NEW RELEASES - TRIBUTE TO CAETANO VELOSO, MILTON NASCIMENTO & WAGNER TISO, TIM MAIA

TRIBUTE TO CAETANO VELOSO (VARIOUS ARTISTS)

A wonderful tribute to Caetano Veloso – put together by a really surprising range of artists! The tunes are all classic Veloso compositions – Brazilian nuggets that have been making our lives wonderful for years – and they get fresh reinterpretations by a range of artists that includes The Magic Numbers, Beck, Ceu, Chrissie Hynde, Kassin, Moreno Veloso, Tulipa Ruiz, Beck, Mariana Aydar, Seu Jorge, Toninho Horta, and others – a great mix of Brazilian and American artists who really show the far-reaching influence Caetano's had over the decades. Most numbers are pretty well done – never too commercial, and surprisingly sensitive to the lyrics, while also offering up fresh twists with their own arrangements. Titles include "The Empty Boat" by Chrissy Hynde with Moreno, Kassin, and Domenico – plus "London London" by Os Mutantes, "Michaelangelo Antonioni" by Beck, "Eclipse Oculto" by Ceu, "You Don't Know Me" by The Magic Numbers, "Araca Blue" by Marian Aydar, "Alguem Cantando" by Momo, "Quem Me Dera" by Devendra Banhart & Rodrigo Amarante, and "Peter Gast" by Seu Jorge, Toninho Horta, and Arismar Espirito Santo. ~ Dusty Groove

MILTON NASCIMENTO & WAGNER TISO - ENSAIO

A beautiful later appearance from Milton Nascimento – songs recorded for a TV performance in Brazil, and arguably better than any of his studio albums from the time! The setting is quite spare – Milton on guitar and vocals, and longtime partner Wagner Tiso playing a strongly resonant grand piano – with tones that ring out rapturously, and help elevate Nascimento to the soulful heights of his classic 70s recordings! We can honestly say that, although obscure, the record's essential stuff for any fan of Milton – especially during the early days – and the whole thing offers up a really unique way to hear his genius at work. Titles include "Novena", "Morro Veolho", "Clube Da Esquinha", "Caso De Amor", "Ponta De Areia", "Paula E Bebeto", "Cais", "Por Causa De Voce", and "Travessia". ~ Dusty Groove

TIM MAIA - TIM MAIA EP

Insanely great sounds from the legendary Tim Maia – easily the most soulful singer in 70s Brazil, and an artist with a heck of a strong ear for funk, too! The music here is an incredible hybrid of American soul and Brazilian elements – especially since some lyrics are in English – and the grooves are often mixed together in a sound that's nice and fuzzy around the edges, with some slight psychedelic elements that makes the cuts a perfect fit for this Luaka Bop series! Yet Tim Maia's hardly a guy who can easily fit into any easy slot or series – because as you'll hear on this set, he's got a vibe that's all his own – a really wonderful approach that's different even from some of his hippest contemporaries in Brazil – and which has gone onto have influence on countless other generations of singers and musicians – including his nephew Ed Motta. This limited EP is a sampler single from the fuller album – which contains all these tracks – five titles that include "Que Beleza", "Quer Queira Quer Nao Queira", "Over Again", "Ela Pertiu", and "Let's Have A Ball Tonight". ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES - WADADO LEO SMITH / LOUIS MOHOLO, JANA HERZEN WITH CHARNETT MOFFETT, WILLIAM SALTER

WADADA LEO SMITH & LOUIS MOHOLO - ANCESTORS


Tremendous duets between these two seasoned players – a set that really lives up to the best energy of both musicians! Smith's trumpet is especially nice – stretched-out, soulful, and flowing – with a quality that really takes us back to his more dynamic recordings of the 70s – and Moholo, as always, is a monster on the drum kit – working the whole thing with effortless ease, and shifting his strength and timing to meet the musical modes from Leo. The set features the extended "Ancestors" suite – plus "Jackson Pollock Action", "Siholaro", "Moholo Moholo/Golden Spirit", and "No Name In The Street James Baldwin". ~ Dusty Groove.

JANA HERZEN WITH CHARNETT MOFFETT – PASSION OF A LONELY HEART

Really lovely sounds from Jana Herzen – a set that features her own vocals and guitar, with just the bass of Charnett Moffett for accompaniment! The spare setting is beautiful – and Jana sparkles here in ways that few other singers could hope to match – bringing out a key musicality both on guitar and vocals, with all the right jazzy inflections to enrich the sound – as Moffett's spare but soulful basslines serve as key directive points for the process. Titles include the original tunes "Secrets Are Safe With Me", "Night Blooming Jasmine", "Bali Holiday", "Passion Of A Lonely Heart", "My Latin Love", and "Earth's Heart Beats" – plus "Spain", and "Sodade", "Tis Autumn". ~ Dusty Groove.

WILLIAM SALTER – IT IS SO BEAUTIFUL TO BE

Sophisticated soul from William Salter – a lost treasure from the Ralph MacDonald camp at the end of the 70s, and a vocalist that we only know from this one obscure album! MacDonald produced the set with William Eaton – who also did the arrangements, as he did on some of Ralph's own work – and Salter sings lead in a style that's part modern soul, part adult – working with some nice jazzy touches on the best cuts. The album's got work from jazzers like Bob James, Eddie Daniels, and Jon Faddis – plus backup vocals from Patti Austin and Valerie Simpson – and the best tracks groove along at midtempo pace with a sunny kind of finish. There's a few clunkers on here, but the good cuts more than make up for them – and titles include "You Got Style", "It Is So Beautiful To Be", "Three Days Of Flowers", "Lena", and "When You Smile" – a nice jazzy stepping tune! ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES - TOM ZE, FLYING LOTUS, CLARENCE PENN

TOM ZE – TRIPOCALIA LIXO LOGICO

Some of the wildest work we've heard from Tom Ze in years – a set that returns to some of the darker themes of his famous 70s recordings, and one that features a great balance between experimental sounds and more playful modes! The rhythms are especially compelling – fresh sounds learned from some of the younger generations that Ze's influenced over the years, and who've worked with him too – and the instrumentation is really varied from cut to cut, keeping a freshness to the record that really has us digging in more deeply as the set rolls on – held more rapt by Tom's genius than we remember in years. Titles include "Tropicalia Lixo Logico", "Jucaju", "Navegador De Cancoes", "Aviso Aos Passageiros", "Capitais E Tais", "O Motobi E Maria Clara", and "Tropicalea Jacta Est". ~ Dusty Groove

FLYING LOTUS - UNTIL THE QUIET COMES

The best yet from Flying Lotus – who we keep allowing ourselves to believe has hit an insurmountable peak with each new record – but he just keeps getting better! Where the preceding Cosmogramma upped the stranger, spacier and more abstract textures, Until The Quiet Comes is a bit more inviting – and too his credit, Flying Lotus keeps things as innovative as ever, while still giving this one just a bit more immediately appealing. There's almost always a compelling beat, whether it's abstract boom bap or bubbly and synthy, with heavy bass and thick atmosphere floating over. An incredible roster of guests contribute – including string-arranger Miguel Atwood Ferguson, vocalists Erykah Badu, Laura Darlington and Radiohead's Thom Yorke, keyboardist Dorian Concept, and others – but there's little doubt that this is purely the Flying Lotus show. Greatness! Titles include "All In", "Sultan's Request", "See Thru To U" with Erykah Badu, "DMT Song" with Thundercat, "The Nightcaller", "Only If You Wanna", "Electric Candyman" with Thom Yorke, "Hunger" with Niki Randa, "Phantasm" with Laura Darlington, "Dream To Me" and more. (Limited edition. 2 X 180 gram vinyl with rigid gatefold sleeve, wrapped in black buckram embossed paper with tipped on cover image. It's packaged as nicely as a deluxe, coffee table-style art book. Beautiful! Includes download.) ~ Dusty Groove

