Friday, February 14, 2014

NEW RELEASES - THE SOULJAZZ ORCHESTRA - INNER FIRE; SHIRLEY NANETTE - NEVER COMING BACK; AFRO CUBAN BLUE: BLUE NOTE PERCUSSION COMPILATION

THE SOULJAZZ ORCHESTRA - INNER FIRE

Inner Fire continues the Souljazz Orchestra's expansive musical journey as the group fuses intricate Eastern influences, Afro beats, Latin styles and Spiritual Jazz elements into a unique melting pot, creating a fiery soundscape, both far-reaching and highly rhythmic, for the body, the mind and the spirit. The Souljazz Orchestra are one of the tightest outfits on the planet and are proficient in just about any style of roots music imaginable. The new album, Inner Fire, is due out on February 24 and it's a scorcher all the way through. Upcoming tour dates include: Feb 21 - Québec, QC - Le Cercle; Feb 22 - Montréal, QC - La Sala Rossa; Mar 01 - Kingston, ON - The Mansion; Mar 07 - Toronto, ON - The Garrison; Mar 08 - Hamilton, ON - This Ain't Hollywood; and Mar 15 - Ottawa, ON - Babylon NightclubS



SHIRLEY NANETTE - NEVER COMING BACK

A gem of a female soul album from the 70s – recorded in Texas by singer Shirley Nanette, but issued on a tiny label and never circulated at the time! The music here is all handled by guitarist Hanc Swarn – who'd worked with Earl Grant, and helped create that cool syncopated groove that made Grant a favorite with the steppers – a style that's expanded here into some funkier 70s modes, which really let's Nanette's vocals soar! Shirley's hardly the rootsy singer you'd expect from the Texas scene – as she's sometimes got this poise and class that almost rivals Nancy Wilson or Marlena Shaw, but can also hit these badass modes when the tunes get funkier too. The set's great – way more than just another rarity, and the kind of overlooked 70s gem we'd rank right up there with lost indie soul treasures by Mike James Kirkland or Penny Goodwin. Titles include "Give & Take", "Limelight", "Tropic Of Love", "I'm So Glad", "Heaven On Earth", "People Are Thinking", and "Yours Truly Love". ~ Dusty Groove


AFRO CUBAN BLUE: BLUE NOTE PERCUSSION COMPILATION

Heavy percussion on Blue Note Records – but a set that moves way past the familiar modes of the genre! The styles here are a mix of early hardbop, electric funk, and later fusion – all of which feature lots of raw, live percussion added to the usual rhythmic elements of bass and drums – to really help create some complexity in the grooves! Previous Blue Note sets of this nature have only focused on Latin-tinged jazz from the acoustic years, but this one does a great job of showing the strength of the styles well through Blue Note in the electric 70s – as you'll hear on the cool range of cuts that include "Amanda" by John Patton, "Montara" by Bobby Hutcherson, "Traveling To Get To Doc" by Grant Green, "Tom's Thumb" by Reuben Wilson, "Big Farm Boy Goes To A Latin City" by Ronnie Foster, "Cookoo & Fungi" by Art Taylor, "Sweet Dreams" by Chico Hamilton, "Dracula" by Grant Green, "Suitcase Full Of Dreams" by Willie Bobo, "Funky Business" by Gene Harris, "RK Bossa" by Dom Minasi, and "Herman's Mambo" by Lou Donaldson. 17 tracks, and almost 80 minutes of music!  ~ Dusty Groove


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