Wednesday, August 02, 2017

NEW RELEASES: RANDY CRAWFORD – NAKED AND TRUE (BONUS TRACK); PAT THOMAS – ELEPHANT CLOCK OF AL JAZARI; RALPH BOWEN

RANDY CRAWFORD – NAKED AND TRUE (BONUS TRACK)

A later date from 70s soul legend Randy Crawford – cut overseas, at a time when she was initially without US representation – a situation that was immediately corrected with the strength of the album! The set has Randy really getting back to basics – mostly working with tight jazz funk backings that recall both her first few records, and her work with The Crusaders – a perfect setting for her wonderful voice, and her trademark use of jazzy currents with more straight-ahead soul! Players on the record include Fred Wesley on trombone, Bernie Worrell on keyboards, and Bootsy Collins on bass – which will give you an idea of the strength of the sound – and titles include "Cajun Moon", "Give Me The Night", "Glow Of Love", "I'll Be Around", "Forget Me Nots", "Joy Inside My Tears", "Purple Rain", and "Come Into My Life". Great 2CD version – features a bonus instrumental version of "The Glow Of Love" – plus 13 more different mixes of tracks from the album – including "Cajun Moon (long trip mix)", "Forget Me Nots (Femi Fem rotation mix)", "Give Me The Night (Mousse T's classic club mix)", "Forget Me Nots (Delaney's mix)", "I'll Be Around (surprise mix)", and "Cajun Moon (cajun trip club version)".  ~ Dusty Groove

PAT THOMAS – ELEPHANT CLOCK OF AL JAZARI

The title and cover here are super-simple, but the sound is anything but – a continuing evolution of the talents of tenorist Ralph Bowen, who just seems to grab us more and more with each new album! The core of the record is the long "Phylogeny Suite", which has some of the most complex writing we've ever heard from Bowen – almost like he's hitting a second chapter of his career, while still finding a way to soulfully swing with the quality that first made us love him a number of years ago. There's almost a Monk-like sense of angularity at points – accented by the piano work of Jim Ridl, who plays in the quartet alongside Kenny Davis on bass and Cliff Almond on drums. Titles include "A Cast Of Crabs", "A Leap Of Leopards", "Cache Cache", "A Rookery Of Ravens", and a version of McCoy Tyner's "Search For Peace".  ~ Dusty Groove

RALPH BOWEN - RALPH BOWEN

The title and cover here are super-simple, but the sound is anything but – a continuing evolution of the talents of tenorist Ralph Bowen, who just seems to grab us more and more with each new album! The core of the record is the long "Phylogeny Suite", which has some of the most complex writing we've ever heard from Bowen – almost like he's hitting a second chapter of his career, while still finding a way to soulfully swing with the quality that first made us love him a number of years ago. There's almost a Monk-like sense of angularity at points – accented by the piano work of Jim Ridl, who plays in the quartet alongside Kenny Davis on bass and Cliff Almond on drums. Titles include "A Cast Of Crabs", "A Leap Of Leopards", "Cache Cache", "A Rookery Of Ravens", and a version of McCoy Tyner's "Search For Peace".  ~ Dusty Groove



               





               



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