Monday, September 29, 2014

NEW RELEASES: GIL SCOTT-HERON - FREE WILL; SONNY ROLLINS - AFTER THE BRIDGE; SAM DEES - TAKE ONE

GIL SCOTT-HERON - FREE WILL

A really tremendous album from the legendary Gil Scott-Heron – and a set that stands as one of his greatest statements from the 70s! The record is a wonderful example of Gil's work in two different styles – sweet mellow jazzy soul, and harder heavier protest poetry – the latter from his roots as a writer in touch with the streets, and the former part of a brilliant new direction that he was taking on the Flying Dutchman label. Side one features classic jazzy tracks recorded with Brian Jackson – like "Free Will", "The Middle Of Your Days", "Speed Kills", and "Did You Hear What They Said?". Side two moves over to a much sparer sound – and has Gil reciting some of his poetry with very heavy percussion, and a very righteous approach. The wisdom and knowledge of those pieces is a perfect example of the kinds of issues that were haunting black America in the early 70s – especially on the tracks "No Knock", "The King Alfred Plan", and "Sex Education: Ghetto Style". CD features 11 stunning bonus tracks – alternates of songs on the album, and some very cool "breakdown" tracks as well!  ~  Dusty Groove

SONNY ROLLINS - AFTER THE BRIDGE

Rare work from the RCA years of Sonny Rollins – all recorded during the time of his groundbreaking albums for the label in the early 60s, but never issued until this much later Japanese package! The title is quite apt – as the whole set really shows the development that Rollins brought to his music in the years after his classic album The Bridge – that open, freely expressive sound that took his already-great approach to tenor and really pushed it into something new – a bold, fresh style for the 60s that was full of power and freedom, but which took a very different direction than the music of John Coltrane or Archie Shepp. Music runs from bop standards to more thoughtful compositions – and even in the mellow moments, Rollins is really mindblowing – working in small group settings with players who include Herbie Hancock on piano, Jim Hall on guitar, Thad Jones on cornet, and either Ron Carter or David Izenzon on bass. Titles include "Afternoon In Paris", "Now's The Time", "I Remember Clifford", "Django", "When You Wish Upon A Star", "Travelin Light", and "Four". ~ Dusty Groove 


SAM DEES - TAKE ONE: ORIGIN OF TWELVE 70s SOUL MASTERPIECES

Sam Dees was one of the greatest unsung talents in 70s soul music – an important writer, arranger, and general background talent who helped so many other singers hit the heights – but who hardly ever issued much work under his own name! Apart from key singles and an important album on Atlantic, the recorded legacy of Dees isn't what it should be – given his impact on music, especially deep soul – but fortunately, sets like this have come along to correct that lack! As part of Sam's creative process, he would often record songs first on his own – not as rough demo tracks, but as surprisingly well done studio versions to illustrate the material – tracks that were often better than later versions of his tunes, and most of the other commercial soul on the market. This sweet set brings together 12 of those tracks – private recordings from Sam, of songs he'd later give to singers like Loletta Holloway, Ben E King, and others – an essential record from the great Dees, pressed up on super-heavy vinyl! Titles include the previously unissued "Married But Not To Each Other" – plus "Good Guys Don't Always Win", "Who Are You Gonna Love", "Con Me", "Only Lonely People", "False Alarms", "Standing In The Wings Of A Heartache", "The World Don't Owe You Nothing", and "Black Tattler". ~ Dusty Groove


No comments:

Post a Comment