GO WEST, MAN! (VARIOUS ARTISTS)
A cool collection of gems from the 70s years at Blue Note Records – a stretch that's often overlooked by folks digging for older hardbop from the 50s and 60s, but a tremendous time for the label, when it really burst forward with new sounds! BNLA was the initial part of the catalog number during this generation – hence the title – and the collection brings together a wealth of funk, soul, and fusion tracks from this crucial Blue Note stretch. The package features 20 tracks on 2CDs – including "People Make The World Go Round" by Bobby Hutcherson, "Mango Sunrise" by John Lee & Gerry Brown, "Chunky" by Ronnie Foster, "Abdullah & Abraham" by Chico Hamilton, "Galaxy" by Eddie Henderson, "His Blessings" by McCoy Tyner, "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life" by Marlena Shaw, "Betcha By Golly Wow" by Grant Green, "City Country City" by Lou Donaldson, "Lansana's Priestess" by Donald Byrd, "Harlem River Drive" by Bobbi Humphrey, "La Malanga" by Bobby Hutcherson, and "Tuesday Heartbreak" by Ronnie Foster. ~ Dusty Groove
DANDY TERU - ADVENTURES
A great full-length set from Dandy Teru – a producer who's been making a fair bit of waves in the underground in recent years – finally stepping into the limelight here himself! Teru's got a great ear for a crispy beat and cosmic keyboard line – often fusing the two together in a trans-spatial way that creates a nice undercurrent of older soul and funk, yet which still retains a really contemporary vibe! This approach works really well for the range of talents helping Dandy out on the set – including Ty, Moka Only, Rita J, Quiet Dawn, Count Bass D, Tchad Unpoe, and Sarah Gessler – all different voices that help shape the sound of the record, and really unleash the variety in Teru's approach. Titles include "Fragile Things", "Below", "Wake Up Now", "Burned", "Waters", "Clouds Catcher", and "Rwvnll" – plus a few remix tracks too. ~ Dusty Groove
BASSEKOU KOUYATE & NGONI BA - JAMA KO
A record that bristles with joy and life right from the very first note – a glorious celebration of sound, served up in a rich mix of percussion and melodic elements! The set was recorded in Bamako during the same stretch as key fighting in the capital of Mali during 2012 – but the quality of the music shows nothing of the trouble outside – and instead reflects the timeless quality of Bassekou Kouyate's music – a really rich blend of amplified acoustic instruments, spare percussion, and voices – served up with the same sunny intimacy of the cover image. Titles include "Madou", "Wagadou", "Jama Ko", "Dankou", "Sinaly", "Moustafa", "Poye 2", "Segu Jajiri", and "Mali Koori". ~ Dusty Groove
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