David Sanchez – Carib (LP)
David Sanchez kicks off the album's liner notes with a great
discussion on the African diaspora and its influence on music – one that's
always been strongly felt in David's recordings, but which seems to come
through even more strongly here! The record's definitely jazz, but borrows lots
of rhythmic conceptions from around the globe – using a fair bit of percussion
at the bottom of the sound, which is balanced nicely with strong, soulful tenor
lines from Sanchez, waves of color on the guitar from Lage Lund, and a mix of
piano and Fender Rhodes from Luis Perdomo! There's some especially great
interplay between the angularity of the tenor and the warmer, rounder currents
of the guitar – on titles that include "Madigra", "Wave Under
Silk", "Mirage", "Fernando's Theme",
"Canto", "Land Of The Hills", and "Iwa". ~ Dusty
Groove
Laura Lee - I Can't Make It Alone (LP)
Sublime soul from the mighty Laura Lee – one of the best
deep soul singers of the 70s, even though she recorded with the mostly-northern
team of Holland Dozier Holland! The set shows that the trio really knew how to
change it up after leaving Motown – and although Lee had recorded for Chess in
the 60s, she really finds her groove here – mixing southern soul with a dose of
70s funk – all of which really stands out from most of her contemporaries!
Laura's voice is sweet and dusky, in the mode of some of the best underground
singers of her day – but also rises above the rest, thanks crack arrangements
by HB Barnum and Eugene Moore – who mix strings and soul into a stellar blend
of styles! Titles include the breakbeat classic "Crums Off The
Table", which begins with some great hard drums – plus the cuts
"Every Little Bit Hurts", "I Can't Make It Alone",
"Mirror Of Your Soul", and "I Need It Just As Bad As You". ~
Dusty Groove
Mental Abstrato - Uzoma
Really great work from a Brazilian combo that somehow
manages to work in a mode that's completely rootsy, but also completely
contemporary too! The music here mixes together heavy percussion, bits of jazz,
and just the right touches on keyboards, beats, and samples – so that the
organic and electric elements are perfectly balanced – at a level that's
wonderfully illuminating, and which shifts nicely from track to track on the
album – partly because of some of the guests who appear throughout. Titles
include "Khamisi", "O Mar", "Mr Cal", "For
You", "James Bongo", "Blue Skies",
"Afroonirico", "Suco De Acerola", "Samambaia
Rainha", and "Down". ~ Dusty Groove
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