS, BOBBI HUMPHREY

JOHNNY MATHIS - SO NICE / JOHNNY MATHIS SINGS

The last two albums Johnny Mathis made for Mercury, and the last of five Mercury album pairings released by Real Gone Music, So Nice & Sings marked the singer’s continued evolution towards the “cover” album format where he would sing the pop, stage and screen hits of the day instead of creating themed albums. For example, the centerpiece of So Nice (which hit #50 on the 1966 charts) was a three-song set from the then current Broadway smash Man of La Mancha. And Johnny Mathis Sings—which reached #103 on the 1967 album charts-- took its material from such disparate sources as the songwriting team of Burt Bacharach and Hal David (“Always Something There to Remind Me”), smash ‘60s films like Doctor Zhivago and High Time, the Broadway musical The Roar of the Greasepaint and the Beatles (“Eleanor Rigby”). Both albums make their CD debut, newly remastered by Mark Wilder at Battery Studios and featuring liner notes written by Jim Ritz featuring exclusive quotes from Johnny Mathis.

GENE HARRIS - GENE HARRIS/THE THREE SOUNDS / GENE HARRIS OF THE THREE SOUNDS

The last three Real Gone releases for December stem from a new partnership with Dusty Groove, the famed Chicago retailer known for its deep and knowledgeable selection of soul, jazz, funk, hip hop and world releases. And all three hail from the legendary Blue Note label, with CD debuts all around; the first, from soul jazz guru Gene Harris, presents two albums taken from his early-‘70s peak. 1971’s Gene Harris/The Three Sounds is easily one of the hippest and funkiest records Harris made with his group the Three Sounds. Arrangements are by Monk Higgins – but the sound is even heavier than the Higgins/Harris work of the late 60s – and quite different than the straight trio material of their roots. Meanwhile, 1972’s Gene Harris of the Three Sounds has him stepping away from his previous trio and really shining as the lead man on the record. The session features Harris with some righteous work on acoustic keys, but getting a sweet electric vibe from Wade Marcus, who handles all the backings on the date. A wonderfully soulful pairing, with notes by Pat Thomas.

BOBBI HUMPHREY - DIG THIS

Discovered by Dizzy Gillespie, jazz flautist Bobbi Humphrey broke through a lot of barriers during her stint at the Blue Note label, where she was among the first female instrumentalists signed to the imprint and where she pioneered a highly influential brand of jazz-funk fusion. Dig This, her second album for the label, puts Bobbi’s flute out front of great arrangements from Alphonse Mouzon, Horace Ott, and Wade Marcus – all of whom give the record a feel that’s plenty rich, yet lean enough to let the Humphrey’s sweet flute solos really take off. Real Gone’s releases includes the original 1972 album art, with notes by Pat Thomas.


NEW RELEASES - DORIS DAY, CLIFFORD BROWN WITH DINAH WASHINGTON / SARAH VAUGHAN / HELEN MERRILL,

DORIS DAY - COMPLETE CHRISTMAS COLLECTION

A 22-track collection containing Doris’ complete, holiday-themed recordings, plus some real rarities! Given the international success of her 2011 album My Heart, we felt ‘twas the season to re-release this anthology, which draws from both the Columbia vaults and Doris’ private collection. The first 12 tracks hail from her beloved 1964 release The Doris Day Christmas Album—issued in its entirety here for the first time in the U.S.—followed by two hard-to-find tracks she recorded with Frank DeVol in 1959 and five non-LP Columbia singles. But the next two songs are even more rare—unreleased prior to this collection, in fact—“Silent Night” and “Christmas Greeting from Doris” hail from her early-‘50s radio show and her late-‘60s CBS-TV show, respectively. The set winds up with an emotionally-charged reading of “Let No Walls Divide” taken from the all-star Christmas album We Wish You the Merriest that Columbia released in 1961 to promote stars like Johnny Cash, Aretha Franklin and Andre Previn as well as Doris. The greatest Christmas “Day” ever assembled! If you order via Real Gone Music, they have a limited number of booklets and tray cards signed by the great lady herself. ~ realgonemusic.com

CLIFFORD BROWN WITH DINAH WASHINGTON - SARAH VAUGHAN - HELEN MERRILL - EMARCY MASTER TAKES VOLUME 2 - THE SINGER SESSIONS