CLARENCE PENN – DALI IN COBBLE HILL

A really compelling album from drummer Clarence Penn – maybe his greatest record in years, and that's really saying a lot! The inspiration here is stated plainly in the title – an imagined look by Salvador Dali at contemporary Brooklyn – carried off in sounds that are definitely Brooklyn in execution, even if they're not as Dali-esque as you might expect! Penn's come up with some of his most inventive rhythms ever for the record – followed by these deft lines from Adam Rogers on guitar, who soars along with really intense energy – and topped by excellent work on tenor, soprano sax, and bass clarinet from Chris Potter – a player whose deft turns are a great match for the others. Ben Street keeps things sewn together on bass – and titles include "The B 61", "Cobble Hill", "A Walk On The BHP", "Dali", "Mr C", and "Persistence Of Memory". ~ Dusty Groove

CHARLIE BYRD – BRAZILIAN BYRD / HOLLYWOOD BYRD

Two sides of Charlie Byrd in the mid 60s – one focused on Brazil and the other a sweet set of jazzy soundtrack adaptations – on one CD! First up is the classic Brazilian Byrd – a wonderful album of tunes by Antonio Carlos Jobim, all recorded with full backing arrangements, and sound quality that's a lot better than some of Byrd's previous albums! The setting has Charlie's acoustic guitar right up front in the mix – mic'ed so close you can really hear his work on the strings – while light brass, woodwind, and string backings dance nicely, and more quietly, behind him. There's a very Verve-like approach to the whole record – obviously a market that Columbia were trying to reach with this one – and the album's easily one of Charlie's strongest for the label from the 60s. Arrangements are both by Byrd and Tom Newsom – and titles include "Dindi", "Jazz N Samba", "The Girl From Ipanema", "Corcovado", "Amor E Paz", "Samba Do Aviao" and "Amor E Paz".

Next up is the Hollywood Byrd set – with some dreamy, jazzy covers of popular movie tunes. It includes some of our own favorites – such as "Alfie", "The Wishing Doll", "Moment To Moment", "Wish Me A Rainbow" and more. A number of tunes have lovely choral vocals, and all of them have a really groovy 60s sound. We'll also make an admission – we give it a few extra points for having one of the sexiest covers ever – but the music can sell it just as well! ~ Dusty Groove

YANNICK NOAH'S "HOMMAGE" TO BOB MARLEY

Yannick Noah's albums are always awaited. Less than 2 years after Frontières, his new album is a tribute to one of his idols : Bob Marley. Yannick Noah covers 11 songs, more or less known, a project that's not surprising.

Covering a famous artist is a risky bet. Being France's favourite singer & covering Bob Marley's songs is riskier. However, Yannick Noah finally recorded a cover album of songs by the late Jamaican singer, who encouraged rastafaris. We remember "Could You Be Loved?" & "Redemption Song", 2 songs with politically-charged lyrics. Also, Bob Marley's lyrics were about brotherhood, peace & tolerance. Yannick Noah told the same themes on his album Frontières (2010). Both artists' universes are not far away, even if Yannick Noah continued the message since Bob Marley's death. Not a surprise because "Saga Africa" singer is a real fan of Marley. He covered some of his songs on stage, like "Redemption Song", here re-arranged in a dynamic version, to avoid the cut/paste. "I've sung it a hundred times live but on the album, we took the uptempo & dancing option." It's true, it sounds catchy. A good first single.
Yannick Noah's admiration for Bob Marley recalls us of the childhood of France's favourite personality. In the late 70's, when he was just a teenager, he saw Bob Marley on television for the first time. Later, he became a famous tennis player. Once he got into Bob Marley's music, Yannick Noah used it as a force that has accompanied him so many times : "He guided some of my decisions. He's been an energy."

But the emotion isn't the same. Yannick not only covered Bob's songs, he also lost the emotion. The songs have changed a little but they're recognizable, like "Jammin'". The former tennisman called Siméo to produce all the songs. "With Siméo, I've been working on melodies but softly, with acoustic instruments, as if they were nursery rhymes." But Bob Marley's songs are not simple nursery rhymes & Yannick Noah sings lyrics without getting the point. He used a lesser tone, leading to a more enjoyable & lighter harmony.

We don't mind about the songs covered by Yannick Noah. There are famous songs & less popular songs : "I Shot The Sheriff" & "Jammin'" have been hits but "Burnin' And Lootin'" isn't one of Bob's standards. We mind about what Yannick Noah wants to say behind each word that he said & behind each sound that he wanted different. Finally, we understand that Hommage must be considered as entertainment, either for the singer or the listener. Not more, not less.

To know more about Yannick Noah, check yannicknoah.com or his Facebook.

chartsinfrance.net

NEW RELEASES - ANALOG PLAYERS SOCIETY, NOEL POINTER, TUCCI AND MANNUTZA

ANALOG PLAYERS SOCIETY - HURRICANE SEASON IN BROOKLYN

"Amon's most audacious stroke is reworking three cheesy dance-rock hits from the '80s into the most successful reggae-style tracks in years." – Milo Miles (Fresh Air/NPR)

The Analog Players Society (APS) is a collective and community of musicians rooted at The Hook Studio in Brooklyn, NY and led by Producer, Engineer, and Percussionist – Amon. APS features a large cast of musicians including players from such heavyweights as TV On The Radio, Tortured Soul, Escort, Beirut, Si*Se, Blitz the Ambassador and Akoya Afrobeat Ensemble. The core of the project is eclectic by nature but carries serious strains of the Dub, Funk, Afrobeat, and Soul variety within it.

Things kick off on Hurricane Season In Brooklyn with “Free”, a driving horn fueled joint that’s hungrily swallowed the 90s Acid Jazz sound and spit it back out as something so much more live & funky. Next up, the album’s title track bounces willfully to its House & West London influences, with Cecilia Stalin (Koop) vocally soaring above the clouds. Other highlights include three 80s classic covers; No-Shooz’s “I Can’t Wait”, Shannon’s “Let The Music Play”, and Wang Chung’s “Dancehall Days”– reversioned in classic APS dub style. The nostalgic downtempo vibe of “Moments Combine” rounds out the album nicely. Hurricane Season In Brooklyn is currently #1 on iTunes World music charts. ~ Giant Step

NOEL POINTER - PHANTAZIA / HOLD ON

A pair of great pair of records from electric fusion violinist Noel Pointer – Phantazia from '77 and Hold On from '78 – in a 2CD set! Like others of the 70s generation, Pointer plays the violin in a way that's clearly heavily influenced by keyboards of the time – electric in amplification, and worked in a mode that uses the instrument to create waves of sound that flow out amongst the tighter fusion rhythms of the set. Dave Grusin arranged and produced the Phantazia set – in his best lean soulful mode of the time – and other players include Earl Klugh, Ralph MacDonald, Steve Gadd, and Grusin himself. Titles include "Mirabella", "Night Song", "Living For The City", "Phantazia", and "Wafaring Stranger". Hold On was recorded in a smooth, soulful mode – and once again has Pointer working with Grusin! Noel's sweet work on electric violin is set up nicely with keyboards from Dave, guitar from Eric Gale, drums from Steve Gadd, and percussion from Ralph MacDonald. Noel sings a bit on the set, but even better are the vocals from Patti Austin, Gwen Guthrie, Yolanda McCullough, and others – who flesh out the backgrounds on some tunes. Titles include "Staying With You", "Movin In", "Superwoman", "Stardust Lady", "Hold On", and the extended "Roots Suite", based on Quincy Jones music for the show! ~ Dusty Groove, Inc.

