NEW MUSIC: ANDRE WILLIAMS – I WANNA GO BACK TO DETROIT CITY; MICHAEL DEASE – FATHER FIGURE; WILLIAM BELL – THIS IS WHERE I LIVE

ANDRE WILLIAMS – I WANNA GO BACK TO DETROIT CITY

Andre returns to his adopted hometown of Detroit, where his career began in the 1950’s with labels like Motown and Fortune working alongside the certified legends of soul and R&B. Here, he’s backed by a modern Motor City who’s-who of players for a set of slow-burining psychedelic soul-reflections on a city that, like Andre, has seen its peaks and valleys. Includes: I Wanna Go Back To Detroit City; Times; What Now?; Meet Me At The Graveyard; Detroit (I’m So Glad I Stayed); Hall Of Fame; I Don’t Like You No More; and Morning After Blues.

MICHAEL DEASE – FATHER FIGURE

Maybe the best album so far from trombonist Michael Dease – and that's saying a lot, because we've really loved a lot of his other records! The set's got a punch and a crackle that really lives up to Dease's brilliant phrasing on the trombone – a sound so tight, it almost matches at trumpet at points – and clearly marks Michael as one of the most deft (or mos def, if you prefer!) players on his instrument in the current scene. The lineup is great, too – and makes wonderful use of the vibes of Behn Gillece, whose tones have really, made some other recent gems from the Posi-Tone label shine, and which sound tremendous alongside the ringing piano lines of Glenn Zaleski. Some tracks feature a bit of guest alto from Markus Howell and Immanuel Wilkins – who shade in the tunes beautifully, and give them even deeper currents of soul – and the group also features Endea Owens on bass and Luther Allison on drums. Dease wrote some great tunes for the date – "Brooklyn", "Father Figure", "Cry Of The Wolf", and "Church Of The Good Hustler" – and the set also features versions of Mulgrew Miller's "Wingspan" and Grachan Moncur's "Riff Raff".  ~ Dusty Groove

WILLIAM BELL – THIS IS WHERE I LIVE

The man who co-wrote one of the most covered songs in blues/rock music history is also an original “soul man,” and he’s back. William Bell, who wrote “Born Under A Bad Sign” with Booker T. Jones, a tune first recorded by Albert King and made legend by Eric Clapton and Cream, has returned to Stax Records and is ready to retake the limelight. Fresh off of his featured role in the Memphis music documentary Take Me To The River, where William and Snoop Dogg performed another of his compositions, Bell teamed up with Grammy-winning producer John Leventhal to record his first major label album in over 30 years.