NEW RELEASES: MICHAEL ROSEN – SWEET 17; BEGINNING OF THE END; HERBIE HANCOCK - LIVE IN CHICAGO 1977 FEATURING JACK PASTORIUS

MICHAEL ROSEN – SWEET 17

Guitarist Lage Lund is consistently one of our favorite contemporary musicians on his instrument – and even though he's not the leader on this set from tenorist Michael Rosen, his performance really helps shape the overall sound of the album! Lund's got this way of arching into the groove with these really wonderful colors – bold sometimes, and as strongly melodic as the tenor in the lead – sometimes more subtle, but always powerful – in a way that allows him to fluidly move between frontline space alongside Rosen's tenor and the trumpet of Ralph Alessi – and more rhythmic progressions in line with Dominico Sanna on piano, Matt Pennman on bass, and Bill Stewart on drums. Of course, Rosen's to be credited with the charm of the record, too – as many of the tracks are his own, and seem perfectly penned to open up this special musical blend – on titles that include "Sweet 17", "Architextures", "Fair Weather Ahead", "Hopefully", "39 Belgrave Square", and "Jacoby's Ladder". ~ Dusty Groove

BEGINNING OF THE END

One of the rarest funky records of all time – the hard-to-find second album by Beginning Of The End! This West Indian combo hit it big with their first album on Alston, but this second set, for some strange reason, never really got distributed – which is a damn shame, because it's every bit as funky as their first! The uniquely choppy rhythms of the group's first album are every bit as great here as on the first set – and if anything, the band's instrumentation is even better, especially on the guitar, which is wickedly tight, and played with a super-dope flanged-out approach on the solos. Vocals are great too, maybe even more soulful than before, especially on the album's few midtempo cuts – and the album's a must-have for any fan of the group's funky sound! Titles include "That's What I Get", "Super Woman", "Bluestrain", "Jump In The Water", "Falling Apart At The Seams", and "Trip To Nowhere".  © 1996-2016, Dusty Groove, Inc.

HERBIE HANCOCK - LIVE IN CHICAGO 1977 FEATURING JACK PASTORIUS

Undiscovered funky genius from Herbie Hancock – a live show recorded in Chicago in 1977 – with a unique performance by a quartet that features Bennie Maupin on reeds, James Levin on drums, and Jaco Pastorius on bass! The groove is very much in the best Headhunters mode, but with a more stripped-down sound overall, given the lineup – and Herbie plays a bank of keyboards, plus acoustic piano too – as the group make their way through Hancock classics "Chameleon", "Hang Up Your Hang Us", and "Maiden Voyage" – plus Maupin's "It Remains To Be Seen". ~ Dusty Groove.