NEW RELEASES: REGINA BELLE - THE DAY LIFE BEGAN; ICEPICK – AMARANTH; TORTOISE - CATASTROPHIST

REGINA BELLE - THE DAY LIFE BEGAN

The Day Life Began is an inspirational R&B album which displays Regina Belle’s broad range of talents at their very best.  Produced by the Grammy nominated production team, The Heavyweights (whose equally broad range of talents stretch all the way from Tupac to Martina McBride), this album of 10 brilliant originals is a representation of the artist’s deepest feelings and strongest beliefs!  Highlights include the dramatic gospel/R&B single “He’s Alright,” the inspirational ballad “You Saw The Good In Me,” the moving parent to child message song “Be Careful Out There” and much more.

ICEPICK – AMARANTH

A pretty heady performance from the trio of trumpeter Nate Wooley, drummer Chris Corsano, and bassist Ingebrigt Haker Flaten – all of whom seem to set a special sort of fire between each other on the set! Wooley is especially strong – bolder than we remember, with these powerful lines that seem to illustrate his growing power in the global avant jazz scene – underscored by always-impressive work from Ingebrigt on bass, who can ruminate with deep sounds at some moments, but make elusively, almost electronic tones at others! Corsano has this elliptical way of guiding the performance – almost sometimes the most structured member of the trio, but still with a very unconventional approach – and titles include "Fuschia", "Rosso Corsa", and "Rare Rufescent". (Includes download!) ~ Dusty Groove

TORTOISE - CATASTROPHIST

The first album in years from Tortoise – again stretching out creatively in fascinating ways, some subtle and others obvious – and all of it compelling! The Catastrophist is partly inspired by work Tortoise was commissioned to produce by the City Of Chicago, material that could be used in collaboration with the city's great jazz and improvistional musical community. For The Castastrophist record, these musical building blocks were pulled back into Tortoise-ville, where the band could do their diverse and distinctive thing. Compelling drums and percussion, creative guitar and bass grooves, and divergent keyboard textures make up the connective tissue – but it's a pretty diverse sound overall! Two of the more fascinating stylistic departures have vocals – a bass-y, synth-steeped cover of the early 70s David Essex hit "Rock On", and the moody, melodic "Yonder Blue" with Georgia Hubley of Yo La Tengo. Other titles include"The Catastrophist', "Ox Duke","Gopher Island", "Shake Hands With Danger", "The Clearing Fills", "Gesceap", "Tesseract", "Hot Coffee" and "At Odds With Logic". ~Dusty Groove