Thursday, November 08, 2012

NEW RELEASES - STREETWIZE, DJ MITSU, HANNAH WILLIAMS & THE TASTEMAKERS

STREETWIZE - FEELIN' SEXY

Streetwize is well-known for delivering slick Smooth Urban Jazz versions of today’s hottest grooves from the world of R&;B and Hip-Hop, delighting a loyal audience that wants their Urban hits smoothed out for that chilltime vibe! Feelin’ Sexy continues the Streetwize tradition, with sexy Urban Jazz interpretations of recent smashes from R. Kelly (“Feelin' Single”), Usher (“Climax”), Ledisi (“Pieces Of Me”), John Legend (“Tonight/The Best You Ever Had” - also heard in the Steve Harvey movie “Think Like A Man”) and many more - all re-imagined in the Smooth Urban Jazz style made famous by Streetwize! Smooth Jazz superstar saxophonist and producer Kim Waters and hit making producer Chris “Big Dog” Davis (Will Downing, Maysa, Kim Burrell) along with the Streetwize all-stars make all the right moves creating a non-stop sensuous listening experience. ~ shanachie.com

DJ MITSU THE BEATS - SOLID BLACK

DJ Mitsu takes on the legendary Black Jazz label from the 70s – and serves up a sublime mix of spiritual and funky jazz classics from some of the company's greatest records! Mitsu's one of the few cats we could trust with a project like this – and as with his Fender Rhodes mixes from a few years back, this one really respects the core essence of the tunes – yet also finds a way to make them flow beautifully into one another – a 28 track blend of magical music that stands as a great testament to the soulful, spiritual depth of the Black Jazz catalog! There's no tricks or gimmicks at all – just sweet sounds galore – and titles include "Listen Here" and "For Heaven's Sake" by Gene Russell, "Soft Spirit" and "Plastic Creek Stomp" by Henry Franklin, "Infant Eyes" and "Revelation" by Doug Carn, "Little Dance" and "Time & Space" by Rudolph Johnson, "Aunt Lovely" and "Shaw Neeq" by Calvin Keys, "Magic Wand Of Love" and "Maiden Voyage" by Kellee Patterson, "Mode For DD" and "Slinky" by The Awakening, "Trip One" and "Power House" by Chester Thompson and "Funky Mama Moose" by Roland Haynes. ~ Dusty Groove

HANNAH WILLIAMS & THE TASTEMAKERS - A HILL OF FEATHERS

Surprisingly deep soul from Hannah Williams – a singer who seems like just your run of the mill local talent on the cover – but who comes across with the smoking sound of some legendary southern soul diva on the record! The band and the backing is pretty great too – way more than just a rehash of older soul modes – and instead a contemporary approach that has subtle strains of some of the more interesting funk elements that have percolated globally of late – all fused together by Diesler, who's kind of the "artistic director" of the set – and who gives the music a Tru Thoughts sort of complexity. Titles include "The Kitchen Strut", "Work It Out", "Washed Up", "Don't Tell Me", "Things To Come", "Get It", and "Do Whatever Makes You Feel Hot". ~ Dusty Groove

ALFIE ZAPPACOSTA - LIVE FROM BLUE FROG STUDIOS

It can be difficult for music fans to let go of music styles or arrangements that helped shape their generation. Zappacosta knows all about it and how challenging it can be to break through to new audiences even with, or maybe because of, a legacy of success. The 80’s were good to Zappacosta. He became a chart topping artist, a JUNO award winner, twice, and an American Music Award Winner for his contribution of “Overload” to the platinum selling Dirty Dancing soundtrack which is set to be re-released for its 30th anniversary in the coming year.

“I enjoyed my younger pop years. Sometimes my children will play the music, videos or the Danger Bay episode and have a great laugh at my expense”, grins a playful Zappacosta, “but honestly, it has been both a curse and a blessing. I love the stability that the hits provided for my family; however Zappacosta in spandex, screaming over monitors would be a dreadful sight at my age! It was a very long time ago. I have enjoyed the evolution of my music and career and the opportunities it has afforded me – live theatre, movie roles and such. I hope for many more.”

Zappacosta’s seven recordings and countless live performances since 1996 reflect his true calling - his mastery at romance, his heartfelt lyrics, his incomparable voice and his advanced knowledge of music. His latest CD and DVD Live From Blue Frog Studios shatters the stereotype of Zappacosta in the 1980’s. Produced brilliantly by Alfie Zappacosta and Pat Glover, in front of an intimate audience at the Blue Frog Studios & Performance Centre in White Rock BC, the DVD delivers an authentic look at Zappacosta today – Adorned in an Armani suit and white hair, he skillfully takes command of the presentation that showcases his songwriting, his vocal prowess, his guitar mastery and the nuances in his emotive stage delivery that will have you engaged from beginning to end. The DVD is engineered by the impressive Pat Glover and edited by Scott White with Shinobi Creative Productions.

Live From Blue Frog Studios’ music and arrangements are supported by a remarkable group of musicians from across Canada – the consummate Claudio Vena on viola and accordion, Edmonton’s Andrew Glover on keyboards, The Heartbroken’s Blake Manning on drums and percussion, David Babcock wailing on all saxes and BC’s John Taylor on bass. The music grooves and sways to soulful. And the hits that brought Zappacosta to the world's attention? “When I Fall in Love Again”, “Passion”, “Start Again” and “Spread Myself Too Thin” all make appearances on the CD and DVD. The songs are timeless and fit effortlessly into his new music and arrangements. No trends, no hype -This is pure music…pure art…pure Zappacosta.

Above all, one of the elite pleasures of this live recording and DVD has to be the brilliant engineering. Pat Glover has delivered a rich, full-bodied recording. Recorded, mixed and mastered for a listening experience, the mix is airy allowing for all instrumentation to come through while still highlighting the shades in Zappacosta’s seductive vocal performance. You can hear every instrument and subtle melody. It is highly recommended that you enjoy this project on great headphones or quality speakers for a maximum listening experience. Zappacosta’s vocals are transmitted through a KMS 105 Neumann microphone.

Wednesday, November 07, 2012

NEW RELEASES - MLT, BARA BROST, BODDHI SATVA

MLT - FULL CIRCLE

Officially born on 10th March 2011 when their east London debut gig effortlessly sold out, London- based acoustic 3-piece More Like Trees have been creating a buzz on the London music scene and beyond with their exciting new genre, dubbed “Strum & Bass”. Seamlessly combining elements of flamenco, drum & bass, classical, hip hop, indie, dance and folk, More Like Trees make their own musical rules to create a fresh new sound that has been capturing the ears and imaginations of many already established and acclaimed musicians, including world no. 1 female drum & bass MC, Tali with whom they recorded an acoustic reworking of her current Drum & Bass/Dupstep album, Dark Days, High Nights. More Like Trees have been welcomed into collaborations with The Local Posse, a collective of like-minded! musicians from varied backgrounds, led by US loop-pedaller Joe Driscoll, and they are now regulars at The Local Posse sessions. Through this they met John Hendicott, the producer behind their debut EP, Full Circle and forthcoming album, Roots, Shoots & Leaves. Release date: 26th Nov 2012. ~ BBE Music

 
BARA BROST - KOKOLORES REMIXES

The single Tony Curtis b/w My Mess Part 1 by Bara Bröst features remixes by Mario Aureo and Kotelett & Zadak. Following releases on labels such as Bouq, OFF and Soulfooled, Mario Aureo now delivered two remixes of Bara Bröst's "My Mess Part 1". Both are wonderful deep and groovy House versions. A constantly pushing bassline combined with chord sounds and dizzying pads will make every listener dance for sure! Furthermore the sound is completed with snippets of Igid Pop's vocals taken from Bara Br&ou! ml;st's original track version. Kotelett & Zadak did a rough, dry remix of "Tony Curtis" that is more tekky and percussive than the original. The remix is pumping and pushing forward - straight ahead to the dancefloor! Release date: 19th Nov 2012. ~ BBE Music