LORENZO TUCCI / LUCXA MANNUTZA - LUNAR   Pretty great work from the team of Lorenzo Tucci and Lucxa Mannutza – two artists we normally associate with much straighter jazz material, but who really take off here together! The format is still definitely jazz, but the energy is quite free a times – just drums and effects from Tucci, and shifting piano, Fender Rhodes, and Hammond from Luca Mannutza – played in these really flowing lines that sparkle amidst Lorenzo's energy on the drums – all in ways that are inside enough to swing, but in ways that really go beyond conventional jazz! The format is a wonderful development for both players – and really helps us appreciate their rich talents even more than before – hardly a trick or gimmick, and instead a compelling collaboration that almost makes us feel like ECM has collided with Schema Records. Titles include "Jet Lag", "Jungle & Space", "Lunar", "Moon Boots", "The Voyager", "Avaria", and "Inception". ~ Dusty Groove

GET UP! FOR THE NEW ALBUM FROM BEN HARPER WITH CHARLIE MUSSELWHITE

Ben Harper has teamed with renowned harmonica master Charlie Musselwhite to create Get Up!, a piercing song-cycle of struggle and heart, slated for release by Stax Records/Concord Music Group on January 29th, 2013. Recorded in Los Angeles and produced by Harper, Get Up!, is his 12th studio album and first new recording since 2011’s Give Till It’s Gone (Virgin).

“Charlie and I have been looking to make this record for over ten years and now that we've gotten to it,” stated Harper, “I can’t wait to play it live.”

"Ben and I really locked in, personally and musically, when we recorded with John Lee Hooker,” added Musselwhite. “Ever since then we wanted to record together and being in the studio together is just a natural. You can hear it and feel it in the music on Get Up!”

A striking mix of blues, gospel, roots and R&B, Get Up! features ten vivid musical character studies, skillfully rendered in cinematic detail, all written or co-written by Harper. The politics of personal destruction is palpable on the opening track “Don’t Look Twice,”: “I'm a living nervous habit/I tremble and I twitch/Keep on pulling at me/Like I’m some kind of hanging stitch.” Likewise, a convict measures his prizefight with the truth as Harper growls in the title track: “Don't tell me I can't break the law/Cause the law has broken me.” Finally, a ghostly soldier awaits his duty but laments the mind-numbing futility of war in the haunting battle hymn “I Ride At Dawn,”: “Give a man a hundred years/He'll want a hundred more/Give him a hundred choices/And he still chooses war/From Salem poor to Genghis Kahn/Tomorrow I ride at dawn.”

Charlie Musselwhite’s searing point/counter-point harmonica accentuates Harper’s vocals throughout Get Up!, tying its songs together into a cohesive musical whole. The band, including Jason Mozersky, guitar; Jesse Ingalls, bass; Jordan Richardson, drums; along with Ben Harper on vocals, guitar and slide guitar; plays with economical grit, lending the songs true understanding and authority.

In 1994, Ben Harper released his first record Welcome to the Cruel World, marking his arrival as singer and songwriter of substance and ambition. Two decades later, an artist in full creative command, he’s delivered an inspired work of purity and depth. Get Up!, the new album from Ben Harper with Charlie Musselwhite, is sure to be one of 2013’s most essential recordings.

www.benharper.com
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@benharper www.twitter.com/benharper

ALLEN VIZZUTTI - RITZVILLE

Trumpet virtuoso Allen Vizzutti has enjoyed a prolific career as performer and educator in both the jazz and classical fields since his early days with Woody Herman's big band and his notable four-year tenure with Chick Corea. The release of Vizzutti's superb new CD Ritzville, on October 16, is an especially welcome event because the in-demand trumpeter/composer has recorded all too infrequently as a leader. Ritzville brings the focus back to his primary passion of "performing music I love with my jazz group."

Contributions from Vizzutti's marquee-name friends Stanley Clarke and Chick Corea are featured on the boppish "Ticklish" and the up-tempo ballad "Amara" respectively, while the rest of the band includes old friends (the guitarist Mike Miller) and new (Portland-based pianist Darrell Grant) performing an array of standout Vizzutti originals, most of them written specifically for the Ritzville session. Pianist Laura Vizzutti, the trumpeter's wife, is showcased on her namesake "Laura's Blues," one of four selections on which an 11-piece string section was added.

Recorded in Seattle, where Vizzutti has been based since 1990, Ritzville contains so many stylistic crossings, from groove-tight fusion updates to string orchestrations to acoustic ballads, the leader became concerned during the recording of it that the music was more varied than he had intended. Whether by serendipity or design, however, the songs fit together seamlessly, adding up to an invigorating statement by a multifaceted artist who is in command in all stylistic situations.

Author of the definitive trumpet method books that bear his name, Allen Vizzutti started on the horn with lessons from his father Lido, a self-taught trumpeter. As he was growing up in Missoula, Montana, young Allen played in school bands and, at 16, won a concerto competition that sent him to Interlochen, where he was awarded first chair in the World Youth Symphony Orchestra. He went on to study at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY.

After a period of gaining bandstand experience ranging from Ice Follies shows to Bach chamber orchestras, Vizzutti had to choose between two tempting offers: lead trumpeter with Woody Herman and first chair trumpet with the San Antonio Symphony. He became a member of Herman's Thundering Herd.

"The big band experience, which so many young players now never get, is so valuable in so many ways, and not just musical," said Vizzutti. "We had people like Dizzy Gillespie and Tony Bennett and Marian McPartland joining us all the time. You got to see how great musicians handled themselves, handled rehearsals, bantered with the audience. You learned about timing, about stretching out musical moments to maximize their impact."

Vizzutti met Chick Corea during rehearsals for a piece the pianist wrote for Herman. Corea later invited Vizzutti to join him for a three-month tour with his 13-piece ensemble, featuring strings and horns. The trumpeter also played with Corea sextets featuring Joe Farrell, Dave Liebman, and Steve Kujala and is featured on three Corea albums: Secret Agent (1978), Tap Step (1980), and Touchstone (1982).

