Tuesday, January 19, 2016

NEW RELEASES: HARRY ALLEN FEATURING JOYCE– SOMETHING ABOUT JOBIM; ROBERT STILLMAN – RAINBOW; MATT CAB – SHUNKASHITO

HARRY ALLEN FEATURING JOYCE– SOMETHING ABOUT JOBIM

A lovely little Brazilian-styled set from tenorist Harry Allen – and one that features vocals and guitar from the wonderful Joyce! Almost all titles are originals by Antonio Carlos Jobim – as you'd guess from the title – but Allen's deep-voiced approach moves them into very different territory than the usual bossa remakes – and reminds us just how great Jobim's compositions can be as vehicles for jazz improvisation. In addition to guitar from Joyce, the rest of the quintet features Helio Alves on piano, Rodolfo Stroeter on bass, and Tutty Moreno on drums – who further underscore the Brazilian elements – and Joyce sings on three of the album's eleven tracks, always adding a lot when she does! Titles include "Captain Bacardi", "Chovendo Na Roseira", "Theme For Jobim", "Angela", "Voce Vai Ver", "Tema Jazz", "Mojave", and "Antigua".  ~ Dusty Groove

ROBERT STILLMAN – RAINBOW

Robert Stillman sits amidst a host of different instruments on the photo with the album – Fender Rhodes, Tenor, soprano sax, and drums – all of which, and more, he plays with a wonderful sense of expression on this overdubbed set – almost with the personal feel of some obscure indie album from the 70s! The music is partly jazz, and partly instrumental excursions with a beautiful sense of sound – as Stillman works out these lovely textures and tones on one instrument, then overdubs another, and creates some very beautiful, very individual moments in the process. There's almost a spiritual feel to the record at points, but the performance is more fragile and meditative at other points – all with a poetic vibe that fits the image on the cover. Titles include "Ruthie In May", "As He Walked Into The Field", "Warren Is A Great Car", "Rainbow", and "Field With Pops". ~ Dusty Groove

MATT CAB – SHUNKASHITO

Cool, catchy soul from Matt Cab – a soul singer with American roots, but one who's been making much bigger waves recording albums like this for the Japanese scene – where he seems to be creating quite an audience for his music! Matt's got a style that could be huge if he were given bigger chart placement over here – instantly appealing, with a quality that's heartfelt, but never overdone – and a mode that's never trying too hard to be anything other than a kind of hummable, memorable soul with nice crossover potential – especially on the album's midtempo tracks, which might be the most appealing. The album features guest work from Sway, Maco, and Che'Nelle – and titles include "Take My Hand", "Sweet Simplicity", "Castle In The Sky", "Used To Know", "Come Back", "To You", "Call Your Name", and "That Touch".  ~ Dusty Groove


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