Wednesday, October 08, 2014

NEW RELEASES: CHERRY BOOP & THE SOUND MAKERS – THE WAY I AM; FREE SOUL - 2010s URBAN SWEET; MARIA BETHANIA - MY BACKYARD

CHERRY BOOP & THE SOUND  MAKERS – THE WAY I AM

Following the amazing feedback it received after its release in France in May, debut album "The Way I Am" by Paris-based retro soul outfit Cherry Boop & The Sound Makers gets an official European re-release this Fall. "The Way I Am" is an energetic and infectious blend of 60s-flavored funk & soul tracks that were recorded in Girona (Spain) and mixed and mastered in Philadelphia by Bobby Eli of MFSB. Former dancer and blue-eyed girl Cherry Boop draws inspiration from artists such as Tammi Terrell or Brenda Holloway and it can be felt in her melodies. Add to that a tight backing band in the form of The Sound Makers, original grooves penned by French composer Olivier Pot (with help from J. Barrientos on arrangements) and the unique touch of legendary Philly producer Bobby Eli, and you've got a recipe for some stone cold soul wrapped up into 11 irresistible tracks! From "I Want To Give You My Everything", a duet with William Hart of The Delfonics, to upbeat foot-stompers "What I Want" and "Listen", the sultry grooves of ballad "Sometimes", uplifting soul in "I Wanna Start A New Life" or rousing mid-tempo tune "My Weakness", this debut by Cherry Boop & The Sound Makers will take you to a place where Soul Music no longer belongs to the 60s, but to NOW!!! Have a nice trip.

FREE SOUL - 2010s URBAN SWEET (COMPILATION)

One of the coolest collections of contemporary soul we've ever heard – a wonderful batch of work in a laidback, cosmic sort of vibe! The music here resonates strongly with the 70s vintage you'll find in most of the other Free Soul compilations – but it's all relatively recent, and represents a great new wave of music from the (mostly) American underground – by artists who may well be tomorrow's version of Stevie Wonder or Marvin Gaye! As usual with the Free Soul sets, the track list is superb – so much so, that there's loads of tracks here we would have missed otherwise – and titles include "Never Be The Same" by Bilal, "Look Up" by Daley, "Kissing Game" by Dwele, "What's Going On" by Brian Owens, "Kiss Of Life" by Chris Turner, "Wonderlove" by Kris Bowers with Chris Turner, "Shangri La" by James Tillman, "All We Do For Love" by Benny Sings, "Superwoman" by Anita Wardell, "Sweet Dreams" by Laura Holding, and "The Man I Love" by Gregoire Maret with Cassandra Wilson. ~ Dusty Groove


MARIA BETHANIA - MY BACKYARD

One of the most personal albums we've heard in years from Maria Bethania – a set that's got a quietly intimate vibe, one that really lives up to the spirit of the title – a place where Bethania can be herself and share some of her innermost thoughts! The backing is wonderfully intimate – usually just a bit of samba-styled percussion or guitar, but taken at a very slow pace – and Maria's vocals, while still having the majesty of other records, also come across with a more up-close spirit overall – one we find surprisingly moving, even after all these many years of loving her music. Titles include "Moda Da Onca", "Carco Da Velha India", "Candeiro Velho", "Alguma Voz", "Xavante", "Mae Maria", and "Povos Do Brazil". ~ Dusty Groove


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