In 1978, Vizzutti moved to Los Angeles. He joined Doc Severinsen and the Tonight Show Band, and played on more than 150 film and TV soundtracks as well as albums by Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, and Prince. His own unique jazz-fusion band Red Metal made two recordings and performed regularly in L.A. and on tour over the next eight years. After his relocation to Seattle, he recorded several albums as a leader, including Trumpet Summit (1995) and Skyrocket (1996), both for Summit. It's to be hoped that Ritzville marks the beginning of a new period of recording activity for this charismatic and virtuosic artist.

"I'm very grateful for my musically rich life," says Vizzutti. "It's exciting and a lot of fun to continue to improve as a player and performer. Ritzville is a calling card for a fresh new musical chapter about to unfold."

www.vizzutti.com

NEW RELEASES - HAMMOCK HOUSE: LOWER EAST SIDE, BLUE NOTE TRIP 10: MAESTRO, STEVE DAVIS

HAMMOCK HOUSE - LOWER EAST SIDE (VARIOUS ARTISTS)

Hammock House – Lower East Side is the result of four DJ/producers being allowed access to the original multitrack master tapes of some highly coveted vintage Fania tracks. The products are a Latin electronica rebirth of these classics in the form of “funky rhythms, cumbia grooves, sensuous electronic textures and remixed Héctor Lavoe vocal lines.” Toy Selectah, The Whiskey Barons, DJ Isa GT, and Twin Shadow have created memorable masterpieces from the timeless work of Fania greats Ray Barretto, Justo Betancourt, Willie Colon, Hector Lavoe, Ismael Rivera. Track listing: 1. Acid (Twin Shadow Remix); 2. Power (Whiskey Barons Heavy Funk Mix); 3. Catano (Whiskey Barons Cumbia Dub Mix); 4. Right On (Whiskey Barons Got Some Afro Mix); 5. Aguanile (Toy Selectah 2013 Cosmico Remix); and 6. Las Caras Lindas (Isa GT Remix). ~ Giant Step

BLUE NOTE TRIP 10: LATE NIGHTS, EARLY MORNINGIS - A SELECTION OF LATE NIGHT PIECES BY DJ MAESTRO

Maestro takes us on a mighty hip trip here – running through a selection of rare grooves from Blue Note, and also throwing in a number of Capitol Records classics too! The vibe isn't just jazz – as the tunes include plenty of soul and funk too – and even a few of the cooler contemporary tracks from Blue Note in Europe – home to some wonderful recordings in recent years! As with others in this series, the 2-CD set is mixed – with a wonderful flow between the tracks – and the set's divided up into a "late nights" and "early mornings" session. Titles include "Goin Out Of My Head" by Nancy Wilson, "Woman Of The Ghetto (live)" by Marlena Shaw, "Kofi" by Donald Byrd, "Bambu" by Reuben Wilson, "Ces Petits Riens" by Stacey Kent, "Los Ojos Alegres" by Duke Pearson, "Apres Midi" by Fresu, "Tyra" by Booker Ervin, "Mission Impossible" by Billy May, "African Ascension part 1" by Horace Silver, "Thinking Of Baby" by Elmer Bernstein, and "Maybe It's Because I Love You Too Much" by Peggy Lee. ~ Dusty Groove

STEVE DAVIS - GETTIN' IT DONE   Steve Davis definitely gets it done with this sweet little set – just the kind of record that enforces all the love we've had for his talents over the years! Davis' sound on trombone is totally tops – tight, yet with a soulful flourish that really takes off on his solos – a sort of boldness that's more than enough to inspire the players in his group, as does his set of well-penned original compositions for the set! Davis never lets us down, and this album's the kind of soulful swinger that will have us checking him out for years to come – a set that features Josh Bruneau on trumpet, Mike DiRubbo on alto, Larry Willis on piano, Nat Reeves on bass, and Billy Williams on drums – and tunes that include "Getting It Done", "Steppin Easy", "Alike", "The Beacon", and "Wishes". ~ Dusty Groove

SIR JOE QUATERMAN & FREE SOUL

An undisputed funk classic – even back in the days before anyone ever said the phrase "funk classic"! This album must have been deleted the day it came out – because even though it's attained legendary proportions with groovers worldwide, it's always been hard to find – even back in the 70s! But unlike so many other "rare-but-not great" funk albums, this one's a killer – with a hard funky wah wah sound that we'd rank up there with James Brown's best work on Polydor from the early 70s, and which should have made Joe a millionaire, not a lost legend of soul music.

The band is sharp as a knife – with hard drums, tight bass, and some simply amazing guitar riffing. But the best part is Joe – as his vocals are hard and emotional, with just the right touches of righteousness to carry off the album's political messages, but not too much as to spoil the party that the band's having in the background!

Every single track is a winner, and if we were ever to make a list of the top five funk albums to own, this one would be on it! Titles include "The Way They Do My Life", "I Got So Much Trouble On My Mind", "The Trouble With Trouble", "Give Me Back My Freedom", "Live Like Brothers", and "Find Yourself". CD features a HUGE amount of bonus tracks too – titles that include "Thanks Dad (parts 1 & 2)", "This Girl Of Mine", "I'm Gonna Get You", "No", "Get Down Baby (parts 1 & 2)", "I'm A Young Man", "How High", "Let Me Be What I Am", "You Know It's True", and a 1969 version of "So Much Trouble In My Mind".

:::: SOURCE: Dusty Groove ::::

NEW RELEASES - DARROW FLETCHER, THE CONGREGATION, THE DAWN OF NORTHERN SOUL

DARROW FLETCHER – CROSSOVER RECORDS: 1975 TO 1979 L.A. SESSIONS

Sublime 70s work from Darrow Fletcher – a singer we mostly know for his early soul singles in Chicago – but one who really hits his stride on these rare sessions from LA! The music was mostly recorded for Ray Charles' Crossover label – although a few singles also appeared on Atlantic too – and the work has Fletcher's wonderful sweet soul vocal approach coming into play with these warmly flowing grooves that are mighty nice – almost a west coast take on the style that Leroy Hutson was doing in Chicago on Curtom! In the setting, Fletcher's even more appealing than before – a mature singer with a hell of a balance between class and soul, poise and swing – more than enough to rival his hippest contemporaries. Production on most tracks was done by Joel Webster – who also recorded for Crossover – and titles include "The Rising Cost Of Love", "Honey Can I", "Try Something New", "Secret Weapon", "Let's Get Together", "It's No Mistake", "Election Day", "Improve", and "Wind Up Toys".

THE CONGREGATION – RIGHT NOW EVERYTHING

A full length debut knockout for The Congregation – who have more-or-less been serving as the live soul house band on the north side of Chicago in the months leading up to Right Now Everything – and deservedly so! The group might take the most cues from classic raw soul and live show R&B – but they've clearly also soaked up plenty of garagey rhythms, uptempo blues and rave-up gospel – and most importantly, they're somehow delivering their raucous stage intensity in the studio. Vocalist Gina Bloom has the grit and the genuinely soulful spirit of singers who have been at it for decades – but this is a fairly young group – which is important, because we're hoping they'll continue to slay us for many years to come! The excellent band includes Chuck Sansone on keys and percussion, Charlie Wayne on guitar, Joe DeBord on bass, Dan Wendt on drums, Brian Crane on trumpet, Nick Nottoli on trombone and Erik Eiseman on sax. Includes the title track, "When There's Fighting", "Real Thing", "Darlin'", "High Class", "I Know You Will", "You'll Always Be Alright With Me", "I Will Forget You" and more.