A beautiful package of work from trumpeter Clifford Brown – his complete Emarcy master takes for work with three key singers in the 50s – Helen Merrill, Sarah Vaughan, and Dinah Washington! Brown's trumpet has a fluid, soulful style that's easily one of the most modern of the time – which makes for a really striking accompaniment for all vocalists included – especially Washington, who really breaks out from her bluesier modes on the Clifford Brown sides – making an argument here that the trumpeter really helped take her singing to the next level! The lavish 3CD package is in a cool 7" book-style cover, with a really beautiful full color book inside – and the set features a huge amount of work with Washington (2 of the 3 CDs) – with titles that include "No More", "I've Got You Under My Skin", "What Is This Thing Called Love", "Lover Come Back To Me", "I'll Remember April", and some ballad medley tracks from a jam session. The last CD features work with Sarah Vaughan and Helen Merrill – titles that include "April In Paris", "He's My Guy", "Jim", "I'm Glad There Is You", "I'm Crazy", "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To", "Falling In Love With Love", and "Yesterdays". ~ Dusty Groove



JAZZ SAXOPHONIST IVO PERELMAN RELEASES THREE ALBUMS: LIVING JELLY, THE CLAIRVOYANT, AND THE GIFT

"One of today's most prolific and adventurous tenor saxophonists. A master of extended techniques with a robust tone, his supple embouchure and intrepid virtuosity facilitates a wide range of expression." - Troy Collins, All About Jazz

With the simultaneous release of three new albums, available November 13th, the relentlessly visionary saxophonist Ivo Perelman extends a remarkable period of artistic growth and "intense creative frenzy" that has consumed him since 2010. This whirlwind of activity has resulted in the release of 10 albums in less than three years, with another three already recorded and due in 2013-each impressively different from the rest, and each a prime example of spontaneous composition at its peak.

As with all of his documented music from the current decade, the new albums: Living Jelly, The Gift, and The Clairvoyant--involve collaborators who boast a long history and deep experience with the saxophonist's utterly open-ended approach to improvised music. Perelman writes nothing down before entering the studio; once there, he avoids setting preconditions or even sharing an introductory theme for the performances that ensue. The music literally springs out of thin air, then pours down with the power and beauty of a rainforest thunderstorm.

"There are yet to be revealed layers of creativity in this man's music," writes Joe Morris in his liner notes to Living Jelly. "This recording displays a rhythmic layer that is quite strong and still personal-there are many manifestations of rhythm going on at once." Morris should know, since he's right in the middle of it. Living Jelly revisits the personnel of the 2012 album Family Ties, but changes its instrumentation: Gerald Cleaver again plays drums, but Morris - who played bass on the earlier album - here plays guitar.

The difference is dramatic, as Morris himself explains, "The format without bass is one of my favorites. This platform leaves a space that never really gets filled; the placement of musical ideas around it defines its existence, like a vapor might outline a phantom. This setting, with these musicians, gives me the chance to play many roles at once. The grooves add an opportunity for me to use the sort of articulation that I worked to develop on guitar for decades."

For his part, Perelman has an equally high regard for Morris's work on guitar, having played the instrument himself before moving to the saxophone. "Joe has an uncanny ability to be an accompanist while making statements so logical and self-sufficient, I wouldn't even have to be there," he says. "This happens with other instruments, but not often with the guitar: the way it is constructed, if you look at the neck, it is very visual, very geometric; it lends itself to repetition and playing patterns. But Joe is very different. He's not playing the guitar; he's playing music on the guitar. If he played a trombone, it would be the same."

Morris and drummer Cleaver both belong to Perelman's current quartet. The remaining member of that band, pianist Matthew Shipp, figures prominently on the saxist's other new albums, which follow a methodology he has used on several previous projects.

Over the last year or so, Perelman has investigated the inner dynamics of his quartet by exploding it into new configurations, forming trios that omit one of the rhythm-section player, for instance: sax-piano-drums or sax-bass-piano. On The Clairvoyant and The Gift, Perelman applies this technique to Shipp's own trio, which comprises bassist Michael Bisio and drummer Whit Dickey. "We recorded these albums close to each other in time," Perelman says, "and the difference is interesting. The trio with drums is a more visceral, rhythm-oriented ensemble; when you remove the drums and replace with the bass, it's more of a trio de camera (chamber trio)."

