AARON
ABERNATHY - MONOLOGUE
This album's
hardly a monologue – given that Aaron Abernathy's got some great help on the
whole thing – from artists who include Phonte, Zo, and Deborah Bond – each of
whom add a special slice of their talents to a tune! Yet undeniably, Aaron's
the main man on the whole thing – a fantastic funky drummer, a great singer
with a nice sort of edge to his voice, and a top-level talent who composed,
arranged, and produced the whole thing on his own! There's a chunky sort of
electro funk groove on most tunes – a vibe where the keyboards and basslines
are bumping the speakers nicely, as the lyrics crackle over the top with a very
vibrant energy. We're almost tempted to call the whole thing a Zapp for the 21st
Century – but there's a much earthier feel overall – and titles include
"Son Of Larry", "Kiss Me Again", "Pretty Kind",
"Bachelorette", "AB Is Gone Away", "I Need To
Know", and "Play It Cool". ~ Dusty Groove
BARBATUQUES
- AYU
Very cool
sounds from this unique Brazilian group – an ensemble whose music mostly comes
from their voices and percussive sounds made on their bodies! The approach is
surprisingly great – and maybe not nearly as squishy as you'd expect – as
there's a clean, clear sound to the music – one that almost feels sampled or
electronic at times, without any of the hippie-dippy elements that could come
from such a project. Instead, the percussive elements at the core really keep
things bristling – and seem to infect the vocals too – creating a sharpness
throughout, one that's only echoed and magnified when guests artists Nana
Vasconcelos, Marcelo Pretto, or Hermeto Pascoal come into the mix. Titles
include "Barra Do Dia", "Valsa Manca", "Skamenco",
"Kerere", "Ta Na Roda", "Totem", "Eh
Eh", "Tudo Fica", and "Samba Lele". ~ Dusty Groove
BURAK
BEDIKYAN - AWAKENING
A rock-solid
set from pianist Burak Bedikyan – a player who seems to grow tremendously in
the space between each new album! This set features all original material by Burak
– songs that can be dark one minute, quietly sensitive the next – with a beauty
that's not just captured by Bedikyan's work on piano, but also by the sinewy
alto sax of Loren Stillman – who's deft enough to move in all the right ways
along the melodies, then open up for his own interpretations on the solos. The
rest of the group features the great Donald Edwards on drums and Ugonna Okegwo
on bass – and titles include "Ad Infinitum", "Do Not Fear",
"Unfair Blues", "All Alone", "Idee Fixe", and
"Mother Earth". ~ Dusty Groove
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