BODDHI SATVA - NANKOUMANDJAN

Nankoumandjan is a beautiful track taken from Boddhi Satva's album "Invocation" released on BBE earlier this year. The single comes with remixes by Boddhi Satva himself and Rancido. The song features the late singer Mangala Camara, a real superstar in Mali. The legendary Salif Kéita noticed his talent very early and made sure he became a member of "The Ambassadors" as a drummer and back vocalist. Later on he went to France, where he continued to pursue his musical career and was awarded the Great "Discovery" Price of Radio France International. After 18 years abroad and 5 albums he returned to Mali in 2001. Boddhi Satva had the chance to meet Ma! ngala in Bamako in 2009 and together they recorded "Nankoumandjan" at Mangala's house. A mutual respect and friendship came to life but a year later Mangala passed suddenly leaving behind music that will last the taste of time. Nankoumandjan is a song dedicated to the children victim of wars and most of the time enrolled as child soldiers by force. ~ BBE Music

HURRICANE SANDY JAZZ BENEFIT CONCERT - THURSDAY NOVEMBER 8, 2012 AT LE POISSON ROUGE

SPONSORED BY TRUTH REVOLUTION RECORDS, REVIVE MUSIC GROUP, MOTÉMA MUSIC AND DL MEDIA

Truth Revolution Records, Revive Music Group, Motéma Music and DL Media are proud to join forces to bring the jazz community together for one night to raise much needed funds for the victims of Hurricane Sandy in the outer boroughs. The concert is being sponsored by the Jazz Foundation of America to offer support to the many jazz musicians that have been directly affected. Please join us at Le Poisson Rouge (158 Bleeker St., between Sullivan & 5th Ave.) this Thursday, November 8, 2012 from 9PM to 2AM where a number of musicians from the New York community and beyond, including David Weiss & Point of Departure, Julian Lage, Gregory Hutchinson, Jesse Fischer, Philip Dizack, Manner Effect, Richie Barshay and many others, will come together in an evening filled with music that will inspire and touch many to give generously for Hurricane Sandy victims.

The support from the jazz community was overwhelming and collectively these organizations have set out to raise $100,000 both in person and online via a live video feed provided by Le Poisson Rouge. Viewers who are not able to participate in person will be able to call in and donate in real time as well as make donations online. The suggested donation for this event starts at $20, with 100% of the contributions going directly to the fund. For those who double their donation and above will also receive a digital download of the event.

Since the recovery has only begun, this evening will serve as a catalyst for ongoing donations. These organizations are also using this opportunity to partner with corporations and local businesses to match donations dollar for dollar. The outpour of support from the five New York boroughs to the affected community is unprecedented. Coming together for a night of music and solidarity is another way to provide more assistance to those in need.

Musicians and music appreciators alike are welcome to join a very special jam session immediately following the performances. Again, the suggested donation for this event starts at $20 and for those who double their donation and above will also receive a digital download of the event. Live video streaming will be available online for those not able to be with us in person.

Hurricane Sandy Jazz Benefit Concert at Le Poisson Rouge - Thursday, November 8
158 Bleeker St. New York, NY 10012
Phone: (212) 505-3474
Web: www.lepoissonrouge.com

Performances from 9PM to 2AM - $20 suggested donation at the door.
Walk up and future donations can be made to Jazz Foundation of America's "Hurricane Sandy Fund"

Featured Artists:
David Weiss & Point of Departure
Jay Rodriguez
Julian Lage
Richie Barshay
Raydar Ellis
Marcus Strickland
Gregory Hutchinson
Brianna Thomas Quartet
John Davis
Jonathan Michel - LXG
Jorge Roeder
Joe Blaxx Grissett
Johnny Rivero
Steven Oquendo
Joe Dyson Darryl Yokley - Sound Reformation
Philip Dizack
Jesse Fischer
Reinaldo DeJesus
Jarrett Cherner
Brandee Younger
Michela Marino Lerman
Ryan Berg Retrospective
Sarah Elizabeth Charles Quartet
Marianne Solivan
Darwin Noguera Trio
Manner Effect
Amaury Acosta
Alex Hernandez

... And many more SPECIAL GUESTS!

For general information, please contact: Truth Revolution Records / (201) 430-5047 or info@truthrevolutionrecords.com

For media information, please contact:
DL Media - Jordy Freed
(610) 667-0501 or jordy@dlmediamusic.com

COLUMBIA RECORDS CELEBRATES 125 YEARS BY RELEASING 360 SOUND: THE COLUMBIA RECORDS STORY AND 360 SOUND: THE COLUMBIA RECORDS STORY: LEGENDS AND LEGACY ON APPLE'S iBOOKSTORE

Columbia Records is celebrating its 125th anniversary with the release of a book entitled 360 Sound: The Columbia Records Story about the great American label and its role in initiating recorded music, cultivating great artists, and igniting cultural change. Written by Pulitzer Prize- and Grammy-nominated author and historian Sean Wilentz, the book provides a journey through Columbia Records' storied past and its contributions to entertainment from the invention of commercial recording through the present day. The Columbia Records Story is available for purchase exclusively on the iBookstore for $14.99.

The second book is available for free and is also exclusive to Apple's iBookstore. It includes over 300 photos and 263 audio clips to enhance celebrated music journalist Dave Marsh's 360 Sound: The Columbia Records Story: Legends and Legacy. Readers can tap to watch videos of artists including Bruce Springsteen, Miles Davis, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday, Janis Joplin, Simon & Garfunkel, and Adele. Audio clips of all 263 songs in the Marsh book are playable from each song listing in the book. This innovative multi-media offering brings the artists and their music to life in an unprecedented way.

360 Sound includes 300 rare and intimate photographs from the Columbia archives and sidebar discussions of crucial developments and performers written by eminent music historians Dave Marsh and Colin Escott. The book offers a virtual history of the music industry from its infancy, tracing Columbia's pivotal technological as well as business innovations, not least its invention of the LP. It also reflects on the connection between Columbia's artists and music and sweeping cultural and political changes, from the emergence of mass commercial culture to the rise of the civil rights movement and beyond.

Download both 360 Sound: The Columbia Records Story and 360 Sound: Legends and Legacy from the iBookstore on iPad or at www.iTunes.com/iBookstore.

