Wednesday, December 16, 2015

NEW RELEASES: WADADA LEO SMITH / JOHN LINDBERG – CELESTIAL WEATHER; GILSON PERANZZETTA / AMOY RIBAS – REPERCUTINDO; THE NEW MASTERSOUNDS – MADE FOR PLEASURE

WADADA LEO SMITH / JOHN LINDBERG – CELESTIAL WEATHER

Some of the most beautiful, personal work we've heard from trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith in many years – a wonderful set of duets with bassist John Lindberg – done at a level that recalls some of Smith's most organic, most spiritual sounds of the 70s! There's a real back to basics vibe here – a return to the initial spirit of the AACM, something we possibly infer from the album's long tribute to Malachi Favors, but which we can also feel in the spirit of collaboration between Smith and Lindberg – a way of coming together that never overwhelms the individual, yet also never allows one individual to ever upstage the other – as the duo reach out brilliantly for a breathtaking range of sounds, on titles that include "Malachi Favors Maghostut A Monarch Of Creative Music", "Celestial Weather Suite", and "Feathers & Earth".  ~ Dusty Groove

GILSON PERANZZETTA / AMOY RIBAS – REPERCUTINDO

A hell of a wonderful record from legendary Brazilian pianist Gilson Peranzzetta – an artist we've loved since his crucial 70s MPB arrangements – working here with younger percussionist Amoy Ribas, who turns in some especially great work on vibes! The music just comes from the pair – Gilson on acoustic piano throughout – and Amoy on vibes and lots of percussion – both working together in these styles that are complicated, but constantly grooving too – that blend of infectious rhythms and melodic sophistication we love in so much Brazilian music from years back, like work by Hermeto Pascoal or Edu Lobo, distilled here down to an essence that's completely sublime! Many tracks have both vibes and percussion overdubbed – a perfect blend for the dynamic colors that seem to leap forward from Gilson's hands with an almost effortless quality – and the production is wonderful, with a core rootsy quality that makes the whole thing feel a lot more vintage than contemporary. Titles include "Luiz Eca E Pra Voce", "Fator RH", "Repercutindo", "Croa De Um Jongueiro", "Paz", "Entre Rios", and "La Vai O Cara".  ~ Dusty Groove

THE NEW MASTERSOUNDS – MADE FOR PLEASURE

The New Mastersounds are definitely made for pleasure – at least to our funk-sensitive ears – as the group's been giving us nothing but greatness since the turn of the millenium, with no sign of stopping at all! That boundless energy is apparent right from the very first note on this sweet little record – a very tight, very fierce set that has the group cutting even sharper rhythms than before – all laced with superb guitar from the mighty Eddie Roberts, and equally at home with gritty funky 45 styles as with 70s blacksploitation funk! Many numbers feature an added tenor or trumpet, or both – with some nice solos to fill out the instrumental passages – and the set only features a bit of vocals from Charly Lowry on a few tracks. Titles include "High & Wide", "Cigar Time", "Joy", "Sitting On My Knees", "Made For Pleasure", "Tranquilo", and "Just Gotta Run".  ~ Dusty Groove





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