JEAN-MICHEL
BERNARD – JEAN-MICHEL BERNARD PLAYS LALO SHIFRIN
New takes on
the famous soundtrack work of the great Lalo Schifrin – served up in a mode
that's every bit as jazzy and groovy as the original! The set begins with some
key cop and crime themes from Lalo's breakout years of the 60s and early 70s –
and that music really sets the stage for the album, which unfolds in a set of
tracks that stand as a strong tribute to the tonal color and rhythmic genius of
the maestro! Jean Michel Bernard plays Fender Rhodes, piano, and Hammond – in a
core group that also includes vibe, muted trumpet, and some reeds – and there
also seems to be larger orchestrations on most numbers, but in a way that
really lays in the background, and never gets in the way of the instrumental
energy in the lead. Schifrin himself plays a bit of guest piano – and titles
include "Mannix", "Bullitt", "Dirty Harry Suite",
"The Cat", "Lalo's Bossa Nova", "Manteca",
"Mission Impossible", "That Night", and "The
Plot". ~ Dusty Groove
THE
KANDINSKY EFFECT – PAX 6
A jazz trio,
but one with a very unique vibe – given that, in addition to familiar saxes,
bass, and drums – the group also uses a fair bit of effects as well! The drums
are often echoey and thunderous, the basslines nicely bumping, and the tones of
the saxophone can go off in all sorts of directions – always tuneful, but often
with darker currents too – nice little sonic twists and turns that certainly
make the instrument sound different than usual! Saxophonist Warren Walker also
plays a bit of keyboards too, although those often seem wrapped up with the
larger electronic palette of the album – and titles include
"Astoria", "We Make Our Own Holidays", "Loops",
"Iron Lion", "Re: Jungle", "Musicbox", and
"Glass Bottles". ~ Dusty Groove
BURNT
SUGAR – ALL YOU ZOMBIES DIG THE LUMINOSITY
The Burnt
Sugar sound just gets more and more complex over the years – to a point where
it's even more mindblowing than when it started, and where it's hard to tell
where one influence starts and another one ends! In a way, the approach here is
like a fully righteous extension of some of the modes explored by the black
rock generation in the New York scene of the 80s – and its way of folding
together soul, funk, avant jazz, and lots more. But under the helm of Luqman
Brown, the Burnt Sugar groove moves onto whole new planets of sound – using a
rich tapestry of funk, fuzz, wisdom, and knowledge to lay down sheets of sound
that might take others years to create. Vocals are by a variety of singers –
including Shelly Nicole Jefferson, Abby Dobson, Christina Wheeler, Julie Brown,
and Mikel Banks – and titles include "That Bent Arc Do Be Slow",
"Ziploc Latex", "RU Insane", "There Is A G",
"Young Black & Vague", and "Ride Ride Ride". ~ Dusty
Groove
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