ERIC ROBERSON - THE BOX
Stunning
soul from Eric Roberson – an artist we've already loved for many years, but who
just keeps on getting better and better with each new record! The album's got a
near-perfect feel that lives up to the poise and confidence displayed by
Roberson on the cover – songwriting that's deeply soulful and very personal,
and able to embrace a much greater range of ideas than so many of his
contemporaries – a richness that goes back to Eric's earlier roots in house and
hip hop, but served up with a power to match the classic soul singers of the
70s! The bottom is nice and deep – with the kind of boom you'd expect from the
box of the cover – but there's also loads of warm jazzy inflections too – both
in Roberson's vocals, and in the instrumentation. Titles include
"Haunted", "Pill", "The Box", "Lust For
Love", "I'm Not Trying To Keep Score No More", "Punch Drunk
Love", "The Cycle", and "Do The Same For Me". ~ Dusty Groove
TOM HARRELL - TRIP
Some of
the densest, most powerful music we've heard from trumpeter Tom Harrell in
years – and that's saying a lot, given how much we've loved all his other
recent records! Tom's working here in a very spare setting – no piano, just a
quartet format with Mark Turner on tenor, alongside bass and drums – a mode
that really has Harrell's horn out front, often intertwining with Turner – as
each then break out into these stunningly conceived solos. Both rhythm players
break out tremendously – balancing out the sound of the record equally with the
horns – and Ugonna Okegwo plays bass and Adam Cruz handles the drums. The set
has a long suite in the center – "The Adventures Of A Quixotic
Character" – and is bracketed by equally great numbers that include
"Sunday", "Cycle", "Coastline", "After The
Game Is Over", and "There". ~ Dusty Groove
ETTA JAMES - IT TAKES LOVE TO KEEP A WOMAN (THE ALLEN TOUSSAINT SESSIONS)
An
overlooked gem from Etta James – a late 70s collaboration with New Orleans
legend Allen Toussaint – and a set that's got some of the same funky power as
her early 70s material for Chess Records! Toussaint's vibe is a bit different,
but also has a lot more bite than some of his bigger-name productions of the
period – a real return to the kind of sharp snaps and rugged rhythms he brought
to his initial classics – as well as some deeper soul modes that really help
keep James at her best, by fleshing out the record with a good degree of
emotion. Titles include "Who's Getting Your Love", "Night People",
"With You In Mind", "Mean Mother", "Don't Stop",
"Night By Night", and "Wheel Of Fire". ~ Dusty Groove
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