NEW RELEASES: JEFF TAIN WATTS – BLUE VOL. 2; EDU LOBO / ROMERO LUBAMBO / MAURO SENISE – DOS NAVEGANTES; MONIQUEA - BLACKWAVEFUNK

JEFF TAIN WATTS – BLUE VOL. 2

Drummer Jeff Tain Watts really takes the title here seriously – and maybe brings in more bluesy soulful currents to his music than ever before! Part of that quality comes from the guests – a wonderful lineup that includes vocals from Sy Smith, Kurt Elling, and Frank McComb – but even without those singers, the groove is wonderful – and Watts seems to hit a funkier sound than usual on his drums! Most of the album is instrumental – and other guests include Robert Hurst on bass, Kevin Eubanks on guitar, and Steve Coleman on alto sax – but whatever the instrumental lineup, Jeff's clearly the driving force of the record, in a really wonderful way. Titles include "Cleo", "Waltz For Marvin", "Chicken Ballet", "Lenalane", "Water", "Sons Of The Jitney Man", "You're Mine & I Want You", and "Uh Uh". ~ Dusty Groove

EDU LOBO / ROMERO LUBAMBO / MAURO SENISE – DOS NAVEGANTES

Beautiful sounds throughout – and exactly the kind of record that shows why the right sort of Brazilian music can be so different than anything else on this planet – not really jazz, not really folk, nor straightforward pop – but the kind of special sounds that define a genre unto themselves! The record's a warmly collaborative effort from the trio of Romero Lubambo on guitar, Mauro Senise on saxes and flute, and the great Edu Lobo on voice and compositions – songs pulled from his decades-long contribution to Brazilian music, given a very special, very personal performance by the group! Lobo always had a way of balancing up-close performance with loftier arrangements – and here, that latter side of his music is pulled away, to bring the singer even more strongly into the limelight – as he gets very warm accompaniment from both of the other lead players. The set also features some guest work from Cristovao Bastos on piano, Bruno Aguilar on bass, and Mingo Araujo on percussion – and titles include "Toada", "A Morte De Zambi", "Gingado Dobrado", "Considerando", "Dos Navegantes", and "O Circo Mistico".  ~ Dusty Groove

MONIQUEA - BLACKWAVEFUNK

Sweet bassy soul from Moniquea – a record that's got as many basslines and keyboard riffs as some of our favorite early 80s underground work – but which also has a nicely lean, contemporary vibe too! Moniquea's vocals have a great way of fitting into this setting, too – almost electric at times, as if she's a natural vocoder – but at a level that also gives her a deeper sense of soul than just another processed voice – a really unique approach that makes the record sound quite different than anything else we can think of! Hardly just another 80s retro soul effort – and instead something really unique – on titles that include "Checkin Out", "I Just Don't Know", "Make You Feel My Love", "Check Your Sources", "Famous", and "Knew It".  ~ Dusty Groove