A beautiful album by Bill Withers – filled with incredibly well written songs, and an amazing instrumental technique that blended folksy elements with smoother 70s soul, in a sound that would put Bill at the top of the charts for many years, yet still give him cred with soul fans for decades! Booker T Jones arranged, produced, and played electric piano on the album – and we can say without a doubt that the record's one of the few good things to come out of his move to LA! Although the album's not a greatest hits one, given the strength of the tracks, it may as well be, as it includes Withers classics like "Grandma's Hands", "Ain't No Sunshine", "Harlem", and "Hope She'll Be Happier". Also features the nice groover, "Better Off Dead", which has a very tasty intro! ~ Dusty Groove
Eric Reed's no stranger to the music of Thelonious Monk, but this time around he's got a great approach – a fresh take on these modern classics, served up in soulful ways that definitely fit the "baddest" spirit of the title! There's even more of a rhythmic focus here than in the original compositions – served up with heavy drums from Henry Cole and bass from Matt Clohesy – and topped with bold leads from Seamus Blake on tenor and Etienne Charles on trumpet – both of whom further emphasize the soulfulness of Reed's arrangements. Jose James sings on a version of "Round Midnight" – and other instrumental tunes include "Epistrophy", "Green Chimneys", "Bright Mississippi", "Monk Beurre Rouge", and "Evidence" – as well as Reed's own "The Baddest Monk". ~ Dusty Groove
A striking solo set from Phillipe Baden Powell – much bolder and more expressive than his previous album – even though the overall feel is a lot more stripped-down too! Baden's got a very sharp approach to the keys of the piano – working here in a range of tones that's really breathtaking – a stark palette of sounds that's recorded with just the right sort of depth to let all of his most subtle touches come through. As befits his roots, the tunes are a mix of Brazilian numbers and jazz standards – plus a few original compositions as well – and titles include "Canto Triste", "Consolacao", "Prologue", "The Meantime", "Loro", "Choro Para Metronomo", "Ending", "Giant Steps", and "Vista Chinesa". ~ Dusty Groove
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