An excellent double-length live set from Gil Scott Heron – recorded right in the middle of his classic years on Arista Records, and with an extended groove that shows just how great he could be in a concert setting! Many of these tracks are quite long, with both instrumental solos and a more freewheeling vibe from Gil – who seems to put even more power into the sorts of messages that always make his music so wonderful. The group features flute from Vernon James and tenor from Ron Holloway – and Gil himself plays plenty of great keyboards, including Fender Rhodes – which brings a very fluid vibe to his vocal presentation. Tracks include "We Almost Lost Detroit", "B Movie", "Better Days Ahead", "Washington DC", "Shut Em Down", "Winter In America", "Angola Louisiana", "Johannesburg", and a great 15 minute take on "The Bottle". - Dusty Groove
Award-winning bassist, composer, and bandleader Rubim de Toledo continues to expand his fertile catalogue of original music with his exciting new release The Drip. On this beautiful new record, the Brazilian-Canadian musician delves deeper into his tropical roots, exploring sounds from Brazil, Cuba, the Caribbean, as well as Afrobeat, funk, and jazz music. De Toledo - a winner of multiple Western Canadian Music Awards (Jazz Artist of the Year 2018, Instrumental Artist of the Year 2021) - began his professional career in Edmonton, Alberta at the age of 17, performing with Albertan jazz legends Tommy Banks, PJ Perry and Clarence “Big” Miller. Since then, he has become a sought-after sideman and bandleader, releasing seven full-length recordings of original music and securing a position as one of Western Canada’s most celebrated musical artists. As a bassist, de Toledo has shared the stage with a long list of international jazz stars, including the likes of Mulgrew Miller, Terrell Stafford, Dick Oatts, Wycliffe Gordon, Peter Bernstein, Sean Jones, Jason Marsalis, Bob Mintzer, Ralph Bowen, and John Riley. For The Drip, Rubim has invited Edmonton-based songstress Karimah to join him as a collaborator on three songs alongside an all-star lineup of Western Canadian jazz stalwarts. The album features nine original world jazz pieces, each with its own unique story to tell. The Drip will be released worldwide on Friday, August 25th 2023.
A long-overdue debut as a leader from reedman Knoel Scott – a player most know for his work in the Sun Ra Arkestra, stepping out here in a magnificent quintet session that also features the great Marshal Allen from that famous ensemble! Scott plays alto and flute – often with a spiritual, modal vibe that's both in early Arkestra territory, and some of the modes that Yusef Lateef was expressing in his early years – matched with alto work from Allen, who also blows the very cool electronic wind instrument! The rest of the lineup features Charlie Stacey on piano, Chris Henderson on drums, and Mikele Montolli on bass – and titles include "Conversation With The Cosmos", "Makanda", "Blu Blues", "Celestial", and "Les Funambules". - Dusty Groove
Vocalist Will Clements explores the themes of love through a queer lens on his third album, COMPASS. Having spent significant time in Montreal, Paraguay, and Vancouver, Clements brings influences from these cities into a new collection of compositions and arrangements, ranging from traditional swing music to South American-inspired sounds.The album’s stories have the common thread of being lost and found over a decade of maturing into adulthood. Clements was mentored through the songwriting process by Juno-nominated bassist Jodi Proznick; his originals, which comprise the majority of the album, weave through many moods and contain surprises while keeping root in mainstream vocal jazz. From its two lead singles – the optimistic standard “On a Clear Day” and a reworking of Amy Winehouse’s “Back to Black” – COMPASS presents Clements in collaboration with a diverse band of Canadian musicians. Clements, also an adept arranger, invites featured guests Allison Au on saxophone, Rachel Therrien on trumpet, and Atley King on vibraphone to unveil a cross-section of the country’s rising talents from the younger generation. The addition of guitarist Alvin Brendan, pianist Miles Black, and emerging drummer Todd Stewart from the Vancouver scene forms an ideal, inter-generational rhythm section.
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