Lionel Loueke - The Journey
Lionel Loueke, standing nicely on the borders of his styles
– playing jazzily, to be sure – but also opening up with plenty of global
elements too – in a lineup that includes the musician on a bit of percussion,
alongside other percussion from Cyro Baptista and Christi Joza Orisha - plus
some other surprise guests too! Loueke also vocalizes a bit – in this wordless
style that reminds us of the coolest modes that Nana Vasconcelos would use many
years back – echoes of Brazilian jazz, but a more individual style overall.
Titles include "Bawo", "Molika", "Bouriyan",
"Gbe", "Hope", "Vivi", "Dark
Lightning", "Guira", and "The Healing". ~ Dusty Groove
Georgia Anne Muldrow - Overload
No overload here from Georgia Anne Muldrow – as the singer
feels fresher and more vibrant than ever – maybe in part to the Brainfeeder
setting of the album! More than a decade back, it seemed like Muldrow was
giving us greatness at nearly every turn through the record racks – then she
faltered a bit, and maybe disappeared a bit too – but she's definitely back,
and maybe sounding even better than ever! For years, Georgia was something of
an underground secret – then maybe too relegated to that space when she could
have burst big – and it definitely feels as if she might finally do that here,
as she approaches the greatness of her music with the confidence of a 21st
Century soul giant – maybe partly to reclaim territory that others have
wrongfully taken from her. The se features guest appearances by Shana Jenson
and Dudley Perkins – the last of whom also produced, along with Aloe Blacc and
Flying Lotus – on titles that include "Play It Up",
"Aerosol", "You Can Always Count On Me", "These Are
The Things I Really Like About You", "Bobbie's Dittie",
"Ciao", "Vital Transformation", "Blam", and
"Overload". ~ Dusty Groove
Fabio
Mignola - Encantado
A rich blend of smooth jazz with Brazilian flavours and
rhythms is what we are presented with on this new album performed by soulful
virtuoso guitarist Fabio Mignola. In 1999, Mignola released Chitarra ticinese,
featuring solo guitar arrangements of folk songs. Swiss Ticinonline praised, "Chitarra
ticinese is one of those CDs that everybody should hold in his own recordings
library . . . the musical essentialism given by the presence of a solo guitar
raises the fourteen melodies to touching small musical jewels." Winning
the praise of critics for his "virtuosistic arpeggio", Mignola
release Flor de luna in 2000, a collection of solo recordings that celebrated
the beauty of evergreens. The collaborations with famed Swiss songstress Nella
Martinetti (CD Così il tempo va) and with the ukrainian singer Elena Martynova
(album Turn to Your Soul / Povernys' Do Dushi) would further endear Mignola as
a beloved international guitarist, arranger and producer. However, it was the
2003 contemporary jazz release of Flyin' Away that would tantalize American
airwaves. Smooth Jazz and More declared,
"Mignola gives the listener a style much like Peter White and Acoustic Alchemy.
It's very cheerful and at the same time, very relaxing." Entranced by
Brazilian jazz, Mignola often performs as solo guitarist in a light mix of
sambas and bossa nova stylings.
Celebrating the rich cultural heritage of his homeland with Neapolitan
jazz, Mignola released Luna rossa in 2005 with tenor Mauro Bonomi.
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