The "new dawn" here is very well put – as the duo of Shuya Okino & Yoshihiro Okino are very much back in action as Kyoto Jazz Massive – working with all the soulful styles of their long legacy in music, but also drawing on some of the best jazzy currents of their other work in recent years! The album's light years ahead of their work in the previous century – and they've also got some great jazz contributions from other hip Japanese combos on the scene – as well as work on vibes from the great Roy Ayers on one cut, and vocals from the great Vanessa Freeman on a few more! The whole thing's a great evolution of the sound of Tokyo club that we first fell in love with years back – and titles include "Primal Echo", "Astral Ascension", "Visions Of Tomorrow", "Get Up", "Revolution Evolution", "The Mask", and "Eternal Tide". ~ Dusty Groove
A really tremendous album from Caetano Veloso – one of the few artists from the 60s who just seems to continue to get better and better with age! And by that, we don't mean that this is an "aged" record – we mean that Veloso sounds as freshly creative as ever – unveiling a completely new sound, while still keeping true to his musical vision of recent decades – a stunning achievement that few other global artists could ever hope to match! The sound is sublime right from the very first note – a strong focus on Caetano's ability to craft a line with simple poetry, set to backings that are often relatively spare, but full of these interesting little touches – done in collaboration with musical partner Lucas Nunes, and featuring a fair bit of contributions from Moreno Veloso too. The set's strongly in that best tradition of less-is-more that marks the best recent work from both Veloso family members – and titles include "Meu Coco", "Ciclamen Do Libano", "Anjos Tronchos", "Enzo Gabriel", "Voce Voce", "Sem Samba Nao Da", "Cobre", and "GilGal". ~ Dusty Groove
Prior to his recent emergence in Smooth Jazz with his chill funk/hip-hop/R&B infused vibes, Atlanta-based saxophonist Gregory Fields (aka G. Fields) enjoyed an eclectic career that included early recordings as a hip-hop artist, signing with Warner Bros., launching his own indie label, owning his own recording studio in Huntington, NY, and co-founding a multi-faceted music entertainment services company (AMS Music Entertainment). After years of making music and working behind the scenes with other artists, he returned to his childhood love of the sax to forge his own way as an impactful artist. He starts 2022 on a hopeful note with a lush, seductive and ultra-passionate slow jam ballad (with trippy-cool atmospheric effects) that comes with great reminder for these challenging times – to live boldly “In the Moment.” ~ www.smoothjazz.com
Imaginary Structures is the debut album from Montreal based composer and double bassist Levi Dover. This singular recording consists of eight original compositions for sextet, brought to life by an ensemble of musicians with an individualistic and contemporary approach. The album as a whole establishes a stylized vision of improvised music, fusing jazz with elements of progressive rock and 20th century classical music, brought together in a post-bop setting. The music is set against the backdrop of an impressionistic landscape which at times recalls the influence of composers such as Wayne Shorter, Miles Davis, Bobby Hutcherson, and Andrew Hill. The improvisations are tightly woven into the structure of the pieces, giving the musicians the freedom to explore the universe that the compositions reveal. Throughout the album, a dreamy atmosphere and contemplative mood is balanced against a tight rhythmic undercurrent that propels the music forward, creating a narrative that unfolds gradually over the course of these eight pieces, exposing different facets of the composer’s imagination.
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