Of the bassless trio heard on The Clairvoyant, Shipp writes in his liner notes: "This is my personal favorite equation to deal with Mr. Perelman in. Performing without a bass forces us to dig deep for coherence, thus developing ensemble shape-I love playing in quartet settings with Ivo, but playing without bass absolutely does not allow the music to ever fall into any prescribed roles of sax with a rhythm section."

"Clairvoyance" may indeed explain what takes place between Perelman and Shipp, after a professional relationship spanning nearly two decades. "Ivo can latch onto a fragment of something I do, melodically or rhythmically, and a couple of decisions seem to be intuitively made by us very early and very quickly when improvising," Shipp writes. "Whit, Ivo, and myself have an implicit trust to give ourselves over to the collective unconscious, the three of us knowing that the music will naturally shape itself."

Describing his long history with Perelman, Shipp adds: "The music we make together is like taking a journey through an enchanted forest - there will be some pretty wild vegetation, and along the way, some never-before-seen trees saturating the air with fresh fragrance, not to mention some hybrid species that are new to the listeners. But they'll become one with the music and chart their own course through this wild organic forest."

The Gift, as Perelman says, has a quieter but no less compelling focus, as the saxist and pianist circle the rhythms implied by the bass (which, with the absence of drums, loom large despite remaining understated). The title reflects a counter-intuitive realization that speaks to the artist's need for solitude before sharing his creativity with society. "The most precious thing to give is one's loneliness," Perelman explains. "I've lived two-thirds of my life in a self-imposed exile in a foreign country, the U.S., and I've learned how to deal with cultural isolation, and to make something meaningful and creative out of that.

"I feel my music mirrors that experience. My recordings are my loneliness; I spend countless hours alone, practicing and studying music. The music is my gift. But it comes from my loneliness."

Lately, Perelman's study has included a deeply focused immersion in music from the 16th and 17th centuries, and specifically, music written for the natural trumpet-the instrument used before the invention of valves. The natural trumpet required players to create all the notes just from varying the air pressure applied to the horn; the valves on a modern instrument reduce this effort considerably. "Someone once said that trumpet players should never start with valves," Perelman points out. "When they start with a valved instrument, they think that the notes come from the valves. When you learn on natural horns, playing with 'buttons' is a walk in the park."

Perelman has begun to apply the techniques of natural-trumpet playing to the saxophone, in order to gain even more command of the squeaky-high altissimo range-this despite his already unsurpassed mastery of the highest register. He has gone so far as to commission the construction of saxophones without any keys at all, training himself to play full scales using air pressure alone-something unheard of in the history of reed-instrument praxis.

Perelman began this line of research in the course of preparing the current crop of new albums; while the preliminary results peek through here, he doesn't expect the impact to be fully evident for another year or two. "I always like challenges, and now I have the greatest one in my life," he exults. "It's a fundamental change in attitude."
Born in 1961 in São Paulo, Brazil, Perelman excelled at classical guitar before finally gravitating to the tenor saxophone. In 1981 he entered Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he focused on the mainstream masters of the tenor sax to the exclusion of such pioneering avant-gardists as Albert Ayler, Peter Brötzmann, and John Coltrane-all of whom would later be cited as precedents for Perelman's own work. He left Berklee in 1983 and moved to Los Angeles, where he soon discovered his penchant for post-structure improvisation. "I would go berserk, just playing my own thing," he explains now. Emboldened by this approach, he began to research the free-jazz saxists who had come before him, and in the early 90s he moved to the more inviting artistic milieu of New York, where he lives to this day.

Critics have lauded Perelman's no-holds-barred saxophone style, calling him "one of the great colorists of the tenor sax" (Ed Hazell in the Boston Globe); "tremendously lyrical" (Gary Giddins); and "a leather-lunged monster with an expressive rasp, who can rage and spit in violence, yet still leave you feeling heartbroken" (The Wire). The three new albums, added to his total of recordings on the Leo label, equate to twenty-one.

As with all of Perelman's albums since 2010, each of the new projects takes its name from the work of the 20th-century Brazilian novelist and essayist Clarice Lispector, a vital influence on Perelman's thinking and on his art. In the present case, each album title comes from her Selected Chronicles, a collection of newspaper columns.

"I like the very suggestive names of her writings," says Perelman. "But everything has an end. Lately I have been feeling a little removed from her work; I haven't read anything by her in a while, and I was feeling in a different mood. I wouldn't take this to the grave-I like to keep some freedom-but we're done with Clarice now."