THE DAWN OF NORTHERN SOUL - A RED HOT FUSION  OF RHYTHM & BLUES, POPCORN AND NORTHER SOUL

Rockin soul from the start of the 60s – a great batch of upbeat numbers that definitely show the rougher side of the Northern groove! Lots of these tracks sit perfectly in a space between early soul music and R&B – and strut along with the heavier grooves of the latter, yet soar with the bold vocals of the former – making for a mix of modes that's mighty nice! There's loads of rare singles here we might not have heard otherwise – and titles include "Somebody Else's Sweetheart" by The Wanderers, "Puddentane" by Lula Reed, "I'm Hurting" by Billy Gales, "You Crack Me Up" by Charlie Baker, "This Little Love Of Mine" by Buddy Ace, "The Snake" by Maximillian, "Boys Will Be Boys" by Joe Tex, "Wait" by Sidney Barnes, "You're A Little Too Late" by Danny Owens, "That's A Good Idea" by Grover Mitchell, and "That's Why I Cry" by Varetta Dillard.

:::: SOURCE: Dusty Groove ::::

TWIN CITIES FUNK AND SOUL - LOST R&B GROOVES FROM MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL 1964-1979

Rare soul from Minneapolis – a surprisingly great source for grooves in the years before Prince and Morris Day! Turns out, the Twin Cities were already funky, way before the Purple One came into being – as you'll hear in this wealth of rare singles from the late 60s on up through the 70s – all of them mighty darn soulful, and most of them pretty dang funky as well! The wealth of work is really surprisingly – with strong echoes of styles going on in the Chicago and Detroit scenes at the time, but maybe even more surprising, given that Minneapolis/St Paul didn't have nearly the same amount of resources.

The package is easily one of the best ever done by the Secret Stash label – a set that really ups the level of their reissues – with a motherlode of killer cuts that include "Love Me Leave Me" by The Valdons, "Sweet Smell Of Perfume" by Maurice McKinnies & The Champions, "Work Your Flapper (part 1)" by Jackie Harris & The Champions, "She's A Whole Lot's A Woman" by Mojo & His Chi 4, "I Ain't Gonna Cheat On You No More" by Willie Walker, "Save Me" by Wanda Davis, "Saxophone Disco" by Morris Wilson, "Honey From The Bee" by Willie & The Bumblebees, "The Max" by Prophets Of Peace, "Get Up" by The Lewis Connection, and "Rusty McDusty" by Morris Wilson. (Includes album download.)

:::: SOURCE: Dusty Groove ::::

NEW RELEASES - HILDEGARD KNEF, JAZZ ACOUSTIC MACHINE, SHIRLEY SCOTT / CLARK TERRY

HILDEGARD KNEF - REMIXED 12 VERSIONS


German grooves galore – a host of classic tracks from vocalist Hildegard Knef – a remixed with a 21st Century flavor! Think of this one as a German answer to the Verve Remixed series – as Hildegard's older lyrics are layered amidst some heavy beats, keys, and electronics – hardly the instrumentation used in the original recordings, but at times a surprisingly great setting for her voice. Given the slightly cold quality of Knef's singing, the mix with electronics really works well – and titles include "Ich Schreib Dir En Buch", "Das Jahr 2000", "Meine Lieder Sind Anders", "So Oder So Ist Das Leben", "Heute Morgen War Termin", and "Du Bist Das Salz In Der Suppe".

JAZZ ACOUSTIC MACHINE - JAM

A sweet set of funky trio tracks from Jazz Acoustic Machine – and a record that doesn't always live up to their name, but only because it's got so many great keyboards in the mix! Rhythms are tight, and handled in an old school mix of acoustic bass and snapping drums – and the keyboards soar out over the top wonderfully – sometimes with slow-stepping funky lines that recall the glory days of CTI and Kudu Records – other times with a more freewheeling vibe that almost brings back the jazzier side of cosmic London from a few years ago! The group's a great one – exactly what's going right with the Japanese jazz scene in recent years – and titles include "New Step", "Back From The Dark Side", "Sing Without You", "Jazz Acoustic Machine", "Liquid Street", and "He Knows" – which features guest work from Terumasa Hino on trumpet.

SHIRLEY SCOTT / CLARK TERRY - SOUL DUO

A sweet 60s session from the team of Shirley Scott and Clark Terry – musicians who never played together regularly, but who really work wonders on this unique record! Shirley's got that perfect tone on Hammond she hit during her Impulse Records years – a groove that's leaner and cleaner than Prestige sessions of a few years before – and Terry's got that cool mix of muted sounds and soulful undercurrents that really shown during his work with Bob Brookmeyer – a surprisingly great mix here for Scott's organ lines, especially when mixed with the great grooves of the rhythm section! The set features Mickey Roker on drums, and either Bob Cranshaw or George Duvivier on bass – and titles include "Heat Wave", "Taj Mahal", "Clark Bars", "Up A Hair", "Soul Duo", and "Joonji".

:::: SOURCE: Dusty Groove ::::

THE FUSION SYNDICATE BRINGS THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY ROCK AND JAZZ MUSICIANS TOGETHER FOR AN INCREDIBLE AURAL JOURNEY

On October 16, Purple Pyramid (an imprint of Cleopatra Records) will release The Fusion Syndicate, a collection of original rock-jazz fusion explorations performed by an eclectic group of the finest musicians working today.

The Fusion Syndicate features performances by members of the biggest names in fusion including Billy Cobham, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Yellowjackets, and Spyro Gyra plus rock/prog players from Yes, Dream Theater, King Crimson, Tool, Porcupine Tree, Hawkwind and more.

The seven-track record provides nearly an hour of intricate and expansive demonstrations from all the collaborators. “Stone Cold Infusion” combines Steve Stevens’ effortless fretwork and Mel Collins’ soulful horns with Billy Cobham’s solid and propelling drums, while “Atom Smashing” highlights some fast fingerplay from Tony Kaye.

Billy Sherwood composed all the music for, assembled and produced The Fusion Syndicate. A multi-talented musician, he has played in Yes (and several of its reconfigurations), Toto, and others while as a producer, mixer and engineer, he’s contributed to recordings by Yes, Motorhead, Paul Rodgers and all-star tribute albums to artists such as Queen, AC/DC, and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Sherwood also spearheaded The Prog Collective for Purple Pyramid/Cleopatra, which assembled the best players in prog for a collection of original works.

Said Sherwood, “When I was asked to write and produce a fusion record I jumped at the chance. I've always had a deep love of Jazz and Fusion music having grown up listening to Weather Report, Return To Forever, Mahavishnu among many others in the genre. The record has become a musical dream team, including some of the world’s most renowned players in the field. The music reflects a time when virtuosity was the standard and incredible musicianship was the order of the day. Each artist sharing their talent and skill, blending it all into a bigger musical picture, creating an amazing expression of unity and purpose.”

