NEW MUSIC: TOM LELLIS - FLOW; CAETANO VELOSO & GILBERTO GIL – DOIS AMIGOS: UM SECULO DE MUSICA; DAVE DOUGLAS QUINTET – BRAZEN HEART

TOM LELLIS - FLOW

An excellent set from Tom Lellis – a jazz vocalist we've been digging since the 70s – as part of an elite group of really special singers that might include Mark Murphy or Kurt Elling – able to work in a jazzy style that's far more than just delivery of a lyric, with a sense of individuality that's always compelling! This album has Lellis in wonderful form – at a level that rivals all the greatness of his classic records, with a similar commitment to excellent material, and sublime small group presentation of the music – with instrumental energy that really matches his vocal phrasing of the words. Tom plays piano, keyboards, vibes, and guitar – and other musicians include Orlando Valle on flute, Toninho Horta on guitar, Dave Kikoski on piano, and Gary Fisher on piano and keyboards. Titles include a great blending of "Berimbau/Pomba Gira" – plus "Love Comes & Goes", "Tones For Joan's Bones", "Can It Be Done", "Waiting The Day", "Sea Aura", and "The Flow". ~ Dusty Groove 

CAETANO VELOSO & GILBERTO GIL – DOIS AMIGOS: UM SECULO DE MUSICA (2-CD/DVD)

An incredible meeting of these two legendary artists – both musicians who transformed the sound of Brazil from the 60s onward – and who've also been a hell of an inspiration to many of us up in North America too! The passage of time hasn't dimmed the genius of Caetano Veloso or Gilberto Gil at all – and, if anything, it's only given the singers more live experience and sensitivity to put into their music – qualities that really come through here, as Caetano and Gilberto work in an intimate duo setting – with just their vocals and acoustic guitar to carry the set – but with amazing power throughout! Older tunes are reworked wonderfully by the pair – including a sublime take on "Nine Out Of Ten", a Veloso classic that perfectly sums up the life in exile that both musicians experienced in the early 70s. Other titles include "Marginalia II", "Back In Bahia", "As Maelias Do", "Tropicalia", "Eu Vim Da Bahia", "Expresso 2222", "Drao", "Tres Palabras", "Desde Que O Samba E Samba", "Nossa Gente", "Andar Come Fe", "Sampa", and "Coracao Vagabundo". ~ Dusty Groove

DAVE DOUGLAS QUINTET – BRAZEN HEART

A wonderful title for this killer from trumpeter Dave Douglas – as the record's one of the boldest, most on-target sets he's had in years – a record that takes us back to his roots, as Douglas works with a quintet of well-chosen younger players. The lineup features Jon Irabgon on tenor, Linda Oh on bass, Rudy Royston on drums, and Matt Mitchell on piano – players who move soulfully with Dave's trumpet in an almost effortless way – embracing his sense of soundshaping and rhythmic progressions, but also finding plenty of space for their own individual contributions too. Most tunes are Douglas originals, and brilliantly written – and titles include "Brazen Heart", "Hawaiian Punch", "Inure Phase", "Lone Wolf", "Ocean Spray", and "Pyrrhic Apology". ~ Dusty Groove