New Music Releases: David Sanchez; Laura Lee; Mental Abstrato

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