The operative word, of course, is "now"; in Perelman's world of seemingly infinite creative fluidity, anything is possible tomorrow.

Living Jelly Personnel
Ivo Perelman / tenor saxophone
Joe Morris / guitar
Gerald Cleaver / drums

The Clairvoyant Personnel
Ivo Perelman / tenor saxophone
Matt Shipp / piano
Michael Bisio / bass
Whit Dickey / drums

The Gift Personnel
Ivo Perelman / tenor saxophone
Matt Shipp / piano
Michael Bisio / bass
Whit Dickey / drums

Ivo Perelman · Living Jelly, The Clairvoyant, and The Gift
Leo Records · Release Date: November 13

ivoperelman.com

REAL GONE MUSIC ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH DUSTY GROOVE FOR REISSUE CAMPAIGN

First Releases Include Albums by Gene Harris, Bobbi Humphrey and Jeremy Steig

Chicago's Dusty Groove record store stands on Ashland just south of Division in the city's Wicker Park area. But for music lovers around the globe who have either made the pilgrimage or bought from its online store, Dusty Groove stands squarely (or, rather, hiply) at the intersection of soul, funk, jazz, hip hop and world music as purveyors of the rarest, coolest and freshest sounds around. Now, Real Gone Music, the upstart, eclectic reissue label distributed by Sony via Razor & Tie, is proud to announce that it is teaming up with Dusty Groove to produce reissues drawn from the store's 16-year experience selling to its dedicated audience of collectors, deejays, devotees and fans; these titles are all time-tested yet impossible to find on compact disc. And the first releases in the joint venture—all out December 4—hit right on that soul-jazz-funk sweet spot.

All three titles hail from the legendary Blue Note label, with CD debuts all around; the first, from soul jazz guru Gene Harris, presents two albums taken from his early-‘70s peak. 1971’s Gene Harris/The Three Sounds is easily one of the hippest and funkiest records Harris made with his group the Three Sounds. Arrangements are by Monk Higgins – but the sound is even heavier than the Higgins/Harris work of the late 60s – and quite different than the straight trio material of their roots. Meanwhile, 1972’s Gene Harris of the Three Sounds has him stepping away from his previous trio and really shining as the lead man on the record. The session features Harris with some righteous work on acoustic keys, but getting a sweet electric vibe from Wade Marcus, who handles all the backings on the date. A wonderfully soulful pairing, with notes by Pat Thomas

Discovered by Dizzy Gillespie, jazz flautist Bobbi Humphrey broke through a lot of barriers during her stint at the Blue Note label, where she was among the first female instrumentalists signed to the imprint and where she pioneered a highly influential brand of jazz-funk fusion. Dig This, her second album for the label, puts Bobbi’s flute out front of great arrangements from Alphonse Mouzon, Horace Ott, and Wade Marcus – all of whom give the record a feel that’s plenty rich, yet lean enough to let the Humphrey’s sweet flute solos really take off. Real Gone’s releases include the original 1972 album art, with notes by Pat Thomas.

One of the hippest, funkiest, most soulful albums ever from flute man Jeremy Steig, Wayfaring Stranger offers a bit more stripped down feel than other Steig albums of the time, with an especially strong focus on the bass of Eddie Gomez, who really gives the record a soulful sparkle. Don Alias plays drums, and there’s also some sweet guitar from Sam Brown on the record too. Produced in 1970 by Sonny Lester—reissued with new liner notes by Pat Thomas and the original gatefold art featuring Gomez’s original notes!

About Real Gone Music
Real Gone Music, formed and helmed by industry vets Gordon Anderson and Gabby Castellana, is an eclectic and prolific catalog and reissue label with distribution through Sony via Razor & Tie. Anderson and Castellana each started businesses in 1993 — Collectors’ Choice Music and Hep Cat Records & Distribution, respectively — that became two of the most important outlets for buyers and sellers of vintage music recordings. They joined forces in 2011 to launch Real Gone Music, which serves both the collector community and the casual music fan with a robust release schedule combining big-name artists with esoteric cult favorites. Real Gone Music is dedicated to combing the vaults for sounds that aren’t just gone — they’re REAL gone.

