Amazing sounds from the legendary Rodriguez – the brilliant 70s singer who had a groove that was equal parts soul, funk, rock, and folk – and an overall approach that was pretty darn unique! Most numbers here have some acoustic guitar over slightly funky rhythms – perfectly scored to work with Rodriguez's raspy soul vocals, which have an undeniably heartfelt style – somewhere in a space between Terry Callier and early Jose Feliciano, but very much its own mode too! This CD features great gems from Rodriguez's years at Sussex Records – including three tracks not on the albums – "Can't Get Away", "Street Boy", and "I'll Slip Away" – plus other titles that include "Sugar Man", "Cause", "I Wonder", "Like Janis", "Jane S Piddy", "I Think Of You", "Inner City Blues", and "Sandrevan Lullaby Lifestyles". ~ Dusty Groove
Exactly the kind of bold, powerful album that pianist Orrin
Evans does so well – stretching out strongly, yet never going too far to swing –
driving his trio here with a great deal of force, and definitely reminding us
that the pianist is in the lead! Evans' touch on the keys is amazing – ringing
out with clarity of vision right from the start – and although he gets very able
support from Ben Wolfe on bass and Donald Edwards on drums, it's almost as of
Orrin's ringing out all on his own, and drawing the rhythms along in the
process! Titles include "When", "Big Small", "Clean House", "Flip The Script",
and "Question". ~ Dusty Groove
HIDEO SHIRAKI - HIDEO SHIRAKI PLAYS BOSSA NOVA
Bossa jazz from 60s Japan – a set recorded right around the
same time that Verve first started hitting bossa grooves in the US! The sound
here is sharper than a Verve bossa album, though – with some of the same hardbop
inflections you'd hear on other Hideo Shiraki albums from the time – thanks to
flute and tenor from Sleepy Matsumoto, and trumpet from Hisaya Omata. The tenor
and trumpet come together with almost a Blue Note-styled sort of sound – but the
bossa vibe is still nicely maintained in some of the looser percussion touches
in the rhythms – a great blend that makes the album a real standout in the
Japanese jazz scene of the 60s! Titles include "Sayonara Blues", "Gypsy Blue",
"Deux Step", "Groovy Samba", "Orfeo Negro", and "Tico Tico". ~ Dusty Groove
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