Monday, November 20, 2017

NEW RELEASES: MUDDY WATERS – ELECTRIC MUD; NICOLA CONTE & GIANLUCA PETRELLA – AFRICAN SPIRITS / NEW WORLD SHUFFLE; COJ & SECOND TIME - SOUND OF AFRICA

MUDDY WATERS – ELECTRIC MUD

The funk-tinged, pyschedelic soul album from Muddy Waters – one that irritated many a blues purist in its day – but it's finally reaching its earned status as a leftfield gem! You know, in the immediate years after this one (and similar funky blues albums on Chess/Cadet) was released, it was downplayed as a cheap attempt to sell out Muddy's classic blues sound. These days, it's treasured by many of us as a unique funky session that merged the best of Chicago's funk, soul, and blues worlds – taking Muddy's sound way past earlier records and into uncharted waters. It's similar to some of the work on Chess at the time by Bo Diddley and Etta James – and it includes lots of nice updated groovers like "I'm A Man", "I Just Want To Make Love to You", "Hoochie Coochie Man", "Same Thing", "She's All Right", and "Tom Cat". Arrangements are by Charles Stepney, too! (In a gatefold sleeve with poster!)  ~Dusty Groove

NICOLA CONTE & GIANLUCA PETRELLA – AFRICAN SPIRITS / NEW WORLD SHUFFLE

A record that's way more than just the 12" single you might guess from the format – as it's a wonderfully deep collaboration between Nicola Conte and trombonist Gianluca Petrella – done at a level that's maybe more like a spiritual jazz record overall! "African Spirits" definitely has a groove – the sort you'll know from other Conte records – but it's less bossa and more tribal, with lots of percussion layered in the mix, as well as rising voices that feel borrowed from other records – all blended with a righteous energy that's more in Osunlade territory than usual for Schema! The tune's got a very powerful set of solos – strong tenor, and even bolder trombone from Petrella – and "New World Shuffle" is even rawer at the core, but features strongly soulful vocals from Bridgette Amofah, and some great keyboards too! Both tracks are nice and long, too.  ~ Dusty Groove

COJ & SECOND TIME - SOUND OF AFRICA

An Italian group, but one who play here with a style that draws strongly from the long tradition of South African jazz – on an album recorded as part of a protest against that nation's recent massacre in Marikana! The vibe here is great – and the whole thing almost feels like a lost 70s classic from the Johannesburg scene, or some of the overlooked soulful sets recorded later on the Sheer label – with a lineup that includes Claudio Cojaniz on piano, Alessandro Turchet on bass, Luca Colussi on drums, and Luca Grizzo on percussion and just a bit of vocals. The music is often quite rhythmic – flowing out in those long-spun cycles that Dollar Brand brought to jazz many years ago – but there's also some more lyrical, sensitive moments too – on titles that include "Lion's Trip", "Dadaab", "Ugarit", "Four Little Boys In Capetown/Nkosi Sikeleli Afrika", "Marikana", and "Blue Dance".  ~ Dusty Groove


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