Out 12/4/2012 from Real Gone Music & Dusty Groove
Gene Harris: Gene Harris/The Three Sounds/Gene Harris of the Three Sounds
Bobbi Humphrey: Dig This
Jeremy Steig: Wayfaring Stranger

NEW RELEASES - ARTVARK SAXOPHONE QUARTET WITH CLARON MCFADDEN, RENEGADES OF JAZZ, SEVAL

ARTVARK SAXOPHONE QUARTET WITH CLARON MCFADDEN - SLY MEETS

Soprano voice and four different saxophones – a really unusual combination, with sparkling musical results! The title's a bit hokey, but the record's got a wonderfully fresh feel – angular lines from this Dutch sax quartet – very much in the best spirit of 80s experiments in the style – but mixed with wonderful lead vocals from Claron McFadden – a singer with an amazing range, and one who sings both lyrics and wordless passages on the record! The voice is often used as a fifth instrument on the record – combining beautifully with the sounds of the reed players, in a mode that works especially well without any piano, bass, or drums. The record's unlike anything we've heard before – and titles include "Aux Anges", "Burns Blues", "Beyonzz", "Breathe In Breathe Out", "Ode To A Mouse", "Karpuz", and "Claron's Song". ~ Dusty Groove

RENEGADES OF JAZZ - HIP TO THE JIVE

Funky club with jazzy touches – all served up in a stripped-down mode that takes us back to some of our favorite dancefloor experiments of the 90s! The groove here is somewhere in the house-y side of the Acid Jazz scene of early 90s London, or mid-decade work from the Tokyo club jazz crowd, or even a bit like "Hot Music" from Soho – a tune that would be a great comparison for the sound of this sweet little set! Rhythms are built from lots of sampled live jazz passages – so there's an acoustic warmth throughout, even when things are processed – and there's enough live jazz instrumentation to keep a spontaneous feel in the music as well. Titles include "Karabine", "Get A Wiggle On", "Voodoo Juju", "Black Milk", "Hip To The Jive", and "Solitaire". ~ Dusty Groove

SEVAL - SEVAL 2

A beautiful second set from Seval – even more powerful and personal than the group's debut – with sublime compositions and cello by Fred Lonberg-Holm, and these fragile yet soulful vocals from Sofia Jernberg! Instrumentation is quite spare – just cello, guitar, trumpet, and bass – often not used entirely, which leaves Sofia out front to work through the lyrics with a warm, fluid feel. There's echoes of Joni Mitchell and Minnie Riperton at times – although the album's more jazz-based than either of their work – and titles include "Children Of Monsters", "Boredom Is Bliss", "Light Brush", "Simple Flowers", "Details", and "Super Seeded". ~ Dusty Groove

Thursday, October 25, 2012

CHRIS JASPER - KEEP BELIEVIN'

If you believe like we do that the Isley Brothers of the ’70s and early ’80s were important in R&B and contemporary music in general, then you must have mad respect for Chris Jasper’s contributions through that band and subsequent projects. This Julliard trained, Billy Taylor mentored keyboardist co-penned nearly every one of their hits of that period and in the process helped to define their sound through his funky, smooth and intelligent keyboards, whether it was piano, organ, clavinet or synthesizer. Next to Stevie Wonder and Billy Preston, it’s hard to think of anyone else whose stylistic innovations on these instruments impacted R&B, funk, soul and Quiet Storm more than this man. He along with the other Isleys were early inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but he wasn’t done yet when he, Ernie Isley and Marvin Isley left the band in 1984. Forget “We Are The World,” the transcendental anthem of hope and harmony of the 1980s was his 1985 worldwide #1 hit with Isley-Jasper-Isley, “Caravan of Love.”

Jasper has since gone on to record nine solo albums, some of them gospel records, following the path of another great soul man, Al Green. Through all the trends in R&B, Jasper has steadfastly remained his own man, a very spiritual artist who delivers inspirational messages with a deft feel for classic grooves in soul music because he was so instrumental in shaping and transforming that style of music.

All of those things are present on his latest track “Keep Believin’.” He throws down the gauntlet from the start, with the challenge to “put down those guns and pick up those books…and listen to what I’m getting ready to put down,” and then proceeds to put down some of the most righteous, fierce old-school funk this side of 1983. There’s the pumping double bass drum beat, an irresistibly spongy Moog bass and a vintage talk box generated vocoder. The groove is nasty but the message is clean and direct, about staying positive and striving for achievement through education…a companion piece to his R&B chart topper “Superbad” from 1987. Jasper does another thing the old-school way: he builds in actual chord changes in the song.

