FUNKY NEW ORLEANS: NOLA SOUL EXPLOSION
Fuel's
FUNKY NEW ORLEANS series of releases really define the unique sound of New
Orleans. New Orleans long musical journey begins at Congo Square with the
creation of jazz, the original Creole culture clash of African heritage and
European instrumentation. The syncopated beat of the second line jazz parade
bands, the secret language and dances of the Mardi Gras Indians, the mambo and
Latin rhythms of Professor Longhair, and the joyous funeral processions all
help make New Orleans a unique musical melting pot. In the 1960s and early
1970s the creative powerhouses of Allen Toussaint, The Meters, Lee Dorsey and
others made New Orleans the birthplace of the original sound of Funk. Here a
seemingly endless line of amazing singers - Lee Dorsey, Aaron Neville, Willie
West and Eldridge Holmes, amongst many others - released a constant stream of
stunning 45s, backed by the super funky Meters and produced by Allen Toussaint.
In the 1960s and early 70s, limited local record distribution meant that many
of these artists' releases remained unknown outside of the city borders and, as
a consequence, many of these records are serious collector's items today. Amazon
THE JAZZ CRUSADERS - LOOKIN' AHEAD
The Jazz
Crusaders second album for Pacific Jazz, Lookin Ahead features the core four
members of the group (Joe Sample, Wayne Henderson, Wilton Felder and Stix
Hooper), with bassist Jimmy Bond rounding out the sound. Lookin Ahead showcases
what was already a signature sound for the group, with the tenor saxophone and
trombone leading many of the songs, although Joe Samples piano playing holds
much of the material together. The group wrote seven of the albums nine cuts,
including The Young Rabbits, which would become something of a staple for the
Jazz Crusaders during the 1960s, being much revered at their live shows. The
two covers include Tonight, from the musical West Side Story, and Song Of
India, a classical piece by Rimsky-Korsakov arranged by Joe Sample. Along with
their debut album Freedom Sound (also available on Hallmark as 713822) the Jazz
Crusaders were at the forefront of the soul jazz scene in Los Angeles in the
early 1960s. Their relevance and importance continued to grow throughout the
rest of the decade. ~ Amazon
PETER BERNSTEIN - SOLO GUITAR LIVE AT SMALLS
This is the first solo album from Peter Bernstein, hailed by Downbeat as one of the 15 Best Jazz Guitarists in the World. Recorded over two nights in October, 2012, the album highlights Bernstein's arrangements of Porter, Monk, Coltrane, Vernon Duke and more. Discovered early in his career by Lou Donaldson, Bernstein has performed and recorded with Brad Mehldau, Christian McBride, Sonny Rollins, Lee Konitz and Gregory Hutchinson. ~ Amazon
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