Friday, June 08, 2018

NEW RELEASES: KENNY LATTIMORE – NEVER TOO BUSY: THE ANTHOLOGY; TOM TALLITSCH - WHEELHOUSE; KAMAAL WILLIAMS – THE RETURN


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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