Tuesday, October 24, 2017

NEW RELEASES: ERIC ROBERSON – FIRE; ANCESTRAL ALLIANCES – IN THE TRADITION; IKEBE SHAKEDOWN – WAY HOME

ERIC ROBERSON – FIRE

Elemental genius from Eric Roberson – an artist who's already touched on Earth and Wind with previous records, but who's really on fire with this sweet little set! As with the others in the series, the album's an EP – but the 8 tracks here are even deeper than most longer albums you'd get from any other artist – and continue as proof that Roberson is easily one of the greatest soul singers of the 21st Century – even though his genius comes without any help from anyone else! By that, we mean that when the record companies turned their backs on Eric two decades ago, he went on to make incredible soul records that were better than anything else they were putting out – a legacy that's continued well into the present, as Roberson just keeps on getting better and better as both a singer and songwriter, and works here with a sense of presentation that's simply stunning. Wonderful throughout – uplifting, positive, and downright soulful – with tracks that include "Slave Owners", "Tamir", "Everything", "Show That", "Love Is All That Matters", "Leave The Door Open", and "More Than Stars".  ~ Dusty Groove

ANCESTRAL ALLIANCES – IN THE TRADITION

Fantastic sounds from this ultra-hip Detroit ensemble – a contemporary group, but one whose musical message takes us back to the sounds of older acts like Fertile Ground or Oneness Of Juju! As with both of those groups, the style here mixes jazz with a wider sense of message and purpose – music that soars out to the skies with pride and positive energy, while also offering a deeper, more introspective conception of its role and power in culture. Tracks are instrumental and vocal – and the double-length album has nary a slow moment at all – as the group burst forth in a warm array of percussion and horns – sometimes a bit funky, always quite spiritual throughout. Olujimi Tafataona arranged, produced, and provided creative vision – and titles include his own "We Cry Freedom", "Stephen", "Brother Chokwe Lumumba", "War Is Here", "Assata", and "Fantasy For Violin & Four Winds" – plus versions of Lee Morgan's "Caramba", Jimmy Heath's "Gemini", John Coltrane's "The Sleeper", Wayne Shorter's "Footprints", and the Kool & The Gang classic "Chocolate Buttermilk". ~ Dusty Groove

IKEBE SHAKEDOWN – WAY HOME

A fantastic album from this increasingly hip combo – a group who were already pretty darn funky at their start, but who've just kept on moving into really amazing territory over the years! The sound here is maybe the equivalent of the depth and shifts that El Michels brought to the deep funk underground – a new fusion of elements, and a way of playing the sonic field that helps the group divorce their style from its roots, and make it very much their own sound in the process! Sure, there's elements of 70s styles – Afro Funk, funky jazz, and instrumental soul – but the overall presentation is inflected with all these really unusual sounds and colors, and cool currents of darkness that show an increasing understanding of the sonic possibilities of familiar instrumentation. Don't worry, things are still plenty funky throughout, but also very individual too – on titles that include "She's Knocking", "Assassin", "Brushfire", "Penny The Switch", "Blue Giant", "Supermoon", "Shifting Sands", and "Where The Day Breaks". ~ Dusty Groove


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