LOUIS VEGA
& OTHERS – STARRING XXVIII
A massive
project from the great Louie Vega – a man who's given us plenty of majestic
moments since his early years in Masters At Work and Nuyorican Soul – but an
artist who's maybe outdone himself here, thanks to help from a huge amount of
guests and singers! The "starring" in the title doesn't refer to
Louie, but to the key talents who help shape the individual tracks on the set –
a talent roster large enough to include Vikter Duplaix, Tony Momrelle, N'Dea
Davenport, The Clark Sisters, Winans Brothers, Zara McFarlane, Funkadelic,
Jocelyn Brown, Kenny Bobien, Josh Milan, Lisa Fischer, Byron Stingily, Leroy
Burgess, Caron Wheeler, and others – all of whom work perfectly with Louie –
not in a way that has their talents thrown in for extra spice, but instead very
deeply woven into the fabric of Vega's music – in a richly collaborative spirit
that makes the album a gem all the way through! All the cuts are in the
positive, soulful, inspirational vibe we've always loved in Louie's projects –
and titles include "Gift Of Love", "Angels Are Watching
Me", "Ain't That Funkin Hard On You", "You Are
Everything", "Joy Inside My Tears", "You've Got It Bad
Girl", "Es Vedra", "Everlasting Love", "I Deserve
To Breathe", "Ain't No Stopping Love", "Gimme Some
Love", "Can We Keep This Going", and "See Some
Light". ~ Dusty Groove
ANOUSHKA
SHANKARS – LAND OF GOLD
Land of Gold
is Anoushka Shankars fervent response to the humanitarian trauma of displaced
people fleeing conflict and poverty. The virtuoso sitar player explores an
expressive range, conveying an evocative journey infused with a message of
enduring hope. With exquisite arrangements blending genres and musical
collaborations, Land of Gold is a narrative communicated with conviction and
poetic beauty. Land of Gold originated in the context of the humanitarian
plight of refugees. It coincided with the time when I had recently given birth
to my second child. I was deeply troubled by the intense contrast between my
ability to provide for my baby, and others who desperately wanted to provide
the same security for their children but were unable to do so. Anoushka
Shankar. The narrative thread carried throughout the album evokes themes of
disconnection, vulnerability and the underlying hope that persists in our
darkest experiences. My instrument is the terrain in which I explore the gamut
of emotional expression evoking shades of aggression, anger and tenderness,
while incorporating elements of classical minimalism, jazz, electronica and
Indian classical styles. Notable electronic producer Matt Robertson (who is a
long-term collaborator of Bjork) added cinematic soundscapes and textures,
enhancing the initial compositions. Anoushka worked with a core-team of gifted
musicians: At its base the album is designed as a trio of Anoushka, the famous
Hang Drum player Manu Delago who performs on and co-wrote many of the pieces,
and Sanjeev Shankar who was a student of her father Ravi Shankar, playing the
Shehnai, a beautiful reed instrument from India.Top notch female guest artists
lend their voices to the album: M.I.A. with the Song, Jump In (Cross the Line),
the wonderful singer Alev Lenz on Land of Gold and the actress and activist
Vanessa Redgrave on Remain the Sea (reading a poem by Pavana Reddy). Not only
do they add different musical styles and voices of different generations but
all of them represent strong women known for using their voices for equality
and against injustice. The music is mainly based on western harmonics, features
great electronic programming, string arrangements, hip hop elements, beautiful
songwriting and virtuoso sitar performances embedded in exciting contemporary
arrangements. ~ Amazon
ERIC CLAPTON - I STILL DO
Music legend
Eric Clapton has reunited with famed producer Glyn Johns for his forthcoming
23rd studio album I Still Do, set for release on May 20, 2016 on his Bushbranch
Records/Surfdog Records. Clapton and Johns who has also produced albums for The
Eagles, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and The Who most famously worked
together on Clapton's iconic Slowhand album, which is RIAA-certified
3x-platinum and topped charts globally. The 12-track record includes some
original songs written by Clapton. This album follows his last release, the
2014 chart-topping Eric Clapton & Friends: The Breeze, An Appreciation of
JJ Cale. Includes: Alabama Woman Blues; Can't Let You Do It; I Will Be There;
Spiral; Catch The Blues; Cypress Grove; Little Man, You've Had A Busy Day;
Stones In My Passway; I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine; I'll Be Alright;
Somebody's Knockin'; and I'll Be Seeing You.
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