NEW RELEASES - LARRY SANDERS, M1, BRIAN JACKSON & THE NEW MIDNIGHT BAND, THE WHOLE DARN FAMILY

LARRY SANDERS – STRANGE (PROPHET OF SOUL)

One of the few recordings ever from the amazing Larry Saunders – a 70s soul artist we'd rank right up there with Donny Hathaway or Stevie Wonder, but one who's also got some of the deep soul touches of Al Green too! This album's a total gem all the way through – full of beautifully-written, beautifully-arranged tunes that balance Larry's deep vocals with some rich charts that never get too overdone – just always in this perfect style that shows off some of the jazzy changes in Saunders music, but with a simple and focused groove that really keeps things moving too. The whole thing was recorded at Muscle Shoals, but it was produced with a feel that reminds us much more of a New Jersey album from the same time – and the legendary Mr Wiggles (August Moon) helped put the whole thing together. Tracks include "You Beat Me Baby", "Fly Away Love Bird", "This Is My Prayer", and "All My Friends Call Me a Fool". ~ Dusty Groove

M1, BRIAN JACKSON & THE NEW MIDNIGHT BAND – EVOLUTIONARY MINDED: FURTHERING THE EGACY OF GIL SCOTT-HERON

Brian Jackson re-ignites the righteous magic he forged back in the 70s with Gil Scott-Heron on a set of legendary albums that we'll treasure forever – but he does so here in a richly collaborative spirit that takes the message and the music even farther than ever! Jackson's keyboards and sense of composition really holds the whole thing together – but the sound also includes contributions from a whole host of others – including MC M1, vocalists Martin Luther and Gregory Porter, percussionists Bill Summers and Airto, speakers Bobby Seale and Abiodun Oyewole, drummer Stanton Moore, and guest MCs Chuck D and Dead Prez. Some tracks are remakes of older Gil Scott-Heron numbers, but most are new grooves that really offer up a 21st Century take on the combination of knowledge and rhythm that Brian and Gil forged back in the 70s. Titles include "Go Ahead On Bobby", "Winter In America", "Opponent", "Liberation Psychology", "All We Got", "Tradition", and "Song Of The Wind". ~ Dusty Groove

THE WHOLE DARN FAMILY – HAS ARRIVED

An excellent bit of funk – and one of those records that folks were digging for way back in the days when folks were hardly digging for obscure funk records! The album's centerpiece is the classic "Seven Minutes of Funk", a biiiig sample cut from the early days (think EPMD), and a beautiful slow track that's in a class by itself when it comes to funk – sly, sinister, and with a heavy groove that's held up beautifully over the years! Other tunes follow in a similarly tight funk mode – played with lots of sharp edges, and some great energy by the group. In addition to "Seven Minutes Of Fun", other titles include "New Yorkin", "I'm Hurt", "You Know That You Liked", "Ain't Nothing But Something To Do", and a version of "Fly Away Love Bird", which was cut by Larry Saunders, who was also on the Soul International label. CD features two bonus tracks – an alternate take of "Seven Minutes Of Funk", and the single "Half Of Seven Minutes Of Funk".  ~ Dusty Groove