NEW REISSUES: SONNY PHILLIPS – BLACK MAGIC; ROY HAYNES – CYMBALISM; NATHAN DAVIS – SUITE FOR MARTIN LUTHER KING

Plenty of magic here from organist Sonny Phillips – who also plays a bit of Fender Rhodes on the album too! The instrument is one that Sonny would use more later in the 70s – and here, it comes across with the same heavy phrasing as a Hammond – nice and blocky, which makes for a great mix with the other instrumentation of the group – which includes Melvin Sparks on guitar, Ben Dixon on drums, and Eddie Pazant (of the Pazant Brothers) on tenor! Some cuts have a sweet mellow approach to funk – especially the excellent cut "Bean Pie" – and other titles include "Make It Plain", "Wakin Up", and "The Brotherhood". ~ Dusty Groove

ROY HAYNES – CYMBALISM

A cracker of an album – as fresh today as it was when it was first released in 1963! Roy Haynes is probably best known to the world for his bop work, but in the early 60s, he was a budding modernist with a real sense for lyrical improvisation. As part of a generation that was working on newly musical ways of using the drums – players that included Andrew Cyrille and Chico Hamilton – Haynes had a way of making the kit talk that's quite different than his roots in 50s jazz. Here, he's playing with a very hip quartet that includes Frank Strozier on alto and flute, Ronnie Matthews on piano, and Larry Ridley on bass – crafting tunes that swing at a lovely level, yet also have far-reaching and exploratory passages. The whole album's a delight – and titles include "Modette", "Go N Git It", "La Palomeinding", and "Hag".  ~ Dusty Groove

NATHAN DAVIS – SUITE FOR MARTIN LUTHER KING

A soulful and ambitious session from saxophonist Nathan Davis – a funky little gem that's got a lot more to offer than just a simple tribute to Dr King! Nathan penned the set in a mode that's expanded from most of his other albums – using larger horns and electric instrumentation to give the record a groove that's almost like funky 70s soundtrack work, but which is also offset by some shorter, more introspective tracks that feature spoken narration about King and his legacy – read by Donald M Henderson, and done in an extremely poetic way. The session's as righteous as it is grooving – and showcases a side of Davis' talents we never even knew he had – a rich larger musical vision, handled perfectly throughout! Nathan plays a range of reed instruments on the album, and Frank Cunimondo plays some sweet electric piano on the record – and singer Brenda Joyce provides lyrics on a few numbers as well. Titles include "Funk A Dilly Molly", "MLK", "Atlanta Walk", "Mean Business", "Latin Happ'n", and "New Dues". ~ Dusty Groove