Monday, November 05, 2018

New Releases: Lionel Loueke - The Journey; Georgia Anne Muldrow - Overload; Fabio Mignola - Encantado


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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