Thursday, August 25, 2016

NEW RELEASES: STEVE TURRE – COLORS FOR THE MASTERS; SOUL SURVIVORS: A DANCE, DISCO, BOOGIE JAZZ & FUSION SELECTION; CHARLES MCPHERSON – LIVE IN TOKYO

STEVE TURRE – COLORS FOR THE MASTERS

A great little small group session from trombonist Steve Turre – one that has the leader working with a quartet on the core numbers, then getting some great guest help from tenorist Javon Jackson on some other titles too! The quartet numbers alone are wonderful – laidback, soulful, and filled with easily-blown solos from Turre – who's working with a great rhythm trio of Kenny Barron on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums – all of whom deliver more than their legend might imply in the setting! Jackson's horn gives his tracks a nicely special crackle – which seems to draw a bit more edge on Steve's trombone – and the final number also features some guest percussion from Cyro Baptista. Titles include "Mellow D For RC", "Taylor Made", "Quietude", "Joco Blue", "Coffee Pot", "Reflections", and "United". ~ Dusty Groove

SOUL SURVIVORS: A DANCE, DISCO, BOOGIE JAZZ & FUSION SELECTION (VARIOUS ARTISTS)

A really wonderful title for this excellent little collection – as the package is overflowing with tremendous work from artists who've really held onto their soulful strengths over the years! Some of the artists are older ones, others are part of the Neo Soul underground of the past decade or two – and together, the tracks are united in a wonderfully positive, wonderfully upbeat groove – of the sort that reminds us why we love soul music in the first place! Titles include "When You Feel What Love Has" by Lenny Fontana with D-Train, "Get Your Head Out The Phone (funky dance mix)" by Bill Curtis & Friends with The Fatback Band, "Whatever It Takes" by Angela Johnson, "Open Sesame" by Beggar & Co, "Don't Hide Your Wings" by Eric Roberson, "Ordinary Day (Scratch Professor retwist" by Omar, "In The Open Space" by Vladimir Cetkar, "Beta Waves" by Nu-Era, "Round & Round (old school mix)" by The Pasadenas, "Don't Go (Shane D's solar club mix)" by DJ Skip with Shalamar, "Heaven (Frankie Valentine rmx)" by MODE with Leroy Burgess, and "Show Me Love (Yam Who rework)" by Incognito with Carleen Anderson. ~ Dusty Groove

CHARLES MCPHERSON – LIVE IN TOKYO

Fantastic work from reedman Charles McPherson – a player who was really coming back to basics in the mid 70s, but also finding a way to stretch out with a sound that was different than his initial albums of a decade before! Charles has moved way past the straight bop that first got him notice – yet he's also got this deft way of making changes that hardly denies that legacy at all, and instead turns to a newly fluid sense of expression that might well make McPherson one of the most soulful altoists of his generation – especially in the long legacy of great records that flowed from this period. The group features Barry Harris on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Leroy Williams on drums – and tracks are nice and long, with titles that include "Tokyo Blue", "East Of The Sun", "Desafinado", "Orient Express", and "Bouncing With Bud". CD features two bonus tracks – "Groovin High" and "Blue N Boogie". ~ Dusty Groove


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