MAVIS STAPLES – LIVIN’ ON A HIGH NOTE
Mavis Staples definitely seems to hit a high note here –
coming across with some of the most positive energy of all her recent comeback
sets – quite possibly because of all the success they've brought the singer in
these later years of her career! Production is by M Ward, and the album's got
the respectful, rootsy currents that have really helped take Mavis back to her
roots – a special way of allowing her voice to blossom even more than in some
of her commercial recordings from the earlier years – with a slight echo at
times that stirs together the raspy lead vocals, warmer backing singers, and bluesy
currents of the instrumentation. Titles include "Dedicated",
"History Now", "One Love", "MLK Song", "Take
Us Back", "If It's A Light", "Action", "High
Note", and "Love & Trust" – songs written specifically for
Mavis by a diverse roster of accomplished contemporary writers – including Neko
Case, Justin Vernon, Aloe Blacc, Benjamin Booker and more. She really does make
it her own! ~ Dusty Groove
ED CHERRY – SOUL TREE
A killer guitar and Hammond session with a really sublime
sort of sound – a groove that's wonderfully free of cliche – and which has an
open, spacious quality that few artists can match! Given the instrumentation,
the album's steeped in tradition, but never tries to just rehash an older
Prestige Records vibe – and instead guitarist Ed Cherry and organist Kyle
Koehler find a way of soaring out in their own spirits – opening up strongly in
a bass-less trio that only features the drums of Anwar Marshall to keep things
snapping along. The pairing is perfect – on the level of Grant Green with Larry
Young, or Pat Martino with Don Patterson – yet very much with its own spirit,
too. Cherry's arrangements are great, too – providing very fresh takes on
familiar tunes, alongside his own compositions. Titles include "Central
Park West", "A New Blue", "Rachel's Step", "Ode
To Angela", "Little Sunflower", "Little Girl Big
Girl", and "Peace". ~ Dusty Groove
TRIO DA PAZ – 30
A perfectly triangulated lineup of players – guitarist
Romero Lubambo, bassist Nilson Matta, and drummer Duduka Da Fonseca – all
working together at a level that seems to continually place an equal amount of
presence on each instrument! The format here is very different than both the
usual jazz guitar trio, or the Brazilian bossa combo – and although the group
plays equally well in both formats, they also have a way of opening them up,
rearranging their parts, and moving into new realms of rhythm and tone in the
process. Lubambo plays both acoustic and electric guitar – and titles include
"For Donato", "Sampa 67", "Alana",
"Luisa", "Samba Triste", "Flying Over Rio", and
"Aguas Brasileiras". ~ Dusty Groove
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