New Releases - BIANCA INGRAM-Linguistics; NATHAN PARKER SMITH LARGE ENSEMBLE-Not Dark Yet; THE BAKER BROTHERS-Hear No Evil

BIANCA INGRAM - LINGUISTICS

One of the younger stars in the Ingram Family galaxy – and one of the more contemporary-sounding ones as well! Bianca Ingram has an approach here that's quite different than some of the more classic-styled work you'd know from Butch and some of her family members – very much in a modern urban mode, with sweet beats bubbling underneath her lovely vocals – and a sharp edge on most tracks that points more towards the streets than the bedroom. And in true contemporary soul mode, the album features a number of guest shots – from Prima, Ock Milly, KD, and Jbrown – on titles that include "Gimme A Break", "Nice Guys", "Just Go", "Sing", "You", "IV", "Come Closer", "So Busy", and "Corruscate". ~ Dusty Groove.

NATHAN PARKER SMITH LARGE ENSEMBLE - NOT DARK YET

Brooklyn based composer and bandleader Nathan Parker Smith will be releasing his debut large ensemble album, Not Dark Yet, on Brooklyn Jazz Underground Records this October.  The group's live shows have been widely acclaimed for their unapologetically aggressive and engaging style, heavily informed by European heavy metal, 20th century classical composition and progressive rock. Not Dark Yet was recorded in Brooklyn, NY by Luke Moellman (Great Good Fine OK), and Grammy-Award winning engineer Brian Losch (Maria Schneider, Winter Morning Walks). Nathan Parker Smith's compositions are devised, both formally and conceptually, to rely heavily on collective group improvisation and to avoid many of the techniques that have become the status-quo approach for modern big-band writing. The Ensemble conjures images of both disturbance and intensity, while simultaneously providing an undercurrent of ephemeral optimism, evoking the subtle comfort that the world has not yet gone dark, hence the album's title. Often pushed to their limits, the musicians collectively thrash and roar through Smith's compositions, the soloists soar over powerfully churning distortion ladened ostinatos, ever-changing mixed meters, feedback squeals and anthemic melodies. A powerful, compelling debut from a serious new composer on the Brooklyn/NYC scene.

THE BAKER BROTHERS - HEAR NO EVIL

Full of renewed attitude, The Baker Brothers are back with a new album for 2014. The band has spent the past year working on this latest project, which features the same line-up as the 2011 release Time to Testify. Hear No Evil is a fine collection of Soul Music infused with elements of Jazz, Rock, Hip-Hop and R&B. The group road tested this material on their latest tour of Japan earlier this year and received an overwhelmingly great response. The Album grew from a creative collaboration between the 5 members of the group. Ideas were worked through, refined, rehearsed and sometimes discarded. With spirit and excitement about the music, it took a year of working Individually and collaboratively to produce this final collection of songs. The result shows us that once again The Baker Brothers can creatively and successfully weave their signature horn hooks through heavy disco bass lines, classy synths, boogallo guitars, and intricate driving grooves. With one critic comparing this to "Average White Band at their best" Hear No Evil offers danceable classics, lyrical melodies and poignant lyrics.