NEW RELEASES: ORGASMO SONORE – REVISITING OBSCURE LIBRARY MUSIC; WAYNE ESCOFFERY – LIVE AT SMALLS; THEE SATISFACTION – EARTEE

ORGASMO SONORE – REVISITING OBSCURE LIBRARY MUSIC

One of the first groups to bring back the sound of the classic Italian scene of the 70s – and still one of the best! Orgasmo Sonore spent their previous two records working through classic tracks from Italian soundtracks of the 70s – and this time around, they turn their ear towards the even funkier styles of the sound library scene – but with results that are equally great, given that many of the composers are the same! The group run through rare library tracks penned by Bruno Nicolai, Allesandro Alessandroni, Lesiman, Piero Umiliani, and others – all with this tight small combo feel that's heavy on sweet keyboards and great guitars, and which gets just the right sort of production approach to keep things right. The album may well be the group's best so far – and we've loved everything they've done already – and titles include "Tempo Sospeso", "Confronto", "Moonlight Drive", "L'Erba Di Prima", "Praries", "Viadotti", and "Space Team".  ~  Dusty Groove

WAYNE ESCOFFERY – LIVE AT SMALLS

Wayne Escoffery really takes off here in the vibrant setting of the Smalls Live series – blowing with a fire and intensity we don't always hear – really stretching out on a lot of very long tracks! The group's a quartet – with tremendous piano from Dave Kikoski, who really seems to bring a lot of energy to the record – and the great Ralph Peterson is on drums, alongside Ugonna Okegwo on bass – but it's clear from the start that Escoffery's tenor is the star of the show – as he burns brightly on the original "Concentric Drift", and steps out on other titles that include "Snibor", "Sweet & Lovely", "So Tender", and "A Cottage For Sale".  ~ Dusty Groove

THEE SATISFACTION – EARTEE

These guys have a wonderfully trippy look on the cover – very cosmic, very sci-fi, but also somewhat ancient as well – a style that really does justice to the music that lies within! Earthee's an even stronger set than the debut from Thee Satisfaction – more complex from an instrumental perspective, and more focused too – with this bristling blend of slow beats, basslines, and keyboard washes that take us back to some of the headier London styles we loved in years back – but also with one very strong ear to the American underground too, in ways that whisper "future soul" from the very first note. Meshell Ndegeocello guests on a few tracks – and the set's a good comparison to some of her headiest work, and maybe the music of Gloria Anne Muldrow too. Titles include "Planet For Sale", "Blandland", "Nature's Candy", "Post Black Anyway", "Universal Perspective", "I Read You", and "Sir Come Navigate". (Includes download!) ~ Dusty Groove