Thursday, February 18, 2016

NEW MUSIC: MAVIS STAPLES–LIVIN’ ON A HIGH NOTE; ED CHERRY–SOUL TREE; TRIO DA PAZ–30

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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