BOBBY HUTCHERSON - HIGHWAY ONE / CONCEPTION THE GIFT OF LOVE / UN POCO LOCO
A trio of incredible records from Bobby
Hutcherson – two on CD for the first time ever! Highway One is a wicked
post-Blue Note session from Bobby Hutcherson – one that's put together in a
different way than his previous work, but still completely sublime throughout!
The feel is almost to Hutcherson's earlier work what Woody Shaw's Columbia
recordings were to his – tighter, with sharper production – yet still
wonderfully soulful and with a strong sense of spirit. Key soloists include
Freddie Hubbard on trumpet and Hubert Laws on flute – and the record also
features George Cables on acoustic and electric piano, Cedar Walton on acoustic
piano, and Eddie Marshall on drums. Includes the lovely "Sweet Rita
Suite", plus "Circle", "Secrets Of Love", and
"Bouquet". Conception is a really beautiful album from Bobby
Hutcherson – late in his 70s career, but handled with the soulful depth of his
brilliant early 70s work on Blue Note! The group's got George Cables on piano
and Eddie Marshall on drums, plus a bit of extra percussion work by Bill
Summers – and they're augmented by some larger arrangements on a number of
tracks, but in a way that never gets in the way of the core souful playing on
the record. Cedar Walton put the whole thing together with a masterful talent –
both leading, arranging, and producing – and Bobby's never sounded better
carving out his message on vibes. Titles include "Remember To Smile",
"No Siree Bob", "Dreamin", "Dark Side Light
Side", and "Quiet Fire". Un Poco Loco is a surprisingly great
album by Bobby Hutcherson – and like his other albums for Columbia, a record
that manages to be smooth, yet still has an edge! The format's bigger and more
ambitious than previous years, but it's also an extension of the modal soulful
style he forged with Harold Land – a really stretched out approach to the vibes
that differs nicely from his 60s work, and which has some really soulful
touches throughout. The group features George Cables on electric and acoustic
piano, John Abercrombie on guitar, and Peter Erskine on percussion – but the
real strength of the set is Bobby, who slides between vibes and marimba with a
skittish energy that really cracks a lot of life into the set. Titles include
"Un Poco Loco", "Ivory Coast", "The Sailor's
Song", "Ebony Moonbeams" and "I Wanna Stand Over
There". ~ Dusty Groove
LUIS ALAS & LA CALLE OCHO FUNK
Miami’s La Calle Ocho Funk was the idea of its two founders
Luis Alas and Joel Edgecombe. Both Luis and Joel have worked with many artists
and corporate bands and have been flown around the world to perform for such
names as Paul McCartney, Chris Bosch and many others. After working together
over five years in various projects including Luis' solo project, Luis and Joel
decided that putting a band with a unique twist was only natural. Wanting to
bring the party elements they experienced playing with one of the top wedding
bands in the country, while adding the flare of pop music and the musicality of
Jazz, La Calle Ocho Funk was born! The band comprised of top musicians in the
music industry which individually perform with some of the biggest names of
stage include J-Lo, Jon Secada, Julio Iglesias and many more. Since the band's
inception, they have been taking crowds by storm with their unique mix of high
energy performances, with superb musicianship performing both original music
and covers. Most recently front-man and saxophonist Luis Alas released an EP
which has received great reviews on Smooth Jazz magazine, and who's title track
Shades Of My Soul broke the top 200 smooth jazz charts. Their new single is entitled "Chocolate".
ALEX SIPIAGIN – MOMENTS CAPTURED
We've loved the music of trumpeter Alex Sipiagin for quite
some time – but there's really something special going on here – a slightly
different vibe that makes the record stand out from the rest of the pack! First
off, the album features all original compositions – songs that seem to work
together as a larger suite, yet still stand strongly on their own – allowing the
players to soar out with a fantastic sense of individuality, while still
holding together as a unit. Secondly, there's a sweet electric current that
comes from the use of Prophet 6 by John Escreet – who also plays acoustic piano
and Fender Rhodes. The Prophet's never used in a way that's too overdone – just
these light waves of spacey sound that are balanced out by the raw power of the
horns – Sipiagin's work on trumpet, the tenor of Chris Potter, and alto and
soprano of Will Vinson – a fantastic frontline that really blows us away. Most
tracks are long, and have lots of room for solo space from everyone – and the
group also features Matt Brewer on bass and Eric Harland on drums. Alina
Engibaryan sings on two tracks – "Moments From The Past" and
"Breeze" – and other titles include "Evija Bridge",
"Unexpected Reversal", and "Bergen Road". ~ Dusty Groove
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