A long-overdue return for Khari and Jiva – the kind of pairing that first won us over to neo soul many years back – and sounding equally wonderful here! The album begins with a reworking of the James Mason classic "Good Thing" – and it only gets better and better from there – moving through the postive, sophisticated sort of music that Jiva gave us right from the start – that farther side of the contemporary soul spectrum where people are still making thoughtful, well-crafted sounds! The set includes vocals from Brenda Nicole Moorer, Cleveland Jones, Linsdey Webster, and Lizz Wright – and titles include James Mason tunes "Good Thing" and "Sweet Power Your Embrace" – plus "Show Me The Way", "Heaven's Design", "North Node", "Hard Times", "Capricorn City", and "Warm Heart". Japanese pressing also features the bonus track "More To Do". ~ Dusty Groove
A really well-done collection – filled with enough funky gems to grab the ears of any sample-conscious listener, but also packing plenty of unusual numbers too – including a few Latin tracks that fit in perfectly with the spirit of the sound! A number of these cuts have definitely been sampled over the years – but as is always the case, the fuller tracks are often a lot more interesting than the riff or drum part that was taken from them – and together, the titles here show that there's always plenty to dig when you know how to dig deep – as you'll hear on titles that include "Home" by Gloria Barnes, "I'm Moving On" by Chyvonne Scott, "Natural Beauty" by LJ Waiters, "Afro Funky" by Manteca, "Something Bad" by The Chosen Few, "What Happened To Yesterday" by Al Scott, "Los Feligreses" by Luis Santi, "Every Boy & Girl" by Lee Moses, "Man Of Value" by Tyrone Barkley, "I'm Sorry I Hurt You" by Nat Phillips, and "Cookie Crumbs" by Ray & His Court. ~ Dusty Groove
Maybe not the first record from South African saxophonist Linda Sikhakhane, but a set that will definitely put him on the map – and make him one of the rising young stars of his nation's tremendous jazz legacy! Linda blows both tenor and soprano sax here, and has a sense of majesty that's incredible, given his young age – stepping out with a bold vision on a set of all original material that's woven together in a masterful tapestry of soul and sound! Some numbers echo older South African jazz rhythms, while others are more spiritual in presentation – and the blend of modes is wonderful throughout, as Sikhakhane works with players who include Lucca Fries on piano, Fabien Iannone on bass, and Jonas Ruther on drums. Titles include "Isambulo", "Umbhedesho", "Hymn For The Majors", "Gog'uldah", and "Inner Freedom Revisited". ~ Dusty Groove
Maybe the trippiest album we've ever heard from the Natural Yogurt Band – and that's quite a statement, given how trippy most of their work has always been! But it's also been plenty darn funky too, and that's definitely the case here – as the tracks are held solid by the drums of Tom Dempsey – a monster on the kit, and a player whose straightforward funky lines allow all the other elements to take off and really get weird and wonderful – keyboards, fuzzy guitars, electronics, flute, vibes, and plenty other great touches too – served up in a monstrous style on titles that include "Follow The Leader", "Sticky Fingers", "Playing With Fire", "Beyond The Blue", "Green Frog", "Sacred Blood", and "Between Or Beyond". ~ Dusty Groove
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