Monday, February 06, 2017

NEW RELEASES: SCREAMIN’ JAY HAWKINS – THE PLANET SESSIONS; CARMEN LUNDY – CODE NOIR; RALPH TOWNER – MY FOOLISH HEART

SCREAMIN’ JAY HAWKINS – THE PLANET SESSIONS

An incredible lost moment in the career of Screamin Jay Hawkins – material that was recorded in London in the mid 60s, and with a very different flavor than most of Hawkins' other material! There's a mod jazz approach to this set that's totally great – as Jay's raw vocals come into play with a sweet-grooving Hammond, in a combo that also features some sharp work on guitar, and some strong sax solos too! The upbeat, jazzy vibe is totally great – and gives Screamin Jay a whole new focus for his vocals – and for his songwriting, too – as most of the material here is original. And while Hawkins is always best remembered for his spooky, gimmicky cuts, this material is equally great in a totally different way – and, if it were pursued further, might have given the man a whole new direction in his career. Make no mistake, there's still plenty here to love if you're a longtime fan of Screamin Jay Hawkins – but you'll also really appreciate the mod grooves in the set as well! Titles include "I Wanna Know", "In My Dream", "Change Your Ways", "Serving Time", "Please Forgive Me", "Move Me", "My Marion", and "All Night". Plus, CD features a whopping 12 bonus tracks – a few alternate takes, and other versions of album songs – plus the titles "I'm Lonely" and "Stone Crazy".  ~ Dusty Groove

CARMEN LUNDY – CODE NOIR

Fantastic work from Carmen Lundy – one of our favorite jazz singers of all time, and an artist who keeps on giving us her best as the years go on! This album's definitely some of Carmen's best – as it features the singer working with a wonderful group that includes Jeff Parker on guitar, Patrice Rushen on piano, Ben Williams on bass, and Kendrick Scott on drums – a tight core combo who really find a way to push Lundy's energy even more than usual – while Carmen herself handles other keyboards with her vocals, and serves especially righteous material! There's a bit more politics here than on previous records – perfect for the spirit of the moment – but Carmen also mixes a lot of warmth and love into her music as well. Titles include "Black & Blues", "Afterglow", "Whatever It Takes", "I Keep Falling", "The Island The Sea & You", "Have A Little Faith", and "Another Chance".  ~ Dusty Groove

RALPH TOWNER – MY FOOLISH HEART

The guitar of Ralph Towner has been an important part of the ECM sound since the label's first decade – and here, after so many years later, it still comes across with a brilliance that few players can match! Towner plays both classical and 12 string guitars here – in that spacious, open style that made him a huge influence on younger musicians back in the 80s – and which still has a power that none of his acolytes can match – an acoustic sensitivity that's immediately explosive with color, but always in an understated way – always more powerful here in a solo setting, than if any other musician were on board. Titles include "Clarion Call", "Ubi Sunt", "Blue As In Bley", "Rewind", "My Foolish Heart", "Dolomiti Dance", and "Saunter".  ~ Dusty Groove


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