NEW RELEASES: HERMETO PASCOAL & BIG BAND – NATUREZA UNIVERSAL; SOUL ON FIRE – THE DETROIT SOUL STORY 1957 - 1977; THE CRAIG CHARLES FUNK & SOUL CLUB 5

HERMETO PASCOAL & BIG BAND – NATUREZA UNIVERSAL

Continuing genius from the legendary Hermeto Pascoal – an album of strongly jazz-based arrangements – done with all the dynamic energy of Hermeto's earlier music, but also maybe tuned a bit towards the Duke Ellington or Gil Evans worlds of tone and color! There's nothing particularly Ellingtonian about Pascoal's music here – but there's a warmth and soul that's very striking – particularly in the way the horns come together, often with a voice that's more unified than on some of his more experimental recordings – soaring together to unlock some really beautiful spirits in the tunes! All the other players are younger, and most tracks feature at least one instrumental soloist – shifting out from the pack and really expanding the chromatic energy of the performance. Titles include "Brasil Universo", "Choro Arabe", "Viva O Gil Evans", "O Som Do Sol", "Apresentacao", "De Cuba Lanchando", and "Piramide". ~ Dusty Groove

SOUL ON FIRE – THE DETROIT SOUL STORY 1957 - 1977

Not the complete Detroit soul story, but a set that's even more interesting than that – as the huge package looks at a wealth of lesser-known tracks from the farther reaches of the scene – mostly with a focus on the kinds of underground 60s cuts that made the Motor City so great! A good deal of the work here is from the labels of producer Robert West – who's probably best known for the Lu-Pine label singles, but also worked with other imprints too – a number of which are included here in a package that goes out of its way to present tracks that go way past the usual Motown-styled modes! There's a good deal of group soul work here, and many of the numbers are from the earlier part of the decade, and show a soul scene that still had plenty of grit, despite the later famous Detroit production policy. Also, many of the tracks are presented in a way that features two tracks or more by a single artist in a row – as if you're flipping over both sides of a single – and the box has a huge booklet that really details all the music too! There's 86 tracks in all – including some unissued numbers from the 60s – and the package features work by Ed Robinson, Sax Kari, The Conquerors, The Falcons, Marv Johnson, Tornados, Delores Maxwell, Don Juan & The Vulcans, The Minor Chords, The Rayber Voices, The Knight Hawks, The Fourmost, The Corvells, Gene Martin, Mack Rice, Eddie Floyd, Betty Lavette, Tina Marvel, Just Brothers, Eddie King, The Precisions, Tony & Tyrone, and many others! You might know a few of these tracks – but you'll also find plenty more to discover. ~ Dusty Groove

THE CRAIG CHARLES FUNK & SOUL CLUB 5 (VARIOUS ARTISTS)

Volume 5 of Craig Charles' Funk & Soul Club compilations is something of a milestone - so let me take you through just some of the highlights of this latest trunk of funk which also includes some 100% exclusive tracks not available anywhere else!. The Traffic have a knack of rendering well known sounds into a re-grooved grooves - and their contribution is a crispy, deep fried instrumental version of the Rick James classic Super Freak! The Andy Tolman Cartel make musical time travel a reality - because when you listen to You What! you're transported back to the early 70's and chasing crooks down alleyways because you're in a TV cop show! The recently departed Charles Bradley - the screaming eagle of soul, was a man who had it tougher than most. He spent decades as James Brown impersonator, a homeless person on the unforgiving streets of New York City before signing Daptone Records aged 62. Included here is his beautiful track Change For The World. Tanika Charles gorgeous Endless Chain proves that Canada's soul scene is a firing as anywhere else right now. Stir into the mix The Niteshifters' slice of NY style delicious disco Show Me What You've Got and a new exclusive Body by Kylie Auldist, we have all your disco demands covered. Carleen Anderson is a genuine legend, James Brown said She's not just good, she's phenomenal and Begin Again from her recent remarkable solo album Cage Street Memorial, is a beautiful gospel and jazz tinged slice of acoustic alchemy that will sooth your soul. Also includes are the gritty organ grooves from The Scone Cash Players, The Filthy Six and legend Brian Auger, rocking rhythm & soul from The Hawkmen, ultra rare afro funk from Ginger Johnson & His African Messengers, neo Northern from Nicole Willis, stonking rap & soul from The Allergies and Lack Of Afro too.