The Fusion Syndicate Track List and Players:
1. Random Acts Of Science - Rick Wakeman (Yes) • Jerry Goodman (Mahavishnu Orchestra) • Nik Turner (Hawkwind) • Jimmy Haslip (Yellowjackets / Alan Holdsworth)

2. Stone Cold Infusion - Steve Stevens • Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater / Liquid Tension Experiment) • Mel Collins (King Crimson) • Colin Edwin (Porcupine Tree) • Billy Cobham (Mahavishnu Orchestra)

3. Molecular Breakdown - Jay Beckenstein (Spyro Gyra) • Billy Sheehan (Steve Vai) • Gavin Harrison (Porcupine Tree) • David Sancious (The E Street Band)

4. Particle Accelerations - Larry Coryell • Derek Sherinian (Dream Theater / Black Country Communion) • Eric Marienthal (Chick Corea Elektric Band) • Chester Thompson (Genesis / Brand X)

5. At The Edge Of The Middle - Steve Morse (Dixie Dregs) • Jim Beard (Mahavishnu Orchestra) • Randy Brecker (Blood, Sweat & Tears) • Percy Jones (Soft Machine / Brand X)

6. Atom Smashing - John Etheridge (Soft Machine) • Tony Kaye (Yes) • Chad Wackerman (Frank Zappa)

7. In The Spirit Of… - Steve Hillage (Gong) • Scott Kinsey (Tribal Tech) • Theo Travis (Steven Wilson Band) • Justin Chancellor (Tool) • Asaf Sirkis (The Orient House Ensemble)

STREAMING MP3: "Stone Cold Fusion"
http://soundcloud.com/brosseaupr/stone-cold-infusion-from-the/s-gvSPZ

:::: SOURCE: cleopatrarecords.com ::::

MIDIAN - A RISING STAR ON THE HORIZON...SIT BACK AND ENJOY!

Midian never believed her mother. It's just what mom's do, she thought: tell their daughter they have the voice of an angel. On occasion, as a girl growing up outside the nation's capital, Midian would escape to her room and let her voice run free; she'd imagine she was Michael Jackson one day, Aretha Franklin the next. But it was just for fun; after all, she had convinced herself she wasn't a singer. So imagine her reaction then, when as a teenager in a recording studio she upstaged a professionally-trained friend, laying down vocals so refined it left her peer speechless. "I was like 'Holy shit!' I can do this!" the now 24-year-old recalls of the epiphany upon hearing her voice piping through the studio speakers. As it turns out, Midian was in fact a singer; she'd always been one. Now, only a few years later, and thanks to the success of her breakout single, "Bitter", a breathtaking display of vocal prowess and emotional maturity, she finds herself one of the most promising new voices in the music industry.

Midian's voice is massive -- the sort that swallows you whole upon impact. In it you can hear the soulful stylings of the late Etta James as well as Amy Winehouse and the outsize "wow factor" of contemporary artists like Christina Aguilera. It's a tool that's been refined. After discovering she had vocal chops, Midian pursued formal training. Soon however, the singer discovered the mechanistic approach of coaching was diminishing her vocal individuality. "I felt like I was going to lose the character of my voice," she says. "So I stopped taking voice lessons and I started recording." Over the next few years Midian became what she lovingly refers to as a "studio rat," recording hundreds of songs, all the while refining her style and technique. Soon she moved out to LA and began writing and recording her own numbers. But few knew of her palpable progress; it's how she wanted it. "I always kept this stuff to myself," she says of the recordings from this time period. Midian’s motives were simple: she’d seen far too many singers thrown into the mainstream machine at a young age, only to be tossed aside at a moment's notice. She had other plans. "I feel like I developed into a professional -- just not in the eye of the public," she explains. "Now I'm fully confident in my abilities to deliver the best."

Even as a fresh-faced 20-year-old, Midian was self-assured. When record labels came calling, their first instinct was to mold her not into the R&B-inspired, drop-everything-and-listen vocalist she'd always envisioned. But rather into the next mainstream pop star: Midian says she remembers being told she should "go more the Katy Perry direction" and that she'd be instantly signed if she'd "go more pop" and do a "Fergie type of thing. I always thought that's not who I am," she says. But now, with the buzz behind "Bitter" following its placement in VH1's Love & Hip Hop Atlanta, and the song's success on the iTunes R&B charts -- not to mention the massive triumph of similar-minded artists like Adele – the lane has been busted open for a no-holds-barred act like Midian. "I think music has evolved over the years; anything goes now,” she explains. “People just appreciate good music."

Still, Midian was humbled by the storm of positive reaction that accompanied "Bitter". "I didn't know how people would really respond to it," she admits. "We've had no label, no promo, no push whatsoever and we garnered over a quarter-of-a-million hits on YouTube in less than a month. To me that says more than any amount of money could buy. I'm so thankful that people appreciate good music still. Because I'm not Rihanna. And I'll never be Rihanna. And I've always been OK with that."

Front-and-center now for the singer is polishing up her live show -- something she's currently working on with a new band. She's also continuing to record tracks for what will become her debut full-length album. "I want to take my time with my work," she says. "That's something that's really important to me and something that I feel like we're lacking in 2012: the artist that really focuses on the integrity of the music and makes a cohesive project that makes sense."

For Midian, one thing is certain, though: she's a singer. And one whose future is just beginning to be written. "There's no denying who I am," she says. "It's totally encouraging."

Take a listen and enjoy here!
Bitter

STACY SULLIVAN - IT'S A GOOD DAY: A TRIBUTE TO MISS PEGGY LEE

It’s a Good Day, A Tribute to Miss Peggy Lee, featuring Stacy Sullivan announces a fall performance series at New York City’s iconic Metropolitan Room. Stacy Sullivan, winner of the Backstage Bistro Award and the MAC Award for Outstanding Female New York Debut, has appeared in venues across the country, from Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York to the Ford Theatre in Hollywood. Ms. Sullivan notes, “We are thrilled to be appearing at the Metropolitan Room. Peggy Lee loved to perform late, so the Metropolitan Room’s 11:30pm showtime is perfect for us.”

The show dates are Oct. 17th 11:30 pm, Oct. 18th 11:30 pm, Nov. 10th 11:30 pm, Dec. 8th 11:30 pm, Jan. 28th 7:00 pm and Feb. 23rd, 7:00 pm.

It’s a Good Day, A Tribute to Peggy Lee is a journey of discovery…through the extraordinary musical legacy of Peggy Lee and the personal struggles of a woman whose voice captivated millions. The classic songs, intricate rhythms and exquisite arrangements that defined her career are elegantly portrayed in this loving homage. The show is accompanied by the seasoned jazz masters Jon Weber on piano and Steve Doyle on Bass.

Ms. Sullivan has recorded five albums for the LML Music label, including her latest, It’s a Good Day, featuring Jon Weber, Steve Doyle and Bucky Pizzarelli. Her new show, has been gaining critical acclaim as an interpretive exploration of the extraordinary music and personal struggles of a singer, composer, and actress whose remarkable career spanned over six decades, influencing jazz and popular-music culture worldwide.

For more information about the It’s A Good Day, A Tribute to Miss Peggy Lee, visit http://www.PeggyLeeFever.com or contact Emmett Murphy at: emmett.murphy@showHive.com or call 212-365-4154 x 5. To book tickets, visit the Metropolitan Room website.

HEATHER HEADLEY - ONLY ONE IN THE WORLD

Grammy® Award and Tony Award-Winner Heather Headley releases her latest CD, Only One In The World. The CD, which bows today, features new songs penned by Headley, R&B hits, familiar favorites and a cut from the upcoming production of The Bodyguard: A New Musical in which Headley makes her London West End debut this fall in Whitney Houston's role, Rachel Marron. Only One In The World is released by in:ciite Media, distributed by EMI-CMG/EMI Distribution.

