Thursday, June 11, 2015

RANDY SCOTT – SERENITY; CANTO GENERAL FEATURING LOUIS MOHOLO-MOHOLO – REBEL FLAMES; NICOLAY – CITY LIGHTS VOL. 3: SOWETO

RANDY SCOTT – SERENITY

With gold, platinum and multiplatinum records to his credit as well as invitations to perform for two US presidents, gifted saxophonist Randy Scott emerges once again from the studio with a long awaited new project that is sure to add to his long list of musical accolades. Perfectly straddling the worlds of Gospel and Jazz, Scott has found a strong voice in both genres and with Serenity his 6thstudio album, his flair for conjuring up compelling musical portraits has never been more evident. Gracefully and effortlessly moving between the tenor, alto and soprano Scott has a complete mastery of his instrument and his flavor is robust and satisfying. Whether it s throwing down the funk on tracks like Funky Enough or gentle atmospherics like Mellow Flow this collection of musical sketches is fully satisfying, presenting a ride with great dynamic flow covering a variety of moods and vibes. Enlisting once again the supporting help of many of his long time Detroit collaborators the CD boasts a strong sense of cohesion with the interplay carrying the day. Serenity is more than the title implies, it signals that Scott has found peace in and with the gift that he has been given and presents his gratitude through this new collective inviting you to come along as his journey continues. Top notch! ~ Amazon

CANTO GENERAL FEATURING LOUIS MOHOLO-MOHOLO – REBEL FLAMES

Wonderfully soulful work from drummer Louis Moholo Moholo – heard here in the company of Canto General – an Italian group, but one whose music is awash in South American inspiration! Reedman Roberto Ottaviano is in the quintet – and he sounds better here than we've heard him in years – blowing with this rich tone alongside trumpeter Pino Minafra, in a musical partnership that almost takes us back to the spirit of Gato Barbieri's Latin America projects of the early 70s! Pianist Livio Minafra brings a real sense of majesty to the music, too – almost a Cuban balance of lyricism and rhythm, which makes for a perfect fit with Moholo's drums and the bass of Roberto Bellatalla. The group perform tunes by some of Moholo's older contemporaries – Harry Miller, Keith Tippett, Dudu Pukwana, and Mongezi Feza – and titles include "Orange Grove", "Thoughts To Geoff", "Dedicated To Mingus", "Angel Normali", and "You Ain't Gonna Know Me Cos You Think You Know Me". ~ Dusty Groove

NICOLAY – CITY LIGHTS VOL. 3: SOWETO

Brightly lit, breezily soulful grooves from Nicolay's globetrotting City Lights series – inspired by a +FE's tour stop in South Africa – and it may be the best yet! One thing we love about the series, and the Soweto entry in particular, is that Nicolay isn't out to copy the exact sounds you'd hear in classic or contemporary South African dance music, as much as he's doing his own distinct thing, as inspired by it. Some occasional vocals, especially the spoken narrative passages by Nomusa Nzima set the Soweto scene, and the South African rhythmic sensibility is a big part of the vibe, but it's got a broad, richly appealing vibe overall.. The keyboards walk the line between spacey and sophisticated, there's some great vocal contributions from Phonte, Carmen Rodgers and Tamisha Waden. Wonderful! Includes "Tomorrow", "It's In The Way That You Smile", "Aurora", "Sun Rings/Uprising", "Daydream", "Sawubona", "The Secret" and "There Is A Place For Us". ~ Dusty Groove


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