New Music Releases: Alex Puddu, Jeff Parker, Jim Snidero

Alex Puddu - Discotheque

Multi-instrumentalist and composer Alex Puddu is coming back with his brand new album “Discotheque”. Recorded between Copenhagen (at Panalama and Sexy Lady Studios) and New York (Soundwork Recording Studios), it consists of a strong set of soulful and melodic tracks with a tight production that brings you back to the late ’70s and early ’80s jazz-funk and boogie music scene.The album opens up with three singles in a row: “You Are My Fire”, “Be My Lover” and the UK radio station airplay hit “Don’t Hold Back”, all of them co-written with and featuring Gene Robinson Jr., lead vocalist of the legendary Philadelphia R&B/funk band Breakwater. Other remarkable special guests on vocals are Duane Hobson, on the jazz-funk finest “Back Against The Wall” and the disco-groove “Saturday Night”, and the young Danish vocalist Sawa on the sweet soul-reggae ballad “Release The Catch”. The Album contains also some great instrumental tracks, like the title-track that sees Alex Puddu behind the drumkit once again, the sexy-exploitation “Love Affair”, “Fight Together”, “Nightflight” and “Blue Lines”. Two of today’s coolest bassists also played on “Discotheque”: Paul Westwood, who worked with David Bowie, Nick Kershaw, Elton John and Italian iconic artist Lucio Battisti on the 1978 pop soul masterpiece “Una Donna Per Amico”, and Bob Callero, most known for his activity with Italian ’70s prog bands – Franco Battiato’s Osage Tribe, Duello Madre, Il volo – and pop artists – Lucio Battisti, Loredana Berté.

Jeff Parker — Suite For Max Brown

Mindblowing music from Jeff Parker – sounds that we always knew were part of his core, but which have maybe taken most of his career to emerge! This album follows beautifully from Jeff's previous album for International Anthem – and like that one, it's an explosion of new and old ideas at once – jazz elements with soul currents, all put together with a complexity that lives up to Parker's long legacy in music, but which also has an organic appeal that makes the whole thing come together with effortless ease! There's plenty of sophistication in the sound, but it also sneaks in with lots of grooves that Jeff never had before – including some funky currents that come from Parker's work on keyboards, drums, and samples in addition to his usual guitar – and added drums from Jamire Williams and Makaya McCraven. Titles include "Lydian Etc", "Build A Nest", "Del Rio", "3 For L", "Fusion Swirl", "After The Rain", and "Max Brown". ~ Dusty Groove

Jim Snidero - Project K

The Project K here is a reference to Korea – a culture that saxophonist Jim Snidero has been engaging with for the past few decades, and which takes a very strong form here in his music! The album is one of Snidero's most compelling in years – and features a group that's already great on its own – with Dave Douglas on trumpet, Linda Oh on bass, Orrin Evans on piano, and Rudy Royston on drums – who are then joined by Do Yeon Kim on gayageum – a stringed instrument with older Korean roots, which is inflected into the core jazz proceedings of the group in really amazing ways! Snidero blows alto with a really seductive, soulful vibe – and the match of his edge and the older currents of the gayageum is really amazing – as the whole group stretches out on long tunes that include "Han", "Jeju", "Seoulful", and "Jenga". ~ Dusty Groove