Here's what people are saying about Headley and Only One In The World:

"I met Heather Headley at an evening with David Foster, and the minute I heard her voice I fell in love with it! A rich, powerful voice, with an extended range and full of sentiment ...From that day we started working together, singing duets in several concerts. And I discovered in Heather, behind a great singer ... a great person! I hope this album touches everyone's heart. And, from the bottom of my heart, I wish her the best of luck!" - Andrea Bocelli

"My writing partner and I are honored that Heather chose the song to sing on her own CD, and she truly made it her own!! No easy task, but she did it with flying colors." - Allan Rich, writer of "Run To You"

Produced by Paul Mills and Keith Thomas, the 12-track CD includes Whitney Houston's famed song "Run To You" from The Bodyguard, featured in The Bodyguard: A New Musical, "River Deep, Mountain High" and "Superwoman." "Home," made famous in The Wiz, is a beautiful reflection of Headley's love for the Broadway stage. "A Little While," is inspired by Headley's admiration for her mother, and Headley's brother, Iric Headley Jr., co-wrote and produced the R&B track, "Hey Mama." "Because You Need Me" is performed and written with one of the stars of The Voice, Chris Mann.

Born on the Caribbean island of Trinidad and the daughter of a pastor, Headley started singing and playing piano in church at a young age. Since, her multi-faceted career has been a blessing. Headley won a Tony Award in 2000 for best actress in a musical for her role in Aida and originated the role of Nala in Broadway's The Lion King. In 2002, her debut album, This Is Who I Am, was nominated for two Grammy® Awards, and in 2010, she won a Grammy® in the best contemporary R&B Gospel album.

SOURCE in:ciite Media

TOM TOM CLUB - DOWNTOWN ROCKERS

'Downtown Rockers' Is The First New Material Released By Tom Tom Club In More Than 12 Years. Recorded After An Extensive US And European Tour, The 'Downtown Rockers' EP Also Features A Remix By Dance Floor Classic DJ Arthur Baker .

Downtown Rockers features Tom Tom Club's characteristic upbeat fusion of electro and funk. Chris Frantz explains, "We recorded the basic tracks soon after Tom Tom Club toured with the Psychedelic Furs in October of 2011 at our home studio. These tracks were built from improvised jam sessions with Bruce Martin on keyboards and Pablo Martin on guitar, Tina Weymouth on bass and Chris Frantz on drums. This is the same way we began "Remain In Light" with Talking Heads. This time our only instruction to the other players was to keep the parts simple with lots of space like Booker T. and the MGs would do."

This is the group's first collection of new material in more than a decade. Tom Tom Club are known for timeless hits such as "Wordy Rappinghood" and "Genius of Love," among many others, Tom Tom Club was formed by Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth, who were both founding members of the Talking Heads.

The new album, Downtown Rockers, features six new songs highlighting Tom Tom Club's energetic, effervescent, and upbeat fusion of, reggae, afrobeat, hip hop and funk on such tracks as "Downtown Rockers," "Won't Give You Up," "You Make Rock and Roll," "Kissin' Antonio" and "Sweets To The Sweet."

The lead single "Downtown Rockers" pays tribute to the many bands that created the downtown music scene in New York City in the 70's from The Velvet Underground to the Talking Heads. The song was mixed by Ed Stasium, who also recorded and mixed Talking Heads '77 and umpteen Ramones classics. Arthur Baker, who has worked with Tom Tom Club in the 80s, also produced a dance remix of "Downtown Rockers".

NEW RELEASES - HIDDEN ORCHESTRA, ENNIO MORRICONE & ROMINA ARENA, LEE KONITZ / BILL FRISELL / GARY PEACOCK / JOEY BARON

HIDDEN ORCHESTRA - ARCHIPELAGO

“…two drummers, a laptopper, Joe Acheson on bass and an impressive array of samplers, dials, cables, knobs, and levers, plus a violinist and cellist both poised in front of their music stands as if this was the Usher Hall. The resulting music is a beguiling, psychedelic, lush, sweeping and groovy hybrid of trip-hop swagger, discerning drum’n’bass, epic soundscapes, funky electronica, cosmic zouk, melancholy space synth, Ozric Tentacles-esque danceability, and impeccable nu-classical. But above all, Joe Acheson’s music is delightfully cinematic and makes out of the post-rock ideals the very music that they should spawn.” — Ali Maloney, Skinny Magazine

Hidden Orchestra's second studio album, Archipelago, is due out on the 1st October on Tru Thoughts (CD & digital) and Denovali (2xLP). On Monday 10th September Tru Thoughts are releasing a AA digital single featuring two tracks from the album. Vorka features our long-time guest cellist Su-a Lee playing the musical saw atop a hip-hop breakbeat, while Spoken represents a slightly new direction in their music, and features some acrobatics on the trumpet from Phil Cardwell, who you may have seen play with them at shows this year. ~ hiddenorchestra.com

ENNIO MORRICONE / ROMINA ARENA – MORRICONE UNCOVERED

Classic songs from Ennio Morricone – reworked in a lush orchestral format – and accompanied by great vocals from Romina Arena! Romina's a younger singer, but has the range that made Morricone's music with Edda Dell'Orso so wonderful back in the day – and unlike other re-recordings of Morricone work, which often focuses on longer symphonic passages, this album has a much stronger focus on the vocalist – and leans nicely towards themes which fit that approach the best. Titles include "What Can I Do", "Ti Ho Amato", "Return To Me", "Le Vent Et Le Cri", "E Un Attimo", "Requiem Of Love", "Il Tempo Sa", "Gioco D'Amore", "Saying Goodbye", and "Ritornerai Dolce Amore". ~ Dusty Groove

LEE KONITZ / BILL FRISELL / GARY PEACOCK / JOEY BARON - ENFANTS TERRIBLE

A quartet of modern jazz giants – coming together here in the largely unrehearsed space of a live setting – yet managing to create some amazing sounds in the process! There's a very loose, open vibe to the set – not exactly outside, but with the more spontaneous energy of a free jazz set – as each musician finds the right space to find each other, then steps up to swing a bit more in the space of the longer tunes! Mighty nice stuff – with a sound that's better than the hokey look of the cover – with Konitz on alto, Frisell on guitar, Peacock on bass, and Joey Baron on drums – on tracks that include "What Is This Thing Called Love", "I'll Remember April", "I Remember You", "Stella By Starlight", and "I Can't Get Started". ~ Dusty Groove

DEAN BROWN - UNFINISHED BUSINESS

On Unfinished Business, veteran guitarist Dean Brown, whose scintillating six-string work can be heard on over 200 recordings, steps out with his fourth dynamic outing as a leader. Joining him on this eclectic offering, which ranges from hard-hitting funk to lovely ballads, soothing samba flavored grooves, Latin-tinged jams, greasy organ-fueled blues and cool jazz, are longstanding colleagues Marvin “Smitty” Smith on drums and Gerry Etkins on keyboards. Their intuitive sense of simpatico blends nicely on this highly interactive session with bassists Hadrien Feraud, Jimmy Earl, Schuyler Deale and Rene Camacho, Hammond B-3 organist Bobby Sparks, percussionist Joey DeLeon, trumpeter Lee Thornburg, vibraphonist Bernard Maseli and tenor saxophonists Doug Webb and Kirk Whalum. Santana drummer Dennis Chambers, who played on Brown’s powerhouse trio recording from 2009, appears on one track.


