SONNY KNIGHT AND THE LAKERS - I'M STILL HERE
One of the best soul music comebacks we've ever heard – and one of the few contemporary records like this to have a really cohesive feel overall! This isn't just a new group working with an older singer – but a tremendous blending of the skilled soul vocals of Sonny Knight with just the kind of funky combo to make him come across just right – and probably even better than he ever sounded back in the day! The whole thing is perfect – from performance to production – and the record sparkles with an energy that we never heard before from Sonny Knight – with backing by the Fabulous Lakers that's right up there with best older combos from back in the day. This one may well nudge recent work from Lee Fields off the top spot on our list – and it's a real stunner from this overlooked singer! Titles include "Cave Man", "I'm Still Here (parts 1 & 2)", "Hey Girl", "When You're Gone", "Baby Baby Baby", "Get Up & Dance", and a great cover of Rodriguez's "Sugar Man". ~ Dusty Groove
One of
Sun Ra's best non-Saturn live sets of the 70s – a nice little record that shows
the group mixing it up with equal parts avant garde and straight ahead jazz,
all handled in that ever-growing large group style that made them a real force
to be reckoned with in a concert setting! The album was recorded during the
1976 Montreux Jazz Festival, and has a bit more focus and polish than some of
the other Arkestra live material from the time – a mature, coherent sound that
almost points the way towards some of their work to come in the 80s – when Ra
and the group were finally reaching the wider audience they deserved. The set's
a double-length one, and features players who include John Gilmore on tenor,
Marshall Allen and Danny Davis on alto and flute, Pat Patrick on baritone,
Ahmed Abdullah on trumpet, Craig Harris on trombone, and James Jackson on
Ancient Egyptian Infinity drum – which is always a treat. Ra plays solar organ
and moog, as well as piano – and titles include "Of The Other
Tomorrow", "On Sound Infinity Spheres", "El Is The Sound Of
Joy", "Gods Of The Thunder Realm", "The House Of Eternal
Being", and "Lights On a Satellite". ~ Dusty Groove, Inc.
PAUL HARDCASTLE WITH JAZZMASTERS - VII
Well into his third decade crafting signature songs of our time churning out chart topping mega-hits with ease, Paul Hardcastle adds another branch to his musical tree, one that is again bearing delicious fruit. VII, while it carries all of the hallmarks that have come to define his unique style and sound, takes a decidedly different approach, with the focus on serving up compelling sonic instrumental soundscapes and less about vocals. This is Hardcastle's wheelhouse and nobody does it better. For those who use music as an escape from the day to day, these sides are the perfect transporting device, rich soulful atmospherics that lift you through space and time and carry you away to destinations of your choosing. Urban substructures layered with sexy yet subtle grooves, punctuated with perfectly placed notes and vibrations create the perfect flow of ambience as you depart on this soothing musical journey, a one way ticket to pure pleasure. This is pure ear candy that will provide that rush of sweetness yet is high in nutritional content, satisfying and full flavored. The lead radio single 'Unlimited Love' a tip of the hat to one of Paul's biggest influences Barry White adds another first and features label mate and one of the genres brightest rising stars trumpeter Cindy Bradley. Daughter Maxine and son Paul Hardcastle Jr again make appearances on the record providing just the right accents in all the right places. Pull up under the Hardcastle tree, pick a side and savor the fruits of this fabulous labor. ~ Amazon.com
Well into his third decade crafting signature songs of our time churning out chart topping mega-hits with ease, Paul Hardcastle adds another branch to his musical tree, one that is again bearing delicious fruit. VII, while it carries all of the hallmarks that have come to define his unique style and sound, takes a decidedly different approach, with the focus on serving up compelling sonic instrumental soundscapes and less about vocals. This is Hardcastle's wheelhouse and nobody does it better. For those who use music as an escape from the day to day, these sides are the perfect transporting device, rich soulful atmospherics that lift you through space and time and carry you away to destinations of your choosing. Urban substructures layered with sexy yet subtle grooves, punctuated with perfectly placed notes and vibrations create the perfect flow of ambience as you depart on this soothing musical journey, a one way ticket to pure pleasure. This is pure ear candy that will provide that rush of sweetness yet is high in nutritional content, satisfying and full flavored. The lead radio single 'Unlimited Love' a tip of the hat to one of Paul's biggest influences Barry White adds another first and features label mate and one of the genres brightest rising stars trumpeter Cindy Bradley. Daughter Maxine and son Paul Hardcastle Jr again make appearances on the record providing just the right accents in all the right places. Pull up under the Hardcastle tree, pick a side and savor the fruits of this fabulous labor. ~ Amazon.com
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