NEW MUSIC RELEASES: STEELY DAN - THE ST. LOUIS TOODLE-OO; YOLANDA BROWN – LOVE POLITICS WAR; DENYS BAPTISTE - THE LATE TRANE

STEELY DAN - THE ST. LOUIS TOODLE-OO MISSOURI BROADCAST 1993 COMPLETE AND REMASTERED 

Following the tumultuous albeit fruitful recording of their 1980 album Gaucho, and their subsequent breakup soon thereafter, the next decade was somewhat quiet for Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, the gifted musical duo behind Steely Dan. Despite a number of producer credits to their respective names, the only releases that appeared with either as featured artist were two Donald Fagen solo records. The first, The Nightfly, came out to rapturous critical and commercial success, going Platinum on both sides of the Atlantic. Meanwhile, Becker was listed as an as an official member of China Crisis on their 1985 album Flaunt the Imperfection. However the pair had reconciled their differences by the end of the 1980s with Becker playing on and producing Fagen s 1993 album Kamakiriad, which received praise from critics but failed the match its predecessor sales-wise. Following this semi-joint venture, Steely Dan reformed for a tour the same year. Becker and Fagen had retired from live performance in 1974 to concentrate on writing and recording, so their 93 jaunt was something of a treat and a rare opportunity for long term fans. One of the 30 dates performed in the US this time round took place at the 20,000-capacity Riverport Amphitheatre in Maryland Heights, Missouri on 1st September 1993. Featuring a rich mixture of Dan classics with a few solo cuts included too, this set, recorded for live FM broadcast, finds the group in superb form and is now featured in its fully remastered entirety on this double CD set.

  

YOLANDA BROWN LOVE POLITICS WAR

Love Politics War, is the sophomore album release from the UK's premier female saxophonist YolanDa Brown. The new album is a delicious fusion of reggae, jazz and soul… a new genre that YolanDa labels “Posh Reggae”. Following her biggest ever nationwide tour ‘Reggae Love Songs”, she went into the studio in London to record the album. YolanDa wanted an album that reflected the current climate of the world, with the underlying message that Love conquers all. The album features an eclectic mix of special guests such as; Bill Laurance from award winning jazz ensemble Snarky Puppy, Saxophonist Casey Benjamin from the Robert Glasper Band, US soul singer Raheem Devaughn, 3x Grammy award winning percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie, New York based trumpeter Keyon Harrold, Grammy award winning pianist Jon Cleary, Floacist from the award winning duo Floetry, UK soul singer Phebe Edwards and the renowned bassist and album producer Rick Leon James.

DENYS BAPTISTE - THE LATE TRANE

The Late Trane is the powerful and commanding new album from British saxophonist Denys Baptiste, a giant of the UK jazz scene. Reimagining and reworking ten carefully chosen composition from John Coltrane's late music (from 1963 - 1967) with a fresh and modern new interpretation, The Late Trane perfectly balances Denys Baptiste's unique artistic vision with the visceral emotions and cosmic references that encompasses Coltrane's late music. After almost two decades experience at the forefront of the British and European Jazz scene, Denys Baptiste still brims with the confidence of a youthful spirit. With a stellar band that fires on all cylinders and a new home at Edition Records, Denys' career continues to grow and blossom. This is an album by an artist in total control of his vision, a bandleader flexing his muscles and a musician in his instrumental prime. The Late Trane will fulfil his potential at an international level and bring a new audience to one of the finest instrumentalists and composers on the UK scene - something of a sleeping giant in the last 3 decades, but a giant that is about to wake!