JOSH LAWRENCE – COLOR THEORY
Maybe the first album we've ever seen from trumpeter Josh
Lawrence – and a set that will definitely have us looking out for more!
Lawrence composed almost every tune on the set, and works with a sense of color
that really lives up to the title – on lines that are sometimes nicely
compressed and subtle, and blown on flugelhorn – sometimes bold and vibrant,
soaring out in the company of an excellent group that includes Caleb Curtis on
some especially nice alto and flute! The keyboards shift throughout – as Orrin
Evans plays acoustic piano on five titles, and Adam Faulk handles Fender Rhodes
on seven more – creating a nice shift in color that furthers the spirit of the
tunes, driven by rhythm work from Madison Rast on bass and Anwar Marshall on
drums. Titles include "Black", "An Uptown Romance",
"Yellow", "Presence", "The Conceptualizer", and
"Green". ~ Dusty Groove
SJOB MOVEMENT – FRIENDSHIP TRAIN
Fantastic funk from SJOB Movement – a 70s group who only cut
a handful of records – all of them every bit as righteous and heavy as this
one! The group have a perfect fusion of funk, psych, and other cool elements –
all served up in a blend that's more straightforwardly soulful than some of
their contemporaries, but not averse to trippier sidetracks too – especially
when a bit of moogy keyboards come into the mix, and space things out nicely
alongside the riffing guitars and tight horns in the groove! The sound is
perfect – neither in a too-familiar Fela mode, nor in the too-dark style of
some of the group's contemporaries – full of life, but never losing its focus –
on cuts that include "Friendship Train", "Love Affair",
"Odiaria", "let's Do It", "What Could It Be", and
"Halleluyah". Also includes a bonus track – "Love Affair (Sol
Power All-Stars rework)". ~ Dusty
Groove
ANTHONY NICHOLSON – GRAVITY
A great full length set from Anthony Nicholson – an artist
who's done so many great singles and mixes over the years, but never gives us
as many albums as we'd want! The album's steeped in the soulful currents and
righteous modes that Nicholson's always had in his music – the kind of
sophisticated groove that's always gotten him great respect on the global
scene, even if he never full gets his due back home (although we're hoping this
album might change that!) The set's fantastic – full of great keyboard work
from Nicholson and William Kurk, who also sings a bit too – and whether the
tunes are vocal or instrumental, they're brimming over with soul – almost kind
of a 21st Century extrapolation of the Chicago spirit of Donny Hathaway, but
through a legacy that also includes Windy City house. Titles include
"Discojazzfunkdelite", "Over & Over", "Under Your
Spell", "Gravitation", "Miquifaye El Tema",
"Imagine", "We'll Survive", and "Too Late". ~ Dusty Groove
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