Source: Columbia Records

REGGAE GOLDEN JUBILEE - ORIGINS OF JAMAICA MUSIC - 50TH ANNIVERSARY (VAROUS ARTISTS)

A sprawling set that commemorates the Reggae Golden Jubilee– one that's beautifully put together by VP – and featuring 100 pivotal tracks from the early 60s to the late 00s! Selector Mr. Seaga does a pretty terrific job on the tracklist – which focuses as much on tracks that proved to be among the most trailblazing as it does on big hits. It touches on the styles and subgenres from throughout reggae's history – from ska, to rocksteady, reggae, dub, deejay, dancehall and beyond – with bellwether material by Theophilus Beckford, Higgs & Wilson, Skatalites, U-Roy, Peter Tosh, Jimmy Cliff, Yellowman, Third World, Dennis Brown, Maxi Priest, Sugar Minott, Beres Hammond, Sizzla, Shaggy and many, many more. "Dumplins" by Byron Lee & The Dragonaires, "They Got To Go" by Prince Buster, "Bring Home" by Justin Hines & The Dominoes, "Rough And Tough" by Stranger Cole, "Hypocrite" by The Heptones, "Occupation" by Don Drummond & The Skatalites, "Wear You To The Ball" by U-Roy & The Paragons, "The A Fi Get A Beatin'" by Peter Tosh, "Police And Thieves" by Junior Murvin, "Uptown Ranking" by Althea & Donna, "Over Me" by Yellowman, "Pass The Dutchie" by Musical Youth, "Try Jah Love" by Third World, "Wild World" by Maxie Priest, "One Blood" by Junior Reid, "Murder She Wrote" by Chaka Demus & Pliers, "Putting Up Resistance", by Beres Hammond, "You Don't Love Me (No No No)" by Dawn Penn, "Untold Stories" by Buju Banton, "Black Woman And Child" by Sizzla, "Gimme The Light" by Sean Paul, "Pon De River, Pon De Bank" by Elephant Man, "Welcome To Jamrock" by Damian "Jr Gong" Marley, "The Harder They Come" by Jimmy Cliff and more. (Limited edition version with a pretty great 64-page booklet of notes and vintage photos.)~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES - BOOKER T & THE MG'S, PATTI LABELLE & THE BLUEBELLES, TAMI LYNN

BOOKER T & THE MG'S - DOIN' OUR THING

Booker T & The MGs – definitely doing their thing on this late 60s cooker – and moving their instrumental sound into a whole new range than before! The album has a very groovy feel – nice and tight, with especially great organ and guitar lines – often tuned towards 60s hits by other soul artists, but reworked strongly by the group's wonderful rhythms, and turned into a really cooking batch of Memphis soul instrumentals! There's a few key original tunes on the set – like the title track "Doin Our Thing" – and the cuts "I Can Dig It" and "Blue On Green" – but the covers are equally great, and include versions of "Ode To Billie Joe", "You Keep Me Hangin On", "Expressway To Your Heart", and "Let's Go Get Stoned". ~ Dusty Groove

BOOKER T & THE MG'S - HIP HUG HER

Booker T's definitely getting a bit funky with this one – stepping off with the incredible title cut, a tune which really complicates the groove from the earlier years! The sound is still solid Memphis soul, with a raw instrumental vibe – but the grooves are even better than before, and the set includes loads of great original number written by the group – the kind of cool tunes they most likely cooked up while jamming live in the studio! These gems include the seminal "Hip Hug Her" – plus "Carnaby Street", "Booker's Notion", "Soul Sanction", "Double Or Nothing", and "Slim Jenkins' Place". But the covers are groovy too – and include a version of "Pigmy", plus "Groovin" and "Sunny". ~ Dusty Groove


PATTI LABELLE & THE BLUEBELLES - OVER THE RAINBOW

Very early work by Patti LaBelle – working here with the young Bluebelles group, but in a setting that still points the way towards the Labelle sound of the 70s – given that the quartet also features vocals from Cindy Birdsong, Sarah Dash, and Nona Hendryx! The style is a great mix of female doo wop and uptown soul – harmony styles really maturing strongly for the 60s, and already taking strong advantage of the amazing vocals of Patti LaBelle! Things are sweet, but have a nice edge too – and even the familiar tunes take on a new life in the hands of the group – as you'll hear on "Over The Rainbow", "People", "More", "Groovy Kind Of Love", "He", "Patti's Prayer", and "Unchained Melody".  ~ Dusty Groove

TAMI LYNN - LOVE IS HERE AND NOW YOU'RE GONE

An incredibly captivating album of female soul – unlike anything else we can think of! Side one features a suite of tracks that details an ill-fated love affair in 4 modes: Introduction, Hoping, Final Attempt, and The Next Time – all done in a mode that mixes standard southern soul with these deeper monologues delivered by Tami in between each track! Lynn performs the work in a starkly intimate style that sends chills down our spine – and which makes you feel like you're listening in on her talking to her best friend – very cool, very personal, and deeper than most other work of its type. Side two is back on the regular tip – with shorter songs overall – but Tami does a pretty good job its range of mellow southern ballads and a few more uptempo numbers. Titles include a version of Andre Williams "Mojo Hanna", plus "Ain't No Soul", "One Night Of Sin", "Love Is Here & Now You're Gone", and "That's Understanding". ~ Dusty Groove

SOLOMON BURKE RE-ISSUES - I WISH I KNEW, THE SOUL SOUNDS OF SOLOMON BURKE: KING SOLOMON, IF YOU NEED ME

SOLOMON BURKE - I WISH I KNEW

One of our favorite albums ever from Solomon Burke – a great little set that draws on all of his deep soul roots for Atlantic, but also gets a little bit funky too! There's a growing maturity in Solomon's music here that we really love – a quality that gets past the churchy cliches, and starts to explore some of the new territory opening up to soul artists at the end of the 60s – influences from all points south, wrapped up in a slightly tighter New York presentation. Titles include Solomon's great version of the hard break classic "Get Out Of My Life, Woman", an amazing remake of "By The Time I Get To Phoenix", and the tracks "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free", "Meet Me In Church", "Since I Met You Baby", "Shame On Me", "Why Why Why", and "Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye". ~ Dusty Groove

SOLOMON BURKE - THE SOUL SOUNDS OF SOLOMON BURKE: KING SOLOMON

Solomon Burke's years at Atlantic just kept getting better and better! He started out very strong at the beginning of the 60s – and by the time of a record like this, he was in strong command of his vocal talents and emotion, such that he could do a fantastic job with just about any song. Proof is in the set here – as Solomon works with a host of New York and southern soul arrangements, on tracks that include versions of "Detroit City", "Presents For Christmas", "Party People", "Woman, How Do You Make Me Love You Like I Do", "It's Just A Matter Of Time", "Time Is A Thief", and "It's Been A Change". Great stuff all around! ~ Dusty Groove

SOLOMON BURKE - IF YOU NEED ME

Seminal sounds from Solomon Burke – and a record that already has the young singer hitting the full heights of his greatness! There's a vibe here that's unlike anything else – even any of Burke's heavy-hitting contemporaries on Atlantic Records – and the album's key proof that Solomon's easily one of the greatest soul singers who ever lived! His vocals have roots that go very deep, but the strength of his vocals also help bring a new focus to 60s soul as well – a raw power that so many others would try to emulate, yet maybe never hit as well as Burke. A number of cuts here are great originals penned by Solomon, and every number's a gem – with titles that include "Stupidity", "Words", "If You Need Me", "Home In Your Heart", "Tonight My Heart She Is Crying", "I Really Don't Want To Know", and "Send Me Some Loving". ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES - THE PERSUADERS, SAM COOKE, BETTY WRIGHT

THE PERSUADERS - BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO ME

One of the best things to ever happen to The Persuaders – a wonderfully rich album that has the group still sparkling strongly, long after their early hits! The harmonies are wonderful – very much on par with the bigger names at Philly International at the time – and recorded with sweet Sigma Sound production, and arrangements by Tony (not Thom) Bell that are a perfect blend of sweet and soulful – strings at some points, but a bassy bottom at others – so that the group manage to hit some even more righteous moments than before. Tunes are great, too – with some killer originals by Phil Hurtt – and the whole set's a no-filler gem that's kept us coming back for years! Titles include "Some Guys Have All The Luck", "Hold On (Just A Little Bit Longer)", "All Strung Out On You", "Stay With Me", "That's The Way She Is", and "We're Just Trying To Make It". ~ Dusty Groove

