A long-awaited full length statement from saxophonist Isaiah Collier – a player who's been making magic on the Chicago scene in recent years, and who steps forth boldly here as a leader with a vision that cannot be denied! The set was recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's studio, on John Coltrane's birthday – and while it might be tempting to credit those forces with the power of the record, we'll decline – as we've seen Isaiah live, and heard all the promises he has to offer – promises not only delivered on here, but taken to the next level – so that the rest of the world will get a chance to hear the righteous power of this young talent at work! Collier blows both tenor and soprano, and the group also features Jeremiah Hunt on bass, Mike King on piano, and Michael Shewoaga Ode on drums – a quartet who are wonderfully woven together in their exploration of new jazz frontiers. Titles include "Invocation", "Forgiveness", "Humility", "Understanding", "Truth & Guidance", and "Mercury's Retrograde". ~ Dusty Groove
Pianist Gerald Clayton has always been a musician who's followed his own path in music – making different-sounding records right from the start – but it's also clear that he's really finding his way ahead in recent years, as this second album for Blue Note will attest! Clayton has a very spacious approach to the piano – not one that's sleepy or uncareful – but instead this way of waiting, thinking, and building the sound up in just the right way – much more rhythmic at the core than an ECM pianist might sound, as there's a lot of organic energy in the music next to contributions from John Clayton on bass, and Justin Brown on drums – pushed even further at times when vocalist Maro joins the group, or saxophonist Charles Lloyd sits in. Titles include "Peace Invocation", "Water's Edge", "Daumunt De Tu Nomes Les Flors", "That Roy", "Rip", and "There Is Music Where You're Going My Friends" – the last of which might be a good way to sum up Clayton's journey! ~ Dusty Groove
There's few folks who can put together an album like Alabaster DePlume – and even amidst the heady company of his labelmates on International Anthem, it seems like DePlume has a really special way of mixing live performance with a whole host of studio-based conceptions! Alabaster's previous album was already a groundbreaking effort – but this set really pushes things over the top, with this really hypnotic blend of words and music, recorded at London's Total Refreshment Centre – at a level that's every bit as genre-breaking as any other work we've heard from that legendary locale. It's kind of impossible to describe the sound here in words – as DePlume mixes his tenor, guitar, and voice with a host of different instruments – contributions from London contemporaries on tablas, cello, electronics, guitar, and a range of other elements – including other voices added to the mix. Titles include "Don't Forget You're Precious", "I'm Gonna Say Seven", "Do You Know A Human Being When You See One", "I'm Good At Not Crying", "Now Stars Are Lit", "I Will Not Be Safe", "Who Is A Fool", and "The Sound Of My Feet On This Earth Is A Song To Your Spirit". ~ Dusty Groove
Deeply funky work from the Sure Fire Soul Ensemble – one of those special groups that always seems to bring a little something extra to their work – not just a straight copy of old school funk instrumental styles, but instead a rich, fresh approach that's very much their own! The sound is lean, but there's also this sort of majesty in the music – and understated quality that comes from the careful application of horns next to the funky elements at the core – almost with the flavoring that you'd hear in an older Ethio Funk record, but without any East African flavors either. The approach is a bit hard to describe, but it grabs you right away, and makes you know you're listening to something that's really a cut above – on titles that include "Omnificent", "Time To Rebuild", "Step Down", "High Times", "Gandys", "In Common", "Love Age", and "Thomas The Cat". ~ Dusty Groove
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