JEAN
CARNE – GIVE IT UP
The
great Jean Carne, still very much at the top of her game – and going strong at
a level that none of her contemporaries from the old days could ever hope to
match! Carne's an artist that we've loved for decades, and one who's continued
to keep the soul and sophistication in her music, no matter what the setting –
evolving over the years, yet never selling out or going for any sort of easy
roads ahead. Instead, she's stayed very much her own person – a marvelous
talent that shines strongly here in the company of producer Butch Ingram – who
brings just the right mix of old school and contemporary styles to bear on the
record, at a level that's similar to some of his other excellent Society Hill
productions in recent years. Carne's jazz roots are still strong – as you'll
hear especially on the album's version of Wayne Shorter's "Infant
Eyes" – and guests include Don Ward and David Simmons, on other titles
that include "She's All Alone", "Give It Up",
"Everybody Knows", "Life Keeps Going On", "Come Home
To Me", and "One Night Stand".
~ Dusty Groove
MILFORD
GRAVES / BILL LASWELL - SPACE / TIME - REDEMPTION
Bill
Laswell returns to his roots – working here in a setting that's loose, open,
and relatively improvised – as Bill's electric bass carves out these
wonderfully spacious, tuneful lines alongside the drums and percussion of
Milford Graves! Given all of Laswell's higher-concept and heavily-processed
work over the years, we sometimes forget that at his core, he can still be a
sensitive jazz musician – especially when working in the right setting, which
definitely seems to be the case here. The tracks are long, but never meandering
– and Bill's basswork not only grounds the record and gives it structure, but
also seems to really set Graves free to open up in nicely complex ways. Titles
include "Another Space", "Sonny Sharrock", "Eternal
Signs", "Another Time", and "Autopossession". ~ Dusty Groove
TILL
BRONNER – THE MOVIE ALBUM
A
beautiful setting for trumpeter Till Bronner – a set that has the German
musician stepping out on a host of famous film themes, with backing from a
larger orchestra that creates a wonderful backdrop for his solos! The style's
very different than some of Bronner's more groove-oriented sets, and is a great
reminder that he's also got an ear for deeper sounds and more expansive modes –
yet still in a way that holds onto all of the soul in his horn. Chuck Loeb put
the set together with Till, and also helped with the arrangements – as did
Chris Walden, Nan Schwartz, and Jeff Lorber. The album features some guest
appearances – including Everett Harp on tenor, Gregory Porter on vocals, Chuck
Loeb on guitar, Arturo Sandoval on trumpet, Lizzy Cuesta on vocals, Joy
Denalane on vocals, and Rick Braun on flugelhorn. Titles include "Moon
River", "Forbidden Colours", "Run To You", "Love
Theme From Cinema Paradiso", "Il Postino", "Mulholland
Falls", "Happy", and "The Godfather Waltz". Japanese
CD features the bonus "Deborah's Theme". (Limited Japanese SHM-CD
edition.) ~ Dusty Groove
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