This ain’t no hip-hop, though some of the savvier hip-hop artists have sampled his work. Chris Jasper keeps believin’ first in his craft, because he knows that what he preaches with his music and his lyrics are the things that will endure over time. And any time is the right time to cue up an uplifting, dance floor smoker like “Keep Believin’.”

“Keep Believin’” is the lead single from Inspired, a new Chris Jasper album slated for release in January, 2013.

Visit http://somethingelsereviews.com/2012/09/24/something-else... to read the review and to stream "Keep Believin'"

Visit http://www.facebook.com/goldcitymusic to hear more music from Chris Jasper, also available on iTunes.com, Amazon.com, CDBaby.com and other outlets.

ZARA MCFARLANE - UNTIL TOMORROW

Anybody keeping an eye on the ongoing development of the British jazz scene will have noticed Zara McFarlane in the last few years. The 28 year-old London vocalist has made a string of impressive appearances with musicians who do no choose their collaborators without careful consideration – Denys Baptiste, Orphy Robinson, Soweto Kinch and Jazz Jamaica All Stars to name but some. McFarlane’s appearance on the latter’s 2006 Motown-themed album Motor City Roots revealed a singer whose power was offset by delicacy, as was clear from her sensitive handling of Stevie Wonder’s My Cherie Amour.

All of these experiences have furthered the growth of Zara McFarlane as an artist in the most complete sense of the term and the singer made good on her potential when she issued her self-produced EP, Until Tomorrow in 2010. The 6 track mini-album was evenly split between original compositions such as Captured and standards like the perennial jazz favourite On Green Dolphin Street. There was enormous poise in the way that McFarlane handled the melodic line and chord changes of a piece but what was arguably as impressive was the fact that she asserted herself as a thoughtful lyric writer.

Now that EP has evolved into a full-length album, Until Tomorrow, and it marks Zara McFarlane’s debut for Gilles Peterson’s Brownswood Recordings.

Backed by a brilliant aggregation of musicians that includes pianist Peter Edwards, double bassist Nick Walsh, drummer Andy Chapman and saxophonists Binker Goldings, Camilla George and Zem Adu, McFarlane comes into her own on an engrossing set that includes more originals such as Chiaroscuro, Blossom Tree and More Than Mine.

“Most of this album was recorded before I even met Gilles,” Zara explains “I did 5 new songs this year in January. Pete [Edwards] wrote arrangements and things just fell into place. I suppose that I was really trying to bring a contemporary feel to old music. I think anyone can listen to jazz but it’s up to us to make it fresh so that anyone can relate to it.”

All of the finesse in Zara McFarlane’s delivery stems from both a natural gift and years of formal study at a very high standard. In 2001 she studied popular music performance at Thames Valley University and then went on to complete a Masters Degree in Jazz Studies at the Guildhall School of Music in 2009. As her education suggests, McFarlane is as drawn to popular culture as she is high art, and her work to date wholeheartedly shows that she is comfortable in a wide variety of contexts. She has thus collaborated with the acclaimed house producer Bopstar, contributed one of her original compositions to the contemporary soul compilation Basement Soul and also done gigs with South African icon Hugh Masekela and the gifted British pianist and arranger Alex Wilson.

The creative spark for Until Tomorrow was lit a long time ago.“Some of the songs on the album go back some time,” she notes. “I’ve wanted to make an album for years, probably about 10 years or so, and now this definitely feels like the right time for me.”

One of the curveballs that McFarlane throws on Until Tomorrow is her rendition of The Children And The Warlock and Thoughts. These two superb tracks are by pianist and composer Harry Whittaker, a relatively unheralded figure in the jazz world who is nonetheless respected for his work with Roy Ayers, Carmen Lundy and his own Black Renaissance project. “Gilles [Peterson] introduced me to Harry Whittaker’s trio album, Thoughts Past And Present,” Zara says “There were a couple of tracks that I chose from there. His writing reminded me of Pete’s [Edwards] in a way. It was really melodic, spacious and very emotive. That’s what I try to have in my music. It’s more of an emotional journey as opposed to a just piece for the sake of writing a piece.”
The arrangements for Until Tomorrow have a liberal dose of subtle, stealthy swing, yet as steeped as Zara McFarlane is in the jazz tradition, she has brought an eminently soul undercurrent to what she does, and it is entirely possible that she could appeal to audiences weaned as much on Jill Scott and Erykah Badu as Cassandra Wilson and Dianne Reeves. Blessed with a fine voice and a strength of character that has led her towards thought-provoking, if not challenging lyrics, Zara McFarlane has with Until Tomorrow taken a giant step down the road to what is surely a long, illustrious career.

