Tuesday, March 29, 2016

NEW MUSIC: CALIFORNIA SOUL – FUNK & SOUL FROM THE GOLDEN STATE 1967-1976; RICHARD POOLE / MARILYN CRISPELL / GARY PEACOCK; TOM TALLISTCH – GRATITUDE

CALIFORNIA SOUL – FUNK & SOUL FROM THE GOLDEN STATE 1967-1976

Damn funky work from the west coast scene of the late 60s and early 70s – just the kind of tracks to dispel the idea that too much sun or cannabis might have left the Cali scene a bit weak! Instead, these cuts are right on the money, stone funky throughout, and light years from any sort of California connotations you may have – no west coast jazz, smooth AOR, or breezy Bay Area – and much more of the grit and groove that was brewing up on funky 45s from all points east! Drums are heavy, guitars are sharp, and vocals are super-righteous – filled with the kind of messages that you could only get across on the sort of small label releases that make up most of this set – and which also include a few unreleased tracks appearing here for the first time ever. As usual with BGP, the package is as superb as the music – great sound, detailed notes, and a wonderful track selection that includes "Earthquake" by Rulie Garcia, "Hang Up (part 1)" by Warm Excursion, "Pickin Cotton" by Johnny Talbot & De-Thangs, "If She Wants To Go" by Choice Of Colors, "Just Ain't My Day" by The Entertainers IV, "The Git Down (parts 1 & 2)" by Little Johnny Hamilton & The Soul Pack, "Strike" by Union, "I'm Gonna Speak Out" by Eddie Horan, "The Man" by Jesse & Anita, "Check Me Out" by Little Denise, "The Sneak" by The Douzer, "You Don't Know The Damage You've Done" by Vernon Green & The Medallions, and "Tuned In Turned On" by Alvin Robinson. ~ Dusty Groove

RICHARD POOLE / MARILYN CRISPELL / GARY PEACOCK - IN MOTION

A very moody trio recording from this hip combo – a group that features Marilyn Crispell on piano, Gary Peacock on bass, and Richard Poole on drums! Poole's a player we're not that familiar with, but he wins us over right away – and definitely earns the right to be in the heady company of Crispell and Peacock with his careful sense of sound on the drums, and his creative ways of shifting their role in the music and place in the overall texture of the recording. Crispell's beautifully restrained, but in a way that makes her even more powerful than ever – and Peacock sounds as wonderful here as on his best records from years back – with a magnificent sense of moment that seems to balance his playing perfectly. Titles include "Dichotomy", "Ahzan", "Backseat Of The Galaxy", "Dichotomy", "Blue Streets Up & Down", and "Lucid Air".  ~ Dusty Groove

TOM TALLISTCH – GRATITUDE

Tenorist Tom Tallistch has gotten plenty of love from our ears in recent years – and with a record as great as this, he's bound to get plenty more! Tom comes on strong with a really deep tenor sound – a mode that we might put in a range between Hank Mobley and Eric Alexander – boldly rhythmic, but also very skilled at personal phrasing – with solos that fly out effortlessly on top of a crack rhythm combo that features Jon Davis on piano, Peter Brendler on bass, and Rudy Royston on drums – deeply exploring the full range of the tenor, but never in a way that calls attention to its process. Brian Charette joins the group on Hammond for two tracks – but most of the set is from the quartet, who play mostly originals from Tom – including "Terrain", "Kindred Spirit", "Refuge", "Northeast", "Alternate Side", "Oblivion", and "Rust Belt". ~ Dusty Groove


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