THE PERSUADERS - THE PERSUADERS

The second album by this sublime 70s soul harmony group – and a real treasure trove of under-discovered soul numbers all the way through! Most tracks are written by group member Bobby Poindexter – making for a fresh, unified batch of tunes – handled by the quartet in a style that's even more mature than their previous work – really hitting some heights that should have made them huge! Yet despite that lack of fame to score again with the same big hit as "Thin Line" from their debut – or maybe because of it – the record's a great fresh discovery – the kind of treasure you'll love if you dig east coast group soul as much as we do – especially work along the Philly/New Jersey side of the spectrum. Titles include "Peace In The Valley Of Love", "Bad Bold & Beautiful Girl", "Love Goes Good When Things Go Bad", "What Is The Definition Of Love", and "Trying Girls Out". ~ Dusty Groove

SAM COOKE - TRIBUTE TO THE LADY

An early gem from the great Sam Cooke – a pre-RCA session, but one that already has Sam showing a stronger jazzy side of his talents – as you might guess from the title! The Lady, in this case, is the late Billie Holiday – recently passed at the time of this recording, and lovingly paid tribute to by a young Sam Cooke – with vocals that have a perfect blend of sweet and raspy to really unlock the tension in Holiday's music – yet also deliver the sound with a much different vibe overall. The set's a great example of how strongly Cooke could sing in a sophisticated jazzy style – and he does a great job with Holiday standards like "God Bless The Child", "Solitude", "Lover Girl", and "They Can't Take That Away From Me". Rene Hall did the orchestrations – and the album's an interesting example of how Cooke, like Holiday, could work within conventional forms to work a subtly progressive agenda! CD features 21 numbers in all – lots of bonus tracks that include "Today I Sing The Blues", "The Gypsy", "All Of My Life", "I Cover The Waterfront", "When I Fall In Love", and "Oh Look At Me Now". (SHM-CD!) ~ Dusty Groove

BETTY WRIGHT - HARD TO STOP

A deep soul classic from Betty Wright – one of her earliest albums of the 70s, and a Miami soul landmark that was one of the greatest female southern soul records of the time! Although Betty was well known for her earlier hit "Clean Up Woman", she didn't give into that fame – and keeps things mighty real on this set by working in a slow-burning deep soul mode. The vibe is nice and laidback, with plenty of mellow keyboard touches, subdued horn passages, and round, full sound served up to perfection by producers Clarence Reid and Willie Clarke. Titles include "Sweet Wonder", "Gimme Back My Man", "Who'll Be the Fool", "If You Think You've Got Soul", "It's Hard to Stop", and "The Experts".  ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES - OHIO PENITENTIARY 511 JAZZ ENSEMBLE, FREDDIE HUBBARD, BEN E. KING

OHIO PENITENTIARY 511 JAZZ ENSEMBLE - HARD LUCK SOUL

A beautiful lost relic, and a monster batch of long jazzy grooves! The album was recorded in the great tradition of "musicans in prison" albums, like those by The Escorts in the early 70s, and it features an incredibly soulful band made up of jazz musicians in lockdown at the Ohio State Penitentiary during the mid 70s! We don't recognize any of the names on the album, but the players work with a hell of a lot of soul and spirit – on longer tracks that almost have the feel of 70s work by The Pharoahs or Phil Cohran's Artistic Heritage Ensemble. Way better than anything you'd usually get of this nature – and definitely light years beyond any school or army band recording – and much more like a 70s underground spiritual jazz set. All of the material was written and arranged by Logan Rollins, and the tracks have a large group feel, with long drawn out grooves, and plenty of room for nice nice solos – and titles include "Psych City", "Mantra Dance", "Counterry Bosa Davan", and "Java Man". (Limited numbered edition of 1000 copies.) ~ Dusty Groove

FREDDIE HUBBARD - MISTRAL

An overlooked gem from Freddie Hubbard – a late fusion outing, done for the Japanese market at a time when most of his American work was returning to more acoustic modes! Freddie's trumpet sparkles brilliantly in the lead – hitting the same sort of soulful, stretching vibe as his best CTI recordings from the mid 70s – served up with an equally great mix of electric and acoustic instrumentation in the arrangements! The lineup of musicians is pretty unique, too – with Art Pepper on alto, George Cables on acoustic and electric piano, Phil Ranelin on trombone, and Roland Bautista on guitars – usually working in these gentle grooving rhythms that have a soulful stepping vibe – and which really let Freddie soar on his trumpet solos. Titles include "Eclipse", "Sunshine Lady", "I Love You", and "Bring It Back Home". ~ Dusty Groove

BEN E. KING - WHAT IS SOUL?

An overlooked later gem from Ben E King – and a record that goes way past the overplayed hits of the early years! Ben's always been a hell of a singer – but on a record like this, we can really rediscover his genius all over again – hearing him on a fresh batch of Atlantic recordings from the 60s – raspy charm fully intact, and set to some growing sophistication in the uptown backings – some of which even introduce a slight touch of funk to King's groove! The key cut in this respect is the amazing title cut – "What Is Soul" – worth the price of the album alone, but mixed with loads of other nice ones too – including "Teeny Weeny Little Bit", "Katherine", "There's No Place To Hide", 'Get In A Hurry", "Cry No More", and "The Record". ~ Dusty Groove

Tuesday, November 06, 2012

NEW RELEASES - HENRY 'SKIPPER' FRANKIN, HOT 8 BRASS BAND, VESTA

HENRY 'SKIPPER' FRANKLIN & CREW - JUNE NIGHT

Killer contemporary work from bassist Henry Franklin – an artist who's every bit as hip today as he was back in the 70s! This smoking set is one of Henry's recent gems on his own label – a soulful, soaring session that really shows that his energy hasn't dimmed a bit – and a record that's done with an underground, indie vibe that really lives up to the rest of Franklin's rich legacy! Most tracks here have a strongly spiritual quality – stretching forth wonderfully with performances by a group that includes Franklin on bass, Theo Saunders on piano, Gilbert Castellanos on trumpet, Chuck Manning on tenor, and Ryan Porter on trombone – the last three of whom are horn players who really make Henry's musical vision sparkle. Dwight Trible provides guest vocals on the track "Queen Of Tangents", Mon David sings on "A Love Song For Midori" – and other instrumental tracks include "Neko", "Four By Five", "Thump", "The Purple Gazelle", and "My Daddy's Jazz". ~ Dusty Groove

HOT 8 BRASS BAND - LIFE & TIMES OF THE HOT 8 BRASS BAND

A brilliant return from the Hot 8 Brass Band – a New Orleans combo who take tradition into some great funky new territory! As you'd guess from their name, the instrumentation is heavy on brass – played with a gritty, soulful edge – in the way you'd find during some street performance in a corner far from the mainstream Quarter – sometimes accompanied by ensemble vocals, and almost always driven by these great rhythms at the bottom – more than funky enough to set even the heaviest horns on fire with their energy. Titles include "Bingo Bango", "Fine Tuner", "Steamin Blues", "Can't Hide From The Truth", "New Orleans (After The City)", and a nice remake of The Specials' "Ghost Town". ~ Dusty Groove

VESTA - SEVEN

Extending a tradition that stretches from Aretha Franklin to Sarah Vaughn, singer, songwriter, Vesta Williams contributed to the soulful mix of musical era and genres during her career. Simply put, Vesta Williams is a musical legend. Before her death in September 22, 2011, Vesta released 6 studio albums that has produced “Congratulations” “Sweet Sweet Love” “4U” and “Special”. Her upcoming studio release “Seven” is completed and contains the wonderful vocals and arrangement that we have expected from her over the last 25 years. Vesta has sold over 2 million albums in her career that this effort will please all her fans. Vesta’s new single “Better Days” is available on Itunes. From Executive Producers Edwin Nicholas, Devon V. Collins and Kahlil I. Pedizisai, Vesta’s Album “Seven” will be available in Stores on March 12, 2013 from Stimuli Music. ~ urbanbridgez.com

Monday, November 05, 2012

MARVIN GAYE - TROUBLE MAN; 40TH ANNIVERSARY EXPANDED EDITION

Marvin's Overlooked Film Score Masterpiece, With 29 Unreleased Tracks

Marvin Gaye was already a hit artist for a decade when, in 1971, he reached new heights with his landmark album What's Going On. His next move? A mostly instrumental, orchestral jazz-soul soundtrack for the forgotten 1972 film Trouble Man. The album, though a surprise to followers, was a hit, producing a top 10 pop title track and legions of new fans, including musicians who started the acid-jazz movement from its bones.

