NEW RELEASES - DONE-E, DERRICK HODGE, DAVE MIHALY & THE SHIMMERING LEAVES ENSEMBLE

DONE-E - LITTLE STAR

Don-e is one of the leading lights of the UK underground soul scene – back again in very fine formation, and coming across with a style that's even deeper and more mature than before! Don-E wrote and performed most of the tracks on the set himself, and also produced – in an effort that's got him following strongly in the London legacy of Omar – another one word-named soul artist who might be a good comparison to Don-E here! The vibe is definitely different – maybe a bit smoother and warmer in the end – but Don-E's got this great sense of confidence and class that never pushes things too far – and which really avoids any of the pitfalls that might hold back some of his less careful contemporaries. Titles include "Spiritual" – which features guest work from an all-star UK lineup that includes Omar, Carl McIntosh, Noel McKoy, and Junior Giscombe – plus "BS", "Home", "Hold On", "Slave To The Rhythm", "Little Star", "It Just Don't Stop", and "Step In My Room".  ~ Dusty Groove

DERRICK HODGE - LIVE TODAY 

An amazing debut from bassist Derrick Hodge – an artist we've loved for his work in the Robert Glaper Experiment, and his previous performances with Terence Blanchard, Common, and Maxwell! Hodge has a deep, round sound that really bridges different worlds of jazz and soul – and while his resume of previous work is very impressive, his sound here is something new altogether – a spacious groove that often puts the bass right out in front, sometimes loping gently alongside keyboards, sometimes finding this special space that's airy, yet never too ethereal – a really fresh, soulful sort of style! Hod plays a bit of keyboards on the record too – and other musicians include both Robert Glasper and James Poyser on keyboards, Chris Dave on drums and percussion, Keyon Harold on trumpet, and Common on guest vocals on one track. Titles include "Live Today", "Dances With Ancestors", "Anthem In 7", "Still The One", "The Real", and "Table Jawn". ~ Dusty Groove

DAVE MIHALY & THE SHIMMERING LEAVES ENSEMBLE - RIVERS

Unusual sounds from drummer Dave Mihaly – a player who's well-schooled in jazz tradition, but also really opens himself up to more genre-crossing sounds on this set – a mode that partly echoes his participation in the group Mushroom, but which also shows a much more sensitive side too! Some tracks have a mixture of jazz and other guitar-based instrumentation – while others are more tune-based, and even feature Dave doing a bit of singing – in this folksy style that's really great, and very different than any too-arty jazz/rock or improv projects. Other instrumentation includes tenor and soprano sax from David Boyce and trumpet from Ara Anderson – and titles include "The Cat Tried To Catch A Hummingbird", "Mexican China", "Blue England", "Cherry Blossom Road", and "Chinese Mexico".  ~ Dusty Groove