Zara McFarlane has been nominated for a MOBO in the Best Jazz Act 2012 category!  The MOBO's - or, Music Of Black Origin Awards - which were established in the UK in 1996 to recognise artists of any ethnicity or nationality performing black music. The awards span many categories and last year Kairos 4tet won Best Jazz Act 2011.~ gillespetersonworldwide.com

PYRAMID BLUE - PYRAMID BLUE

Pyramid Blue's brilliant full-length album debut is a collection of Ethio-flavoured jazz numbers in sweet balance with Latin and Cuban grooves, Afrobeat echoes and avant-Funk vibrations. All of this with the psychedelic astral sound of the Pyramid.

The pyramid has a secret inside that only the lucky few are privileged enough to enjoy. Oscar Martos and his henchmen have deciphered the coordinates of the roots of African music, hiding rough diamonds and priceless treasures. Black music is a tree with many branches, and Pyramid Blue explores its roots, bringing them to us with respect and loyalty.

Africa is the source, but also the jumping off point for sounds interacting with Soul, Jazz, Funk, Latin and other herbs. Their earlier work on 7" vinyl released by Enlace Funk sold out in just a few weeks, and now we have their long awaited debut recorded with the help of Soul Toasting Studio's analog warmth. The same studio where they recorded Oscar Martos' last adventure with the Afro Soul Toasting All Stars, an original group whose coordinates fell near Afrobeat and who had a short but successful life on earth.

Man fears the passing of time and the passing of time fears the pyramid. Oscar Martos' influences look out to space with Jazz, Afrobeat, Funk and Soul, where Ethiopia is the source of scratching sounds that are enriched with Latin and Cuban music in a search to go even further. Mulatu Astatke, Sun Ra and Joe Cuba are just some of Pyramid Blue's musical influences.

It's an album that reflects the energy of their live shows and where the power of nature's spirit seems to take them to the next level. Tracks like Río Níger, Cocodrilos Acechando, Pajaritos and Judías Comen Habas are just some examples of a repertoire filled with light, spirituality, and punch without forgetting their latin essence; as in Las Flores and La Oportunidad and the forceful rhythm of Arachnid that marks a warm and robust beat like the footprint of an elephant.

The pyramid is a symbol of union between the earthly and the spiritual, and it's that same idea that Pyramid Blue's music seeks to embrace.

As the Ethiopian proverb says, "When spiders weave together, they can catch a lion."

NEWBAN - NEWBAN & NEWBAN 2

Throughout the ‘80s and early ‘90s, Atlantic Starr was one of the most successful outfits in R&B. Little is known, however, of the group’s heady jazz and groove roots when they were still called Newban. Founders Albert “Duke” Jones Jr. and Porter Carroll Jr. were students in Greenburgh, New York, when they recruited a horde of classmates in forming Newban–named such because they were, after all, a “new band.” John Shearer, a friend of Jones, was a neighbor of legendary audio engineer Malcolm Addey and arranged for Newban to record with Addey at the famed Bell Sound Recording Studios.

Newban and Newban 2 were released on Guinness Records in 1977. Guinness, however, was one of many labels during the late ‘70s that juked numbers and intentionally undersold and under-promoted albums for tax write-offs to keep parent imprints i! n the black. Both Newban releases were making noise in the clubs and among those in the know, but never got the push. Co-founder and drummer Carroll and the majority of the members landed a deal with A&M Records and became Atlantic Starr. The Newban masters, however, remained safe and secure in the closet of Addey’s home. “I just called him up and said, ‘Listen, we got some things we can do after all these years,’” Jones says. Addey was with it, and returned the tapes for a nominal charge – in pristine, digitally re-mastered condition.

Neither Jones nor Addey stopped believing in Newban, which is why he feels this BBE release could be the re-emergence of something lost some 35 years ago. “It might really make some noise with someone behind it,” Jones says about the &! ldquo;new” Newban compilation. “We could get together tomorrow.” Release date: 29. Oct / US: 13. Nov (CD, 2LP, digital).

