QUANTIC
& NIDIA GONGORA – MUEVELO NEGRO / NANGUITA
A great
blend of earthy percussion, global soul vocals and inventive dancefloor sounds
from the mighty Quantic – and just as excellent of showcase for Colombian
singer Nidia Gongora! Nidia has worked with Will "Quantic" Holland
before, as a vital voice in the Combo Barbaro and Onndatropica projects – but
she really stands out strongly here. She sings on and co-wrote both
"Muevelo Negro" and "Nanguita" here – and both tunes
featuring georgeous female backing vocals, impeccable percussion and a timeless
vibe, that seamlessly blended with Quantic's subtle programming and production.
(Limited edition.) ~ Dusty Groove
TOMMY MCCOOK - REGGAE IN JAZZ
Masterful
reggae instrumentals from the great Tommy McCook! Reggae In Jazz does indeed
have some jazz-steeped solos augmenting the vibe quite nicely, but it's perhaps
not the full on reggae/jazz hybrid the title suggests, which is a good thing,
actually. The rhythms are strongly rooted in classic Dynamic and Channel One
reggae instro territory, but the vibe is enhanced a bit by soul jazzy organ,
guitar and more on the solo tip – and a bit of funk, too! Produced by Buster
Riley, with Sly Dunbar, Santa Davos. Robbie Shakespeare, Chinna Smith, Ansel
Collins, Jackie Mitoo and other legends on the session. Titles include
"Grass Root", "Caution", "Sin", "Wild
Bunch", "Bam-Bam", "Collin '1'", "Collin
'2'", "Bad Man", "Good Bye". "Black-Out",
"Rock Away" and "War". CD version includes the bonus
"Beirut" and "Beirut (Version)". ~ Dusty Groove
DONALD BYRD / PEPPER ADAMS / KENNY BURRELL / TOMMY FLANAGAN / REY LEWIS / PAUL CHAMBERS - MOTOR CITY SCENE
One of
the most hard-hitting sessions ever recorded for the Bethlehem label – and a
rare date for the imprint by the team of trumpeter Donald Byrd and saxophonist
Pepper Adams! The style here is similar to work the pair recorded for Riverside
and Blue Note at the same time – razor-sharp hardbop, played with a strong
sense of imagination, and plenty of room for drawn-out, creatively-blown solos.
Adams is especially great – playing the baritone here with the leanness of a
tenor sax – but Byrd is wonderful too, and really starts to break out of some
of the more staid modes of his work from a few years back. The group's a sextet
that includes guitarist Kenny Burrell, pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Paul
Chambers, and drummer "Hey" Lewis (another name for Mel Lewis?) – on
titles that include "Trio", "Philson",
"Libeccio", and "Bitty Ditty". ~ Dusty Groove
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