A great
return chapter for Martha High – a singer who began her career working with
James Brown, cut some disco for Salsoul Records in the 70s, and who's
re-emerged in recent years as a stunning vocalist in a deep funk mode! This
album's got High working with an excellent Italian combo – one who wrote all
new tunes for the record, and came up with music that's maybe some of the most
perfect that Martha's ever worked with – beautiful songs that unlock some
soulful sides of her style that she maybe didn't even hit back in the day! The
record's not one of those "old divas back for a minute" sets – and
instead completely reinvigorate's High's career, and maybe even starts her anew
down a path she should have taken so many years before. Hats off to producer
and songwrtiter Luca Sapio for getting things so right – on titles that include
"Always Worth The Pain", "Fire Shut Up In My Bones",
"The Hardest Working Woman In Town", "You Baby", "I'm
A Woman", and "The Hard Way". ~ Dusty Groove
FULL BLAST
(PETER BROTZMANN) - RISC
Pretty
blistering sounds from Peter Brotzmann's Risc trio – a group that really
recalls some of the mindblowing intensity he brought to the free jazz scene in
his youth! The lineup features electric bass from Marino Pliakas, which really
creates a lot of power at the bottom – a rumbling quality that shakes the
rafters in ways that an acoustic bass couldn't achieve – matched by frenzied
drum work from Michael Wertmuller, who mostly plays in skittish space all over
the kit – then matched by some very freewheeling work from Brotzmann on a range
of reeds. The electric bass really gives the set a different feel than other
improv trio dates – but also in a way that's never "electric" in
conventional modes – and titles include "Try Kraka", "Cafe Ingrid",
"TTD", "Garnison Lane", "Doss House", and
"Schwarspanier Street". ~ Dusty Groove
QUANTIC
PRESENTS FLOWERING INFERNO – 1000 WATTS
A dubbier
set than even before from Quantic and his Flowering Inferno project – a record
that's still quite heavy on the range of Caribbean elements he blended with
funk on the previous two albums, but one that also seems to draw a bit more
strongly from the sound of Kingston overall! The bottom end of the record is
nicely pushed forward to the top – with speaker-rattling basslines and rhythms,
peppered with moody trumpet and tenor lines, and sewn together with these
beautifully bubbling Hammond lines from Roger Rivas – which are maybe the
strongest element in the set, and which definitely give the whole thing its
most classic quality. Quantic plays guitar throughout – and most cuts are
instrumental, but the album does feature some guest vocals from U-Roy, Alice
Russell, Christopher Ellis, and Nidia Gongora. Titles include "Spring Tank
Fire", "El Disorden", "1000 Watts", "A Life Worth
Living", "Homeward Bound", "Ikey's Vibe",
"Shuffle Them Shoes", "Striding On Grand Street",
"Macondo", "Night Shade", and "All I Do Is Think About
You". ~ Dusty Groove
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