JUKEBOX MAMBO - RUMBA AND AFRO LATIN RHYTHM & BLUES 1949 0 1960

A stunning collection that sheds light on a pivotal yet totally overlooked area of American music - the influence of Afro-Cuban and Latin rhythms on R&B and Jazz during the mid-20th century. Following up on the success of the Jukebox Jam album of vintage juke joint and bar room sounds, compiler and DJ Liam Large digs even deeper to put together a diverse set of dynamite R&B sides, all built around Afro-Cuban, Latin and Caribbean rhythms.

The Blues and it's populist sister Rhythm & Blues have been visited and revisited 100s of times on 1000s of comps, but the 'Spanish Tinge' has been completely overlooked, perhaps even scorned by purists. This album stands out from the rest and the result is a set which sounds stunningly fresh and unique - a remarkable achievement itself given that the actual songs average at around 60 years old.

Jukebox Mambo showcases an experimental era which continues to inform today's music, with Afro-Latin rhythms now completely assimilated into modern pop. The overtly sensual, exotic feel of many of these songs also continues to find an echo in modern music, and Jukebox Mambo provides a thrilling, sensual listening experience. Also included are detailed, illustrated liner notes which unveil the largely untold story of how Afro-Latin influences gradually affected Black American music during the 20th century, and in turn how this filtered into and transformed modern music thereafter. Lovingly compiled, expertly annotated, with music as interesting as it is stimulating and arresting, Jukebox Mambo is a new and exciting look at the era and music which changed history!

Presented as; 22 track CD with 16 page colour CD booklet with in-depth liner notes, 45 label scans and previously unpublished photographs. Deluxe double vinyl pressing with thick, glossy double gatefold sleeve with colour insert. And also available in super limited unique vintage album style 6 x 10" book set with unique artwork, colour insert and 4 bonus tracks!

NEW RELEASES - UKU KUUT, JENNA ANDREWS, RUFUS

UKU KUUT- ESTONIA FUNKE

Contemporary work from Uku Kuut – but grooves that have the same great feel as some of his rare material from the 80s! Most of us folks first discovered Uku's work on PPU's excellent compilation of his home studio recordings from years back – and it's great to see that he's still going strong, working here on a set of different mixes for various local producers – most of whom are quite well conversed in dancefloor soul styles from the US! Most vocals are in English, and the set features Uku Kuut mixes of cuts that include "Angel", "Long Time Ago", "One More Time", "Funkdabass", "No One's Gonna Stand In Our Way", "When Love Has Gone Away", "Main Funk", and "Affinity". ~ Dusty Groove

JENNA ANDREWS - KISS AND RUN

On her debut EP Kiss And Run, Canadian born singer-songwriter, Jenna Andrews weaves a deep tapestry of emotion, personal growth and introspection. She imbues everything from pop to soul with poignant lyrics, suggesting a strength and wisdom beyond her years. Music, particularly jazz and R&B, was her mother’s passion. She introduced Jenna to great vocalists like Donnie Hathaway and legendary singer-songwriters such as Carly Simon and Carole King. As a young girl, Jenna connected with the music of her mother’s generation more than the music of her own peers. On her seven track EP, Jenna collaborated with some of the world’s top writers and producers, including The Messengers (Justin Bieber, Chris Brown), Dan Heath (Lana Del Rey), Doc McKinney (The Weeknd, Drake, Mary J. Blige), Adam Pallin (Cobra Starship), Jake Gosling (Ed Sheeran, Paloma Faith, Lady Gaga, Far East Movement), and Wayne Wilkins (Beyonce, Jordin Sparks, Cheryl Cole). ~ Giant Step

RUFUS - PARTY 'TIL YOU'RE BROKE

Great later work from Rufus – working here without Chaka Khan on vocals, but sounding even jazzier as a result! There almost seems to be more emphasis on the instrumentation than before – and the album's got a warmly funky groove that definitely carries on the 70s Rufus tradition, but cleans things up a bit for the 80s generation – especially lean on the rhythms and the keyboards! Tony Maiden and David Wolinski handle the vocals, often in a compressed way that's mixed right down in the music – but the real charm here comes from the rhythms and the sweet jazzy licks in the grooves. Titles include "Tonight We Love", "Can I Show You", "What Is It", "Afterwards", "We Got The Way", "Party Til You're Broke", "Love Is Taking Over", and "Secret Love". (SHMCD pressing.) ~ Dusty Groove

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...