INCOGNITO – CLASSIC ALBUM SERIES: WHO NEEDS LOVE /
ADVENTURES IN BLACK SUNSHINE / ELEVEN (PLUS BONUS TRACKS)
Three great albums from Incognito – served up at a mighty
nice price, and with bonus tracks too! Who Needs Love is a gem from over a
decade ago – and Jean-Paul "Bluey" Maunick pulled out all the stops
on this set – working with a range of vocalists that includes Joy Rose, Kelli
Sae, Tony Momrelle, Joy Malcolm, and Brazilian soul legend Ed Motta! The range
of voices on the set really gives it a lot of depth – moving past the easy jazz
funk moments of earlier sets, and going for an all-solid, all-soulful approach
that really blows our mind! Great stuff all the way through – maybe their best
album in years – and a record you'll be playing into the next decade. Titles
include "Morning Sun", "Who Needs Love", "Stone Cold
Heart", "Where Love Shines", "Blue", "Fly",
"If You Want My Love", and "Cada Dia". On Adventures In
Black Sunshine, the groove is sweetly soulful, with a jazzy undercurrent that
hearkens back to the best west coast soul of the 70s – and Bluey's got the
group honed to perfection, playing with a razor-sharp edge that keeps the tunes
as funky as they are soulful! Vocals are by Maysa and Tony Momrelle – and
tracks include "Don't Turn My Love Away", "This Thing Called
Love", "The Principles Of Love", "Everything Your Heart
Desires", "Close My Eyes", "25th Chapter", and
"Mr Jones". Eleven is a record that's a great testament to
Incognito's richly-collaborative spirit – a quality that makes plenty of room
here for lead vocals by Maysa Leak, Imaani, and Carleen Anderson – and which
benefits strongly from some great keyboard lines by Ski Oakenfull. But as
usual, mainman Bluey is the one to thank for the record – because his sense of
groove, and love of classic 70s-influenced soul comes through very strongly on
all tracks – hitting an on-the-money sound that makes the group, and this
latest album, stand head to head with some of the best soul acts of classic
years. Another winner from Incognito – not a bit of fluff at all – and a
sublime batch of tracks that includes "Jacaranda", "Show Me
Love", "We Got Music", "Let The Mystery Be",
"Will I Ever Learn", "I'll Get By", "As Long As It's
You", and "When Tomorrow Brings You Down". Bonus tracks include
the previously-unreleased "To Prove My Love" and "Feel The
Real" – plus "Zaius (Ski Oakenfull mix)". ~ Dusty Groove
SOUL TOGETHERNESS 2016 (VARIOUS ARTISTS)
A wickedly sharp entry in the Soul Togetherness series – and
one that maybe features a bit more contemporary material than before! There's a
few older tracks from the modern soul years of the late 70s – but most of the
work here is contemporary soul from the global underground – brought together
in a collection that's especially important, given that the scene has moved so
strongly to digital releases and one-off singles! These tracks are partly from
that hinterland, and partly from the well-chosen range of cuts that we've come
to expect from Expansion Records and DJ Richard Searling – a talent who's been
running the Soul Togetherness empire for 30 years, and really knows his way
around a track. Titles include "Don't Quit" by Deiphuis & Eastar
with Jocelyn Brown, "Sunshine" by Los Charly's Orchestra, "I Got
To Party" by SouLutions, "Just Talk To Me (boogie back rmx)" by
Tracy Hamlin, "No Limit (ext mix)" by Breakwater, "Stranger
(back to the future mix)" by Farina Miss, "Adieu" by Trina
Broussard, "I Can Feel It (Soulshy mix)" by Beat Rivals, "Never
Loved Nobody" by Puff Johnson, "Lotta Love (ext orig version)"
by Nicolette Larson, "What I Done Wrong" by Big Lee Dowell & The
Cannonballas, "Just Whatcha Like" by Zo with Joi, "All In The
Name Of Love" by Seest, and "You & I (spider edit)" by
Ronnie Jones. ~ Dusty Groove
ANDREW CYRILLE / BILL MCHENRY – PROXIMITY
One of the most beautiful records we've ever heard from
drummer Andrew Cyrille – a sublime set of duets with tenorist Bill McHenry, who
turns out to be a wonderful musical partner! The music has that loose, open,
almost melodic feel that Cyrille brought to his percussion – especially on his
wonderful recordings of the early 80s – and McHenry's a nicely understated
player who never tries to challenge or dominate – and who instead provides
these soulful currents that are offset by the always-inventive work by Andrew
on the drums! Tunes are open, but never far-out – a few notches this side of
freer jazz, and nicely tuneful overall. Titles include "Dervish",
"Double Dutch", "Drum Song For Leadbelly",
"Fabula", "Bedouin Woman", "Drum Man Cyrille",
"Aquatic Life", and "Seasons". ~ Dusty Groove
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