PAULETTE REAVES – SECRET LOVER
A fantastic album from deep soul singer Paulette Reeves –
one of the most unique talents of her generation, and an artist who's never
fully gotten her due! Paulette's got a southern soul range in her vocals, and
works here with Miami TK arrangements from Clarence Reid – but she also has
these more sophisticated modern soul currents in her music – at a level that
makes us think of her more along the lines of singers like Jean Carn or Phyllis
Hyman! The set's quite different than some of the other TK Records material of
the time – and was quite possibly overlooked at the time, due to its release
within their disco-heavy catalog – whereas Reeves is a singer who really would
have gotten strong attention on a label like Philadelphia International. The
whole thing's great – and the album includes her classic midtempo number
"Let Me Wrap You In My Love", plus other nice ones – like "Secret
Lover", "There's Fire Down Below", and "If You Don't See Me
Again". ~ Dusty Groove
THE SURE FIRE SOUL ENSEMBLE – OUT ON THE COAST
Great work from one of the freshest funk combos going today
– a group who really grabbed our ears with their initial singles and debut
album – but who seem here to be heading into even hipper territory overall!
There's a brilliant blend of sharp-edged instrumentation and more exotic
touches – particularly some East African inflections on the horns, which gives
them a vibe that's a nice change from usual funk phrasing, but without any sort
of easy Afro-styled cliches as well. At times, the music also has some great
southern Cali elements that fit the title and the cover – laidback rhythms that
are never sloppy, but maybe just have a cool, kicked-back approach that furthers
their unique groove. Titles include "Baja Norte", "Tche",
"Jeannie's Getdown", "Out On The Coast", "Pig's
Feet", "Volcano Vapes", "Face 1", "Balboa
Park", and "Rise Of The East". ~ Dusty Groove
SAO PAULO UNDERGROUND – CANTOS INVISIVEIS
Rob Mazurek's Sao Paulo Underground group just keeps on
getting better and better – and opening up with new ideas we never would have
expected in their music just a few years before! The group's been an important
springboard for a newly emotional, spiritual side of Mazurek's music – but
they've also gelled together so wonderfully, they've hit some really tremendous
territory as a unit – and on this set, they almost re-embrace some of the
electronics of Rob's more abstract years, but find a way to create sounds that
live up to their emotional range on previous records. The balance is wonderful
– we can't imagine anyone else pulling it off this well – and although the
songs might still have some jazz aspects, they also maybe function more as
paintings in sound – with Rob on cornet, moog, Mellotron, percussion, and a
modular synth – with Mauricio Takara on drums, cavaquino, and more electronics;
Guilherme Grando on keyboards and electronics; and Thomas Roher on flutes,
soprano sax, rabeca, electronics, and percussion. The sound of the music is as
dense as the image on the cover – and maybe as cosmic, too – and titles include
"Fire & Chime", "Violent Orchid Parade",
"Cambodian Street Carnival", "Estrada Para A Oeste",
"Of Golden Summer", and "Falling Down From The Sky Like Some
Damned Ghost". ~ Dusty Groove
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