This November 19, for Trouble Man's 40th anniversary, Hip-oSelect.com/Motown releases an extraordinary exploration of Marvin's creative leap: a 2-CD Expanded Edition that features not only the original soundtrack album remastered but 29 unreleased performances, including alternate takes, rare vocals and -- for the first time ever -- the full score for the film. Until the hardly seen film was repeated on television and issued on DVD in the last decade, many fans were unaware that Gaye's film score and soundtrack album contained different music. They are now together, giving fans double the musical experience.

Trouble Man: 40th Anniversary Expanded Edition follows the tradition of previous Marvin Gaye reissues, by adding a beautiful digi-pak package that includes a 28-page booklet with photo outtakes, dozens of rare picture sleeves from around the world, and richly detailed text and track-by-track annotations. The set's main essay by musicologist Dr. Andrew Flory tells the long-overlooked story behind the album, while various sidebar and additional essays include commentary from film directors Cameron Crowe and George Tillman Jr., and artists Lenny Kravitz, Joni Mitchell and Christian McBride.

Track list
Disc 1
1. Main Theme From Trouble Man (2)
2. "T" Plays It Cool
3. Poor Abbey Walsh
4. The Break In (Police Shoot Big)
5. Cleo's Apartment
6. Trouble Man
7. Theme From Trouble Man
8. "T" Stands For Trouble
9. Main Theme From Trouble Man
10. Life Is A Gamble
11. Deep-In-It
12. Don't Mess With Mr. T
13. There Goes Mr. T
14. Main Theme From Trouble Man (2) alternate take with strings
15. "T" Plays it Cool unedited version
16. Poor Abbey Walsh, Part 2 Take 1
17. Poor Abbey Walsh, Part 2 Take 2
18. Trouble Man extended version
19. Theme From Trouble Man vocal version
20. "T" Stands for Trouble unedited vocal version
21. "T" Stands for Trouble alternate version
22. Main Theme from Trouble Man vocal version

Disc 2
1. Trouble Man
2. Pool Hall
3. "T" Plays It Cool
4. Cadillac Interlude/Cleo's Apartment
5. Man Tied Up/Jimmy's West/Conversation with Cleo
6. Crap Game (a.k.a. The Break In)/Getting Rid Of Body/Talking To Angel
7. Outside Police Station
8. Bowling Alley Parking Lot
9. Stick Up
10. Cleaners/Cleo
11. Closing Jimmy's
12. Police Break In
13. "T" Cleans Up/Police Station
14. Packing Up/Jimmy Gets Worked/Saying Goodbye/"T" Breaks In/Movie Theater
15. Car Ride/Looking for Pete
16. Parking Garage/Elevator
17. Penthouse
18. Getting Pete
19. My Name Is "T"/End Credits
20. "T" At The Cross

Disc 1, tracks 1-13: Original LP
Disc 1, tracks 14-22: Previously Unreleased Bonus Tracks
Disc 2, tracks 1-19: Previously Unreleased Original Film Score
Disc 2, track 20: Previously Unreleased Film Band Bonus Track

TEENA MARIE'S FINAL ALBUM 'BEAUTIFUL' SET FOR RELEASE IN JANUARY 2013, SINGLE 'LUV LETTER' OUT NOW

Before her untimely death at the age of 54 on the day after Christmas 2010, Teena Marie, known as the Ivory Queen of Soul or simply Lady Tee as one of the only white artists ever signed to Motown Records, wrote, produced, arranged and sang on 13 albums that have sold 2.5 million copies. Starting with her 1979, Rick James-produced debut, Wild and Peaceful, Teena Marie’s many soul and R&B hits include “Square Biz,” “Behind the Groove,” “I Need Your Lovin’,” “Fire and Desire,” “Lovergirl” and “Ooo La La La,” a song famously sampled by the Fugees.

Teena Marie was working on her 14th and latest album for Universal Music Enterprises, Beautiful, at the time of her passing, the follow-up to 2009′s Congo Square, which peaked at #4 on the R&B chart and went to #20 on the album chart, producing the Top 12 Urban AC hit, “Can’t Last a Day.” Recorded at her own Pasadena home studio and finished except for final mixes, Beautiful was seen through to its conclusion by Teena’s 20-year-old daughter Alia Rose, who sings on three of the tracks (joining her mom on “Rare Breed” and “Sweet Tooth,” both of which she co-wrote-along with “Beautiful”-as well as a cover of Curtis Mayfield’s “Give Me Your Love”). The first single, “Luv Letter,” which has just gone to radio, is just that, an homage to Tee’s Motown roots, with nods to Stevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours,” and a dedication to Alia’s father, who just happened to be a postman, like in the Marvelettes’ song of the same name. The album comes out Jan. 15, 2013.

The project, with its intimations of death, was a difficult one for Alia, with her mom seemingly prescient about her destiny on songs like “Rare Breed,” where she sings, “I could say I had the world here in my hands and not believe/That angels sat beside me to protect my very dreams.” She even plays a radio DJ “broadcasting to you from a heavenly station” in “The Long Play.”

“It was a very dark and emotional time for me,” explains Alia, who has just opened a Hollywood recording facility, Chateau Marie, as a memoriam, with partner, Odd Future’s “Syd tha Kyd” Bennett, using much of the equipment from her mom’s home studio. “The project was a bittersweet thing. I knew that only I could get it done, but I almost didn’t want to finish because I knew it would be the last time I’d get to work on it.”

The album was co-produced by Teena’s longtime musical director, bassist/composer Doug Grigsby, whose credits include Michael Jackson, Patti LaBelle, Mariah Carey, Stephanie Mills, Teddy Pendergrass, Rick James and Luther Vandross, among others. It was recorded and mixed by Erik Zobler, whose studio credits include Jackson’s Off the Wall as well as Miles Davis, Natalie Cole, Whitney Houston, Anita Baker and Gladys Knight, among many others. But the real impetus came from Teena’s only daughter, who made sure this final product would do justice to her mom’s legacy.

“If you listen to the lyrics, it’s almost as if she was making that transition to the spiritual world as the record was being made, which is incredible,” says Alia. “It’s like we’re going on this journey with her.”

Rick James’ daughter Ty lends vocal support on “Rare Breed,” while the title track is a lush ballad composed by Teena Marie when she was vacationing on the Turks and Caicos Islands with Alia, “just walking on the beach, having fun in the sand. thinking about how much of herself was in me.”

Now that Beautiful is about to be released, Alia is looking forward to thinking about her own future in music with her new recording studio.

“I get to help other people, and if something comes along for me, of course, I will take that opportunity,” she says. “My mom always intended for her studio to be used by my friends, and now that’s going to be what happens.”

At the end of the day, though, Alia Rose is a young woman that lost her mother, who just happened to be a “rock star,” as she describes her, at a too-young age.

“My mom and I were very close,” she says. “We talked. I’m very much like my mother. She was not just my mom, she was my best friend and my sister. We fought like sisters, too. I know what real love is from my mom.”

