KENNY
LATTIMORE – NEVER TOO BUSY: THE ANTHOLOGY
A great
overview of the work of soul singer Kenny Lattimore – a set that not only
features the best tracks from his solo run of recordings, but also early work
in the group Maniquin, and some duets with Chante Moore as well! Kenny's a
singer who really helped give a new shape to the male voice in R&B in the
second half of the 90s – a vocalist with a legacy that goes back to more
spiritual sounds, but also able to work with a cracklingly contemporary vibe
too – that moment when mainstream soul had already drunk deep of influences
from hip hop, and was starting to really reform itself with a new sort of
tightness for the next generation. Titles include "Funny Feeling" and
"Now & Then" with Maniquin – plus "Come To Me",
"Figure It Out", "Destiny", "If I Lose My Woman (MAW
remix)", "Just What It Takes (human rhythm rmx)", "While My
Guitar Gently Weeps", "River", "Never Too Busy (quiet storm
mix)", "For You", "Forgiveness", "Forever",
"I'll Love You More Than You'll Ever Know", "If You Could See
You", "Days Like This (Lattimaw soul house mix)", "Can't
Get Enough", "If Love Is What You want", "Tonight (2
step)", "Weekend", "Heaven & Earth", "Make
Believe", and "Just What It Takes". ~ Dusty Groove
TOM
TALLITSCH - WHEELHOUSE
Soaring,
soulful work from Tom Tallitsch – a tenorist who just keeps grabbing our ears
even more and more with each new release! Tom kicks it up strongly here right
from the very first note – leading a tight quintet through some beautifully-written
tunes of his own – the kind of numbers that sparkle with the punch of old Blue
Note classics, but which have even more freshness in the hands of a
contemporary creator! Tom's got his horn fused strongly with the trumpet of
Josh Lawrence on the head arrangements – brilliantly carving out some soulful
colors, before they both soar off on their solos – and the rhythm section's a
real kicker, too – with Jon Davis on piano, Peter Brendler on bass, and Vinnie
Sperazza on drums – players who can hit a modal groove when needed, but also
move through the sort of complicated hardbop styles that artists like Lee
Morgan or Hank Mobley were hitting in the late 60s. Titles include
"River", "Paulus Hook", "Red Eye",
"Outnumbered", "Schlep City", "Wheelhouse", and
"One For Jonny". ~ Dusty
Groove
KAMAAL
WILLIAMS – THE RETURN
The first
solo project from Kamaal Williams – and a wonderfully spiritual set that has
the keyboardist really blowing us away with his talents! Williams plays plenty
of Fender Rhodes on the set, mostly in a trio setting, but one that's far from
standard jazz – as the rhythms often reflect his roots in hip hop, although
played live by drummer Joshua McKenzie and bassist Pete Martin – who also have
the ability to send Williams soaring to the skies with this magnificent spiritual
energy! Consider this set to maybe be a Lonnie Liston Smith album for the hip
hop generation – and praise Allah for Kamaal's mighty talents on the keys, and
the sharp production skills of Henry Wu. Titles include "Salaam",
"The Return", "High Roller", "Situations",
"Rhythm Commission", "Catch The Loop", "Medina",
and "LDN Shuffle". ~ Dusty
Groove
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