FUKUMI – MOON IN PARIS
Moon in Paris, recorded in New York – as Japanese singer
Fukumi works with some of that city's top jazz talents – including Eric
Alexander on tenor sax, Behn Gillece on vibes, David Hazeltine on piano, John
Webber on bass, and Joe Farnsworth on drums! The instrumental core of the album
is wonderful – very much in the Alexander/Hazletine camp – and Fukumi's a hell
of a singer, too – one who can put forth the lyrics at one point, then scat
wordlessly with a very melodic approach – a style that sounds especially nice
next to the piano and vibes! Production is wonderful – lean, clean, and just
the right mode to capture the interplay between the singer and the band – and
all arrangements are by Hazeltine, who also plays a bit of Fender Rhodes.
Titles include Fukumi's original "Moon In Paris" – plus nice takes on
"The Windmills Of Your Mind", "What Are You Doing For The Rest
Of Your Life", "Devil May Care", "Once Upon A
Summertime", "Sunny", "I Will Wait For You",
"Yesterday When I Was Young", and "This Girl's In Love With
You". (HQ – Hi Quality CD pressing!)
~ Dusty Groove
DIAZPORA – ISLANDS
A record with a cosmic cover, but a sound that's very down
to earth – fierce deep funk, in the best Legere Records mode – played by a
group who are currently one of the hardest-hitting acts on the funky label! The
music's got the full-on power of Afro Funk – especially in the way that
everything seems wrapped around the fast-moving rhythms on the upbeat cuts –
but the sound is hardly Afro Funk at all – as these guys push things in all
sorts of different grooves and currents, and also know how to throw in an
offbeat or mellow rhythm when needed – which creates a great sense of freshness
on the record. The lineup features alto, tenor, baritone, flute, and trumpet –
plus some very strong drums and percussion, and nice use of riffing guitar.
Titles include "Street Market", "Islands", "Kinshasa
Strut", "Piece By Piece", "Moon", "Me &
I", "Nap Xtra Long", and "Numbers". ~ Dusty Groove
DAVID WEISS & POINT OF DEPARTURE – WAKE UP CALL
Trumpeter David Weiss never fails to give us amazing music,
no matter what the setting – and here, he's working with his Point Of Departure
group – an ultra-hip lineup that features Myron Waldon and JD Allen on tenor
sax, each taking on different parts of the record – plus guitar, bass, and
drums – as well as a bit of extra Fender Rhodes from Weiss himself! As with
some of David's other projects, the music is a look back at the future of
modern jazz in the late 60s and early 70s – with a spotlight on amazing
compositions by artists like Wayne Shorter, Kenny Cox, Joe Henderson, Tony
Williams, Charles Moore, and John McLaughlin – music that was years ahead of
its time when written, and which gets even more forward-thinking treatment here
by the group. Rhythms are tentative and angular at some points – really
allowing for shades of color between the trumpet and tenor – and other points
are bolder, and unlock some deeper righteous power in the compositions. Titles
include "Sanctuary", "Noh Word", "Two Faced",
"Pee Wee", "Gazelle", "The Mystic Knights Of The
Sea", and "Sojourn". ~
Dusty Groove
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