Beautiful is a mother’s gift to her daughter, who returns the gesture the only way she knows how, by completing it. The end result is a true labor of love.

Source: urbanbridgez.­com

NEW RELEASES - CODY CHESNUTT, JACARANDA MUSE, CRAIG BRANN WITH GREGORY TARDY

CODY CHESNUTT - LANDING ON A HUNDRED

Ten years since his underground Headphone Masterpiece and Cody Chesnutt is finally back with a proper follow up – one that has a more fully-fleshed out production – and it’s pretty damn great! There's some striking differences in approach, but thankfully, the idiosyncratic creative bent remains! Where Headphones Masterpiece was a mind-bogglingly ambitious low fi bedroom production, this one was at least partially recorded at Willie Mitchell's legendary Royal Studios in Memphis, with a great group of studio musicians. This one is also more focused – and features a tight batch of 12 songs – as opposed to the sprawling double album debut. Cody's ear for classic southern soul craft informs this one – but his raw lyricism and great voice are still the focus, and that ultimately makes this one another near-classic! We hope it won't take 10 years to make another record, but we're sure glad we finally got this one! Includes "'Til I Met Thee", "I've Been Life", "That's Still Mama", "Don't Follow Me", "Everybody's Brother", "Love Is More Than A Wedding Day", "Under The Spell Of The Handout", "Don't Wanna Go The Other Way", "Where Is All The Money Going", "Scroll Call" and more. ~ Dusty Groove
JACARANDA MUSE - SEPTEMBER SUN

A pretty compelling little quartet – a jazz combo from Zimbabwe, and one who play with a lot of spiritual jazz overtones – yet also throw in some occasional vocals in English! Instrumentation is pretty unique – like some of the hipper experiments on Strata East in the 70s – with a mix of piano, mbira, cello, alto sax, percussion, and marimba – all used in shifting rhythmic passages that have a really hypnotic feel – almost the same sort of slow-building energy of some of Phil Cohran's classic recordings, but with a bit more focus on the vocal tunes. Singer Vimbai Mukarati is great – with a voice that makes his lyrics way more than just an afterthought – and titles include "Let You Go", "Thirty Five", "September Sun", "Kunakirwa", "Moonlight", "Free Fall", "Coming Home", and "Underwater Subway". ~ Dusty Groove

CRAIG BRANN WITH GREGORY TARDY - ADVENTURE

A Christmas jazz album – even though you might not guess it from the title and cover – and one that really takes a fresh approach to a wide range of Holiday classics! Guitarist Craig Brann isn't content to simply rehash old melodies – and instead really steps out with creative jazz reworkings of these classic tunes – re-arranging almost all of them with a fresh sense of rhythms, and some angular energy that makes them all a lot more striking than most familiar versions! Tunes are short, but get in plenty of creative changes – and in addition to Brann's guitar, the set also features tenor and alto from Gregory Tardy, piano from Joel Weiskopf, and alto from Nicholas Kozak. Maybe the most openly creative Christmas jazz album since God Rest Ye Merry Jazzmen – with titles that include "We Three Kings", "Angels We Have Heard On High", "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen", "Hark The Herald", "Little Drummer Boy", and "Joy To The World". ~ Dusty Groove

THE GREG FOAT GROUP - GIRL AND ROBOT WITH FLOWERS

It's been a year since the magnificent Dark Is The Sun first enchanted listeners back in 2011, and we're thrilled to announce the next installment of mesmerizing non-contemporary jazz by The Greg Foat Group with their new album Girl And Robot With Flowers.

Evading the dreaded 'second album syndrome' with consummate ease, Girl And Robot With Flowers is a sonic soundscape of epic proportions that leaves Dark Is The Sun in the dust while propelling the listener into infinity and beyond!

With a doff of the hat to sci-fi writer Brian Aldiss, we're whisked off on a thematic journey into the emotive and enthralling realms of cinematic jazz, seductive ambience and exciting, majestic drama. Often unpredictable and certainly never dull, British pianist/composer/arranger Greg Foat uses everything from brass bands and kettle drums, to Moog synthesizer and harmonium, to take us above and beyond the stratosphere of our senses.

As with Dark Is The Sun, this album was recorded in a unique, pure analogue studio in Sweden to capture the full warmth and dynamic range of the wide variety of instruments utilized. The spacious, high quality sound that was achieved by recording direct to tape through high quality vintage equipment is absolutely impeccable, revealing in stunning detail a magical atmosphere the likes of which is rarely heard in the current climate of digitalization and mp3s.

Over the years Greg Foat has collaborated with musicians and artists such as Wendy James, Questlove (of The Roots), The Black Lips, and Justice and The Bees. This past year has been a busy one with tours of Europe and the UK, exposing their music to seasoned audiences; Jamie Cullum, Chris Evans, Gilles Peterson, Craig Charles, Ozwald Boateng, Helena Christiansen, Jude Law, Benicio Del Toro, Lindsay Lohan are just a few of the many faces who have enjoyed the music of The Greg Foat Group

THE CLARE FISCHER LATIN JAZZ BIG BAND - ¡RITMO!

The New Clare Fischer Album ¡Ritmo! 
Celebrates twenty years of father and son collaboration, featuring 
the Clare Fischer Latin Jazz Big Band, Poncho Sanchez & Alex Acuña, directed and produced by Brent Fischer.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the writing/arranging partnership between Brent Fischer and versatile pianist, composer, and arranger, the late Dr. Clare Fischer. Their new album ¡Ritmo! is the Fischers' 52nd release following their 2011 Grammy-nominated album Continuum. "I've produced the last five Clare Fischer albums for Clavo Records, with more to come," says Brent Fischer, director of the Clare Fischer bands.

¡Ritmo! is danceable and all-original material. Tropical music (Afro-Cuban, Brazilian) meets signature Fischer harmonies. Dr. Fischer founded Salsa Picante, his Latin Jazz group, thirty-five years ago. Poncho Sanchez and Alex Acuña were in the band's '78 line up. "Fans know and love these tunes," says Brent, who organized an impressive group of veteran players for this album. Poncho and Alex appear on San Francisco PM, a mambo arranged by Brent and mixed by 11-time Grammy-winner Rafa Sardina. "Rafa and Matt Brownlie did an outstanding job to help bring our creative vision to life," says Brent.

¡Ritmo! is the big band version of Salsa Picante with fifteen horns. Stellar musicians also include: Luis Conte, Peter Erskine, Steve Khan, Alan Pasqua, Don Shelton (Hi-Lo's, Singers Unlimited), Carl Saunders, Andy Martin, Ron Stout, Steve Huffsteter, Pete De Siena, Scott Whitfield, Francisco Torres, Bill Reichenbach, Alex Budman, Rob Hardt, and Jeff Driskill.

¡Ritmo! offers nine never-before-released arrangements by the Fischers. The song collection is like a Clare Fischer greatest hits playlist. Here you'll find big band versions of Fischer classics like Funquiado, Guarabe and Machaca.
Brent Fischer arranged two tracks and penned Rainforest, inspired by nature and Latin rhythms. "It blends our worldwide music influences with the highly idiomatic aspects of Latin rhythms and uses sonic colors to continue awareness of the rainforests that replenish our world in countless ways," says Brent, who plays electric basses, vibraphone, marimba, and keyboards on the CD.

Clare Fischer's legacy continues through Brent, who has shared music with his father for decades. "I've been recording my Dad for a long time to make sure we'll have his keyboard parts on future releases. Technology makes it possible for us to play together on this and future albums, similar to Natalie Cole's Unforgettable," says Brent.

