BRAZILIAN BEATS 7
Brazilian
Beats have come a long way in just seven volumes – from an initial series
approach that focused on older bossa and samba grooves, to this crackling set
that's filled with great contemporary moments too! The package may well be the
most exciting in the collection so far – as it effortlessly shifts between
current grooves from the underground and older gems from the 60s and 70s –
showing a never-ending sense of creative combination in Brazilian music – the
kind of fresh, groundbreaking sounds that have always had our ears turned
towards the music of Rio, Sao Paolo, Recife, and Salvador! The set pulls you in
right away with some really wonderful sounds – then opens your mind to a great
mix of tracks that includes "Boa Noite" by Karol Conka, "Melo Do
Vatapa" by Bemba Trio, "Esquindindin" by Som Sete, "Oba La
Vem Ela" by Junip, "Deixa Eu Dizer" by Claudia, "Luiza
Manequim" by Abilio Manoel, "Selvagem" by Wan Trio, "Corridos
E Toques De Capoeira" by Mestre Bimba, "Plateau (part 1)" by
Jackson Conti, "Pra Fazer Um Samba" by Cizinha,
"Autorizando" by Jorge Autuori, and "Caminho Livre" by
Coaty De Oliveira.~ Dusty
Groove
NANA VASCONCELOS - ELEMENTOS 4
One of
the best albums we've heard from percussionist Nana Vasconcelos in years – and
a set that really gets back to the organic complexity of his best music of the
70s! The sound here is rooted in Nana's percussion, but often flowers open with
added elements on cello, violin, cavaquinho, and trombone – used sparely, and
sometimes mixed with vocals from Nana and other singers on the set! There's a
nice use of silence amidst the sound – creating that spaciousness that made Vasconcelos
a good fit with ECM back in the day – yet other moments have this proud, loud
sensibility that bursts out very strongly too. Titles include
"Passos", "Fogo", "Clementina",
"Astronafrica", "Nizinga", "Legua Tirana", and
"Berimbando". ~ Dusty Groove.
THE EXCITEMENTS - SOMETIMES TOO MUCH AIN'T ENOUGH
Plenty
of excitement from this hip Spanish group – a really old school-styled soul
act, complete with one hell of a great lead singer – and a very deep sound to
match! Koko Jean Davis really tops most of the usual work of this nature – and
is a true soul singer, at a Sharon Jones level – instead of just another
retro-styled diva with a funk band in the back. And the rest of The Excitements
are super-tight – and play more in a mode that's got the best late 60s funky
soul echoes of Memphis than any sort of overdone cliches – really respectful of
the singer in the lead, even though they've clearly got some great instrumental
chops on their own. And best of all, the album's filled with original tunes,
too – lots of fresh numbers that go way deeper than just the usual run of old
soul covers, but which have a level of quality to match the classics too.
Titles include "Don't You Dare Tell Her", "Ha Ha Ha",
"Keep Your Hands Off", "That's What You Got", "I
Believe You", "Fishing Pole", "The Hammer", and
"Sometimes Too Much Ain't Enough". ~ Dusty Groove
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