Damon Locks & Black Monument Ensemble - Where Future
Unfolds
An amazing record from Chicago musician/artist Damon Locks –
maybe the album he's been waiting his entire life to make – and the first to
really bring together the mighty sum of his many talents! The material was
recorded live in performance at Chicago's Garfield Park Conservatory – at an
event that also included a group of singers and dancers to augment the musical
performance – in a setting that gives Damon's majestic vision the proper
setting it really deserves! Locks himself moves between electronics and vocal
performances – in a core instrumental group that's heavy on drums and
percussion from Dana Hall, clarinets from Angel Bat Dawid, and more percussion
from Arif Smith – making music that's even more beautiful when the singers come
into the mix, and take the energy to the sky with a very cosmic, righteous
vibe. Locks has given us a glimpse of his vision in artwork, music, and
writings over the years – but this time around, it feels like we're seeing the
full scope at once – with more power and meaning than ever before. Titles
include "Solar Power", "Rebuild A Nation", "Which I
Believe It Will", "The Colors That You Bring", "The
Future", "From A Spark To A Fire", "Black Monument Theme",
and "Sounds Like Now". ~ Dusty Groove
Marlene Rosenberg - MLK Convergence
Bassist Marlene Rosenberg leads a hell of a trio here – one
that features Kenny Barron on piano and Lewis Nash on drums – both tremendous
players who sound even better in the round, rich company of Rosenberg's bass!
Most titles are trio numbers, but driven as much by the bass as by the
always-wonderful work of Barron – and the tunes include many originals by
Marlene – instrumentals, but with a current of the more righteous energy
promised by the title. One exception is the great "Not The Song I Wanna
Sing" – a number that has Rosenberg on vocals while Christian McBride
handles the bass – alongside other vocal contributions from Thomas Burrell and
Robert Irving III – which help make the song the most political number on the
set. Titles include "The Line Between", "American Violet",
"Togetherness", "And Still we Rise", "Visions",
"The Barron", "Rain", "Love's In Need Of Love
Today", and "Not The Song I Wanna Sing". ~ Dusty Groove
Candace Woodson – Desire
Twenty-eight days after her 2014 breast cancer surgery,
Candace Woodson was back to business as usual performing at the wedding of one
of John “Cougar” Mellencamp’s daughters. This is a testament to Candace
Woodson’s lifelong passion for performing and a talent for resilience she calls
“stick to it-ness”. A survivor since 2014, she wrote the UK Soul Chart hit
“Free,” a funky old school dance anthem that conveys hope and positivity in the
wake of adversity. This is a message she conveys stemming from her own
experience and feeling after receiving her last cancer treatment at the Medical
University of South Carolina. This success laid the foundation for a handful of
other chart topping singles, including “The Answer Is No”, a defiant female empowerment
ballad produced by songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Tom Glide. “The Answer
Is No” hit #1 on the UK Soul Chart Top 30 and has continued to receive airplay
on Smooth Jazz Radio. Woodson received Billboard’s “Most Added” designation and
a Best International Artist nominee. Her highly anticipated full-length debut
album “Desire” includes her UK hits as well as new tracks produced by hit
smooth jazz guitarist/producer Nils and Lew Laing (Paul Brown, Richard Elliot,
Stephanie K) and others helmed by the singer herself.
No comments:
Post a Comment