Visit THE JAZZ NETWORK WORLDWIDE "A GREAT PLACE TO HANG" at: http://www.thejazznetworkworldwide.com/?xg_source=msg_mes_network

Friday, November 02, 2012

SPENCER DAY - THE MYSTERY OF YOU

In the three years since the release of Vagabond, his debut recording on Concord Records, vocalist-songwriter-pianist Spencer Day has spent some time in the uncomfortable places where light and clarity disappear into the mysteries of uncertainty. He survived the journey, and he’s come back with a story to tell and a wiser perspective about himself and the world. That story – rooted in his own experience, yet filled with revelations and truths that are universal to any human being who has ever put his or her heart at risk – is captured in the 14 tracks of The Mystery of You, his new album set for release on Concord Jazz on March 12, 2013 (international release dates may vary).

Filled with stylistic nuances that range from smoky noir to Latin jazz to surf guitar to Middle Eastern and Asian melodies, The Mystery of You tracks the sometimes exhilarating, sometimes harrowing arc of a romantic relationship from passionate beginning to painful demise to enlightened aftermath. More than just a survivor’s tale, the album is Day’s affirmation to anyone within the sound of his voice that navigating the human experience is an ongoing balancing act.

“It’s been one of the hardest things I’ve ever dealt with in my adult life, but it’s also been a huge opportunity for growth,” Day says of the ill-fated relationship and the music that emerged from it. “Each of these songs represents a different phase in that growth process. Along the way, I really started trying to understand my own psychology.”
Self-exploration is nothing new to Day, who recalls a troubled childhood in a conservative town in Utah, and a volatile home life resulting from his parents’ troubled marriage. His primary means of escape were music and movies. He grew up listening to a wide cross-section of composers, including Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Joni Mitchell, John Lennon and Paul Simon. And the classic MGM musicals in the local theater – the only options available in his G-rated hometown – eventually left their mark on his creative sensibilities.

He didn’t start performing in public until age 21, mostly singing standards in piano bars and retirement homes. “I was probably three or four years into that when I realized that that wasn’t totally satisfying to me,” he recalls. “I realized that I needed to write as well.” That’s when things got into high gear.

His 2004 debut album, Introducing Spencer Day, was primarily a collection of standards, but the title track from Movie of Your Life, released the following year, won the San Francisco Academy of Art University’s 2005 competition for best original song. The resulting video was selected by Dolby Laboratories as a demonstration video for the global launch of the Dolby 7.1 system.

Day performed at the 2007 San Francisco Jazz Festival, and has been a recurring headliner in a number of high-profile Bay Area clubs, including Yoshi’s, the Plush Room, the Great American Music Hall and the Herbst Theatre. On the opposite coast, he has earned raves for performances at the Town Hall, Joe’s Pub and the Canal Room in New York City , and the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. He has also appeared at both the Monterey Jazz Festival and the Tanglewood Jazz Festival.

Vagabond, released in 2009, was a musical hybrid that drew from the Great American Songbook, but also maintained an alternate aesthetic that sidestepped easy categorization by borrowing from influences like Burt Bacharach, Roy Orbison and Dusty Springfield.

But while The Mystery of You also draws from a range of sources, the result is a much more personal tale. The story opens with the noir-ish title track. Filled with the unlikely combination of James Bond guitar riffs, Middle Eastern strings and Motown drum fills, the track explores the intrigue that comes with the early stages of getting to know someone. “The goal was to constantly surprise the listener’s ear with new sounds,” says Day. “And at the same time, it’s this classic torch song that talks about love like a crime scene.”

The symphonic “Soul on Fire” chronicles the head-over-heels tumble that takes place at the early stage of every relationship. “This was a chance to write in this unapologetically dramatic way, with a string arrangement and a great ‘60s nuance,” he says. “The strings ultimately build to a frenzy and capture the passion that’s so common early on.”

Further into the set, the minimally produced “Love and War” is an acknowledgment of vulnerability. “This is the moment when you realize that you may already be in too deep, and there’s a very real potential to be hurt,” says Day. “This track comes after three uptempo, fully-produced tracks, so given the subject matter, it seemed like the right moment to bring the production down a little bit.”

In the quiet and poignant “I Don’t Want To Know,” vocalist Gabi Moreno makes one of several appearances on the record to share the lyrics with Day. “This represents the turning point in the relationship, the moment when you realize that the end is actually here but you just don’t want to acknowledge it,” says Day. “There’s a jazz piano solo in the outro, along with an electronic drum loop. The goal was to create a slow and steady build, something that would enable the track to gain momentum as it sails into the distance.”

“The Answer” pays homage to Roy Orbison, a longtime favorite of Day’s – and perhaps the most gifted writer of heartache songs in the last six decades of pop music. “That’s basically the moment when you’ve packed everything in your car and you’re driving away, hoping that someday the reasons why it all came to an end will be clear.”

And somehow they are, eventually. “Somewhere on the Other Side” is built on the hope that if you can get through the hard part, things do get better. “I wrote that in the depths of despair,” says Day. “It’s almost like an early American Quaker spiritual. I was just trying to remind myself that if I could make it through this, there would be a sacred place that I could get to on the other side.”

He finds that place in “I’m Going Home,” which Day refers to as a song about gratitude. “It’s about returning home – not necessarily a physical place, but more a matter of redeveloping a relationship with yourself. This was an opportunity to combine an electric piano with an acoustic piano solo I recorded in L.A. It really works in this minimalist Brian Eno kind of way. There are some strange but interesting textures that pop up and catch your ears.”

In the end, Day sees The Mystery of You as an effort to chronicle a relationship in much the same way as an abstract painting would. “It’s going to be a different experience for everyone, and different tracks will resonate differently with each listener,” he says. “But I think the goal is to let people find themselves somewhere within the music, and find something in common with the experiences that inspired the writing of the music. I think the goal of any artist should be to take a situation that’s personal and draw out those things that are universal.”

Source: Concord Music

NEW RELEASES - FRED LOCKS, FANGNAWA EXPERIENCE, YOUSSOU N'DOUR

FRED LOCKS - BLACK STAR LINER IN DUB

Pretty nice dub versions of Fred Locks' Black Star Liner record – an underappreciated mid 70s record – and these rare and largely unreleased dubs are excellent, too! The dubs are vintage, but as far as we know, most haven't been released commercially before – at least not in this great full length format. Wonderful stuff! Includes "Black Star Liner In Dub", "Redemption Dub", "I've Got A Dub", "Dub-A-Long", "True Rastaman Dub", "Blood Money Dub", "Wolf In Dub Clothing", "Last Days Dub", "Children Of Sedlassie Dub", "Wall Of Dub" and "True Rastaman Dub". ~ Dusty Groove

FANGNAWA EXPERIENCE - FANGA / MAALEM ABDALLAH GUINEA

Strut announce a groundbreaking project for November 2012, a unique fusion of Afrobeat and Moroccan Gnawa music from respected French Afro collective Fanga and leading Moroccan maâlem (Gnawa master), Abdallah Guinéa with his band Nasse Ejadba. Curated by the excellent, forward-thinking Détours du Monde festival in Montpelier, France during 2011 in association with Nueva Onda, the collaboration re-interprets Fanga classics, cherry-picking tracks from their 15-year career. “Our objective from the sessions was not so much to create an entirely new flow but more to bring the real Gnawa sound and trance feeling to some of our songs – we wanted to make the songs work so neither group’s sound was compromised. For us, it was also a human and cultural meeting. We represent two continents but also two ways of thinking and two completely different styles of life.” The two styles prove to be naturally compatible throughout. Leading out front on the tracks, Burkina Fasso-born Fanga bandleader Korbo and Guinéa share lead vocal duties. Guinéa builds his trademark ‘Fusion Trance’ through spiritual evocations, rolling, hypnotic rhythms and gimbri melodies while, by turn, Korbo serves up food for reflection, touching on the right to be different and promoting harmony between man and nature whilst denouncing the social injustices that result from an economic system out of control and designed to benefit the few. Rich, thought-provoking and effortlessly funky, ‘Fangnawa Experience’ is an ambitious piece of work and another significant chapter in the open-minded and cross-cultural climate for modern world music. Fanga and Maâlem Abdallah Guinéa will be touring Europe during 2013. ~ Strut Records

