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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