Brown stretches with heroic abandon on this collection of old and new tunes from his catalog, showing the remarkable versatility, ingenuity and go-for-it intensity that has marked his 30-year career as a guitarist-composer-arranger and educator. An in-demand figure on the global fusion and contemporary jazz scene, Brown has toured and recorded with such luminaries as Marcus Miller, The Brecker Brothers, Billy Cobham, David Sanborn, Bob James, George Duke, Roberta Flack, Lenny White, Joe Zawinul and Steve Smith’s Vital Information, but takes the greatest pleasure in his own personal projects. The aptly-titled Unfinished Business, which includes some previously unrecorded tunes originally written by the guitarist during the mid ‘80s, follows his acclaimed solo outings Here (2001), Groove Warrior (2004) and DBIII: Live at the Cotton Club Tokyo (2009), the latter a stripped-down power trio outing with bassist Will Lee and drummer Dennis Chambers.

"The title of this album is multi-faceted for me,” says Brown. “There’s the idea of being a musician in general is kind of a work in progress and tends to involve ‘unfinished business’ in terms of always paying dues, always learning and hopefully always growing as an artist. There is also the idea that there are tunes laying around that don’t make the CDs, for whatever reason. I’ve written way more music than I have records for, so there’s always more tunes. Some of these tunes on Unfinished Business are ones that didn’t make it on previous albums, so I decided to record them now. I’ve been playing them live and people have been telling me, ‘Man, you should put that tune on a record.’ So I finally got around to doing it here.”

Brown is particularly pleased with the nature of the recording during these Unfinished Business sessions. “All these tunes were recorded live in the studio,” he says, “so there’s a lot of interaction and not a lot of overdubs. I’m trying to protect that kind of stuff. I just like the integrity of the idea that all the vertical stuff happens at once. I love that live feeling.” That kind of immediacy is felt on all nine tracks from Unfinished Business, which stands as Brown’s most ambitious release to date.

www.deanbrown.com

NEW RELEASES - ROBERTA FLACK, BOBBY LYLE, WILL DOWNING

ROBERTA FLACK – ORIGINAL ALBUM SERIES: FIRST TAKE / QUIET FIRE / KILLING ME SOFTLY / FEEL LIKE MAKIN’ LOVE / BLUE LIGHTS IN THE BASEMENT

An incredible legacy in soul music – the first five solo albums by Roberta Flack – all packaged together in one hip little set! Roberta is one of the most unique artists of her time – a soul singer who burst on the scene at the start of the 70s with righteous roots in jazz, yet a way of reaching out to a much wider audience without ever losing her groove – a balance that's heard perfectly in the records First Take, Quiet Fire, and Killing Me Softly – all of which are essential records that should be in just about any music collection – soul or not! Feel Like Makin Love and Blue Lights In The Basement have Flack hitting some slightly smoother sounds, yet still sounding tremendous – picking up some influences from Eugene McDaniels, who helps out a bit on these records. Mainstream soul has never sounded more righteous – and the five records work perfectly together in this set – all served up in tiny LP-styled sleeves, too.

BOBBY LYE – NIGHT FIRE

A stone classic from Bobby Lyle – and a record that really has him stepping out strongly, both as a keyboardist and a singer! Bobby's strength at this point is undeniable – and he's got a perfect sense of balance that rivals contemporaries like Roy Ayers or Webster Lewis – both of whom work in a similarly jazzy groove! Lyle plays some great Fender Rhodes on the set – plus other more way-out keyboards too – and production is by the At-Home team, who really know how to bring in a strong sense of focus to the grooves, while still letting the best jazzy elements flourish. Titles include "Space Place", "Stop Running Away From Love", "Getting Into Love", "Dream Lady", "Stop Running Away From Love", and "For Love".

WILL DOWNING - TOMORROW

Will Downing, the next chapter – quite possibly the greatest entry in his trilogy of Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow albums – and filled with fresh grooves that really let Will take off strongly! The vocals are sublime (could we expect anything less from Downing?) – and the rhythms have a lean, crispy, 21st Century soul vibe that turns out to be a perfect fit for Will's singing – one that's handled by the mature singer without any sense of cliche, and great care to keep things from ever getting too commercial or heavy handed. A brilliant third act from the master – with cuts that include "Here I Go", "Side To Side", "Only One", and "Falling".

:::: SOURCE: Dusty Groove ::::

NEW RELEASES - TIA FULLER, ANGIE STONE, DIONNE WARWICK

TIA FULLER – ANGELIC WARRIOR

Tia Fuller's always a player who really grabs our ears – and an artist who always manages to work with a surprising degree of depth, despite the sometimes sexy look of her album covers! Take this set – which has kind of a "smooth jazz" look on the front, but burns with intensity right from the start – a soaring, righteous style that's right up there with the most soulful indie jazz around – served up by Fuller on alto, soprano sax, and flute – in a hip combo that features Shamie Royston on Fender Rhodes, Mimi Jones on bass, and Rudy Royston on drums. The set boasts a bit of guest work – Terry Lyne Carrington on three tracks, John Patitucci on six, and Dianne Reeves on one – but the real star here is definitely Fuller – a wonderfully soulful talent, especially on the alto – and a heck of a great leader too. Titles include "Ralphie's Groove", "Body & Soul", "Lil Les", "Angelic Warrior", "Tailor Made", "Core Of Me", and "Simpli-City".

ANGIE STONE – RICH GIRL

Angie Stone's first for Saguaro Road – one that she's calling a more personal project than some of her recent work – and sure enough, it's a good one! We actually dug Angie's couple of albums for the rebooted Stax label in the late 00s – but you know what, if Angie's happier with this one, we are, too. It's filled with solid songs, from easygoing modern soul ballads, to some classic dancefloor soul inspired gems, and beyond – and it's all done with Angie's true soul vocals out front. It’s well produced, but done with an eclectic, indie soul spirit that's indeed a bit less pop than some of her later recordings. A win! Includes "Do What You Gotta Do", "Backup Plan", "Proud Of Me", "First Time", "Guilty", "Alright", "Livin' It Up", "Right In Front Of Me", "Rich Girl", "Push 'N'Pull", "U Lit My Fire", "Sisters" and more.

DIONNE WARWICK - HEARTBREAKER

Sweet 80s soul from Dionne Warwick – an album that features a fair bit of production work from Barry Gibb – and a sometime sound that definitely shows his presence! The style here is smoother than Dionne in earlier years – with a nice undercurrent of jazz in the instrumentation, one that helps keep things hipper than you might expect – and which avoids a lot of the cliches of early 80s pop soul that might muck things up. Gibb's touch helps things glide nicely at times – a bit of that soulful Bee Gees flourish – and tracks include "Heartbreaker", "It Makes No Difference", "Take The Short Way Home", "Just One More Night", "You Are My Love", and "Our Day Will Come".


:::: SOURCE: Dusty Groove ::::