YOUSSOU N'DOUR - FROM SENEGAL TO THE WORLD - 80s CLASSICS & RARITIES   Both sides of one of the biggest breakout stars of the 80s – an artist who helped bring the sound of Senegal to a huge new audience, and whose music went onto become one of the building blocks for world music at the time! The package is divided up into two completely different slices of work – one CD of international hits, including a few key collaborations – and another CD that features early tapes from Senegal – some wonderful early material that really opens up our understanding of Youssou N'Dour! These tracks mostly feature Youssou working with Etoile De Dakar – getting lively backing, in a sometimes rough-edged way – all a great contrast to some of the more polished projects from later years – in a way that really brings us a new appreciation of his vocals. The package features 11 gems from these early days – titles that include "Aziz", "Yalaye Dogol", "Independence", "Tabaski", "Bandjoly Ndiaye", "Alboury", and "Thioule Anta" – plus 17 more hits that include "Set", "Shakin The Tree", "One Day", "Bamako", "Miyoko", "Kocc Barma", "Old Tuscon", "Diabaram", and "Xale". ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES - JASON PALMER, HAN BENNINK, DAVID HAZELTINE

JASON PALMER PLAYS MINNIE RIPERTON - TAKE A LITTLE TRIP

A really striking little cover – one based on the front image of Minnie Riperton's classic Perfect Angel album from the 70s – and a batch of music that really opens up whole new territory in Riperton's rich musical legacy! The set's way more than you might expect – hardly just a straight or smooth jazz take on classics by Minnie – and instead an openly creative project that takes the core structure of the songs, then pulls them apart – especially when it comes to the rhythms – so that the players continually revisit the lovely melodies created by Riperton, yet also fly free in musical moments inspired by her energy. Palmer's trumpet is great – pointed, yet soulful throughout – and other instrumentation by the quintet includes Fender Rhodes from Jake Sherman, guitar from Greg Duncan, bass from Edward Perez, and drums from Lee Fish. Titles include "Memory Lane", "Inside My Love", "I'm In Love Again", "Lovin You", "Adventures In Paradise", and "I'm A Woman". Dusty Groove

HAN BENNINK - BENNINK & CO

A great setting for the creative percussion of drummer Han Bennink – a really well-balanced trio that features piano from Simon Toldam and a range of reeds from Joachim Badenhorst – a player with a nice sense of warmth amidst his freedom, and an artist who seems to bring out the same in Bennink as well! The set's still got some of the bold energy you'd expect from Han's classic work on the European free jazz scene – but there's also an inherent tunefulness at most spots too, and a personal mix of melody and lyricism that really humanizes the record – and makes it one of the best things we've heard from Bennink in years! The shift is almost the same as when Lol Coxhill and a few of his contemporaries recorded for the Nato label in the 80s – a performance that still holds strong to all the territory that Han has gained over the years, but which also has a soulful personality that really stands out. Titles include "Klein Gebrek Geen Bezwaar", "Meet Me Tonight In Dreamland", "Dog", "Lauren", "Inside Inside", "Ganz", and "Kiefer". ~ Dusty Groove

DAVID HAZELTINE - THE NEW CLASSIC TRIO W/ GEORGE MRAZ / JOE FARNSWORTH

David Hazeltine's a player who we love more and more with each new record – a pianist who's been recording for many years, yet one who's really grown a lot too! This set is a perfect example of the way Hazeltine's been capturing our ears of late – a great trio outing that has plenty of the sharp punch that always made David one of the best rhythmic accompanists on the New York scene – yet also a mature lyricism that makes him especially compelling in a smaller group like this – a sense of flow we never would have expected a decade ago, and a unified trio energy that also comes from great work by George Mraz on bass and Joe Farnsworth on drums. Jose Alexis Diaz joins the group on congas for a few tracks – and titles include "Hob Nob With Brother Bob", "I Wish I Knew", "I'll Let You Know", "Blues For Sharpie", "Another Divergence", "The Rebound", and "Bossa For All" – an especially nice original by Hazeltine! ~ Dusty Groove

Thursday, November 01, 2012

NEW RELEASES - ATLANTIC SOUL LEGENDS, LARRY STONEPHACE STABBINS, WILLIAM KURK

ATLANTIC SOUL LEGENDS - 20 ORIGINAL ALBUMS (VARIOUS ARTISTS)

A really amazing little set – 20 classic soul albums from the Atlantic and Stax Records catalogs – a surprisingly well-chosen collection that features some of our favorite albums of the late 60s and early 70s! Each record is presented in a tiny LP-styled sleeve – which is an additional cool feature of this already-great package – and the range of work runs from the early years of 60s soul to the more righteous side of 70s funk! Albums include The Show Must Go On by Sam Dees, Howard Tate by Howard Tate, Doin What We Wanna by Clarence Wheeler & The Enforcers, Everything Is Everything by Donny Hathaway, Lady Soul by Aretha Franklin, Soul Of A Bell by William Bell, Sweet Soul Music by Arthur Conley, Knock On Wood by Eddie Floyd, Soul Finger by Bar-Kays, Hold On I'm Comin by Sam & Dave, When A Man Loves A Woman by Percy Sledge, In The Midnight Hour by Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding Sings Soul by Otis Redding, Mercy by Don Covay, Under The Boardwalk by The Drifters, Walking The Dog by Rufus Thomas, If You Need Me by Solomon Burke, Don't Play That Song by Ben E King, Green Onions by Booker T & The MGs, and What'd I Say by Ray Charles. ~ Dusty Groove

LARRY STONEPHACE STABBINS - TRANSCENDENTAL

Soaring spiritual jazz from Larry Stabbins – a reedman you might know from his recent Stonephace project for Tru Thoughts, or for his seminal work in the groups Weekend and Working Week! Yet the sound here is something else entirely – a righteous side of Larry's music we never would have expected back in the 80s – as his tenor and flute are mixed with bold, modal lines that recall some of the contemporary spiritual energy from Matthew Halsall and Nat Birchall on the Gondwana label – music that has a similar sort of early 70s approach! Tracks are long and flowing, and very open – with great solos from Larry and sublime piano from Zoe Rahman – whose tones and timing really give the record a lot of energy. Titles include "Noetic", "Immanence", "Transcendental Euphoria", "Soul Train", "White Queen Psychology", and "Africa". ~ Dusty Groove

WILLIAM KURK - SUPER POP FUSION

Neither pop nor fusion – but a great little record that reminds us why we love William Kurk so much! There's definitely some of the jazzy styles promised by the title, but they're mixed in with Kurk's inventive approach to soul music – warm instrumentation wrapped around compelling lyricism, but in a bouncy, playful way that's light years from the usual! This time around, there's a slight echo of 80s ideals – not so much in the music, which still has lots of 70s warmth – but in the criss-crossing of modes, and in the way that acoustic and electric elements are used together to create a really full sound. Titles include "9 by 3", "Revenge Of Mega Man", "Star Of The Sky", "All Of The Time", "Moonrise", "2012", and "Dragon Force". ~ Dusty Groove

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