Tuesday, September 03, 2013

NEW RELEASES - JOHN LEGEND, EDDIE GALE, CALDERA

JOHN LEGEND - LOVE IN THE FUTURE

Singer, songwriter, and producer John Legend is back and this time has definately taken a step forward on a record that should have that amazing voice reaching even more ears than ever before! By that, we don't necessarily mean that the set's commercial, just put together with a mode that goes way beyond conventional soul – still deep at the core, but richly expressive past barriers of age and style that few other pop artists could push this successfully! From start to finish the album displays a stripped-down urgency that melds perfectly with Legend's delivery.  Titles include "Who Do We Think We Are", "The Beginning", "Save The Night", "Tomorrow", "Hold On Longer", "All Of Me", "You & I", "Caught Up", and "Dreams". The standard version of the album features 16 tracks and the deluxe version includes 4 bonus tracks.

EDDIE GALE - BLACK RHYTHM HAPPENING

One of the most righteous albums of jazz ever recorded – a brilliant blend of soulful and avant garde styles, backed up by a chorus of voices that have a really soulful sound! The album's the second recorded for Blue Note by the Ghetto Music ensemble of trumpeter Eddie Gale – a lesser-known talent who recorded previously with Cecil Taylor, but who made a turn away from modernism at the end of the 60s, in order to express himself at a level that he felt was more clearly grounded in the people. The result of that effort is sheer brilliance – an album that sounds like nothing else you can imagine. Part of the style shares the energy of similar vocal/jazz projects by Max Roach and Billy Harper, but Gale's conception of the music is much more dynamic, and very carefully rooted in song structures – with a sound that's as powerful today as it was when it was recorded! Titles include "Ghetto Love Night", "Song Of Will", "Ghetto Summertime", "Black Rhythm Happening", and "Look At Teyonda". ~ Dusty Groove

CALDERA - CALDERA / SKY ISLANDS

A pair of killers from this jazzy Latin combo of the 70s! First up is the self-title Caldera album – a jazzy Latin fusion classic – and the first album by the border-crossing combo! The group features both North and South American players – coming together in a hard-riffing approach to fusion that rivals the best fusion combos of both the California and Brazilian scenes at the time. There's a few nice moments that really belie their more southern roots – and recall the choppy fusion of Airto, or the vocal scatting of Flora – but the set's also got a sunny west coast finish, thanks to some wonderful production from Wayne Henderson – who kicks things up in a way that the group hardly matched on later albums! Guest stars include Raul De Souza and Roberto Da Silva – and titles include the funk classic "Coastin", plus "Guanacaste", "Out Of The Blue", "El Juguete", and "Synesthesia". Nest is Sky Islands – a set that's recorded with a smooth soulful style that's right up there with the best of the Capitol Rare generation! Caldera mixes together nice jazzy saxes with guitars, percussion, and some great keyboard work by Eduardo Del Barrio – all produced by the group with a sweet arching style that's very much in the Brazilian fusion style of the time – a wonderful blend that also gets a dose of California warmth, which is just the right element to send the whole thing home nicely! Tracks include the classic "Sky Islands", plus "Pegasus", "Carnavalito", "Triste", and "Ancient Source". ~ Dusty Groove


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