THE DRAMATICS - GREATEST SLOW JAMS - SET FOR RELEASE APRIL 29, 2014 ON STAX RECORDS

Producer Kevin “Slow Jammin'” James has brought together a collection of the ultimate slow jams from American soul group The Dramatics, whose members included Ron Banks, L.J. Reynolds, Lenny Mayes, Willie Ford and Winzell Kelly. Titled The Dramatics – Greatest Slow Jams, and set for release on Stax Records on April 29, 2014, this compilation stems predominantly from the band’s breakout hits of the early '70s, a time when the band was recording with Stax-Volt as well as ABC Records. “Tomorrow,” a track originally released on Fantasy in 1985 by Dramatics vocalist L.J. Reynolds, has never before been made available on CD.

This album includes such chart-toppers as “Toast to the Fool” and their popular number one R&B hit “In the Rain.” According to James “My love life would have been dramatically reduced without The Dramatics music in my life.”  

The Dramatics began as the vocal sextet The Dynamics in 1962 and signed to Stax-Volt Records in 1968, where they found great commercial and critical success. In 1971, they released “Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get,” which broke them into the top 10 of the Billboard charts with the title track and awarded them with their first gold album, selling over one million units. The following year, they released “In the Rain,” which went to number one on the R&B charts for four consecutive weeks and number five on the pop charts.

The “Slow Jams” brand began as a late night radio show in 1994 by Kevin “Slow Jammin'” James called Sunday Nite Slow Jams. It soon developed into a successful program and eventually a series of CD compilations that blended old and new R&B love songs.

Album Track Listing:

Just Shopping (Not Buying Anything)   

In the Rain                                          

Toast to the Fool                                 

I Can’t Get Over You                            

I Was the Life of the Party                   

I Dedicate My Life to You                     

Thank You for Your Love                     

And I Panicked                                   

Fall in Love, Lady Love                        

I Made Myself Lonely                          

Tomorrow                                          

Hey You, Get Off My Mountain       

   

THE NEW MASTERSOUNDS - THERAPY

“Therapy” is the ninth studio album by The New Mastersounds, the now multi-national funk band originally from Leeds/England. With a new perspective in sound and vision, Eddie Roberts (Guitar), Simon Allen (Drums), Joe Tatton (Keyboards) and Pete Shand (Bass) recorded 12 fresh tracks in Denver/Colorado USA, aiming for a forward thinking sound mixing vintage funk with raw soul, smart jazz and original disco.

“Music and the creation of music has always been my therapy,” says Eddie Roberts. “It has been a way of working through ideas, feelings, frustrations. In creating music, especially instrumental music, it is an incredible outlet for pent-up emotions. People often tell me how much energy they draw from our music, often in a therapeutic way. I find the idea incredible that from my feelings, turned into music, that same music then generates feelings in the listener. It is an exchange much like the physics of music itself: from a string vibration into an electrical signal, and back from electrical signal into vibrating sound waves. I hope that this album will be as therapeutic and valuable to the listener as it was to me creating it.”

On “Therapy” The New Mastersounds introduce a couple of new faces. “I met Kim Dawson on Jam Cruise last year when she performed as part of my super jam. We didn\'t have time to get to know each other at that point, but subsequently through various shows and social situations in Denver, where she lives, we got to know each other well and I felt that she understood and shared my vision of music. ‘I Want You To Stay\' was a lyrical sketch I had and she helped and co-wrote with me to make some sense of what I was trying to say. \'Soul Sista was a poem she had written recently and, as the backing track was inspired by the Lyn Collins/James Brown track … I thought her message was a very appropriate fit. Ryan Zoidis has been a friend for a few years through festivals and musical collaborations performing with Lettuce. When ‘Slow Down’ called for a Maceo-esque solo he was the obvious choice and nailed it!”

The New Mastersounds tried a few cover versions over the years, but for “Therapy” the choice is special. “At the end of the recording session we decided we wanted to record a cover version of a current song and we put it to our Facebook friends for suggestions. After we had checked out a few initial suggestions thankfully someone suggested ‘Treasure’. I also realized that Bruno Mars is performing at the Super Bowl interval 2014 and thought it would be a good tie-in as our album will be released around the same time. It\'s a very well written song and reminiscent of a Stevie Wonder vibe. We tried to do a version that would sound like George Benson was covering it in 1974!”

“WWIII (and how to avoid it)” is another key track for the album. “The background to ‘WWIII’ is that we arrived at the studio in Denver on the morning the US Congress was about to vote on whether or not to strike Syria after the alleged chemical weapons attack. There was a real feeling amongst us of sadness, frustration, fear and disbelief that this strike could be imminent despite pretty much the whole world being against it. Subconsciously these emotions came out in the recording of this tune which, before we recorded it, had no title. Musically it reminded me a bit of \'Cease the Bombing\' by Grant Green, an anti-Vietnam-war statement. The doom we felt instigated the title ‘WWIII’, yet the hope we had that sense would prevail made for the footnote and how to avoid it.”

“Therapy” is released as LP, CD and digital download on Légére Recordings.

NEW RELEASES: SPEEDOMETER - HAPPY; ANTHONY JOSEPH - TIME; RUTH KOLEVA - RUTH

SPEEDOMETER - HAPPY

Having spearheaded the resurgence in deep, gritty funk and soul for 10 years, as well as working with Eddie Bo, Marva Whitney, Sharon Jones, Billy Wooten, Sir Joe Quartermain and most recently Martha High amongst a list of many musical legends, and selling out tours of Europe and the Far East as well as a string of authentically rootsy albums and singles - Speedometer have a reputation as a class act . Originally recorded 'just for fun' and launched on Youtube, it instantly began to amass many veiwings in a very short time...and generated request after request for it to be fully released....and so here is is! Speedometers' happening, soul-jazz/northern soul instrumental version of the huge Pharell Williams hit Happy! This is a groove jam that you need to have in your collection. Seek it out and get yourself a copy!

ANTHONY JOSEPH - TIME

Anthony Joseph has always sounded great – but this time around he's got some stellar help from Meshell Ndegeocello – who wrote, arranged, and produced the entire album! The result is the best material we've ever heard from Joseph – a completely righteous record that gives his wonderful vocals a whole new sense of focus and pride – set up in backings that have an even heavier, funkier quality – and which really befits Anthony's 70s-style blend of soul, jazz, and funk! Meshell plays some mighty funky bass on the record, and also sings too – and the instrumentation is served up by a tight combo with a very lean feel. The music is every bit as great on record as it sounds on paper – a really timeless record that's bound to turn on whole new generations to Joseph's music! Titles include "Hustle To Live", "Tamarind", "Heir", "Alice Of The River", "Joy", "Botanique", and "Michael X".  ~ Dusty Groove

RUTH KOLEVA - RUTH

A beautiful debut from Ruth Koleva – a singer with roots in Bulgaria, but an ability to sing in a really universal style – a crisp take on 21st Century soul music that's bound to make her a real up-and-comer in the global soul underground! The album's got a perfect groove from start to finish – tight live instrumentation that's heavy on Fender Rhodes, served up with a focus that really serves Ruth's wonderful vocals – which have this floating, flowing quality that really matches the keyboards, but has more than enough power to drive home the English language lyrics too. And while we're not sure that Bulgaria's going to be the next hotbed of soul music, we've got great hopes for Ruth herself! Titles include "Falling Back", "Dissonant", "Freak & Fly", "What Am I Supposed To Do", "4AM", "Gone", and "Sista Said No". ~ Dusty Groove

MARK MCLEAN - FEEL ALRIGHT

One of the most dynamic and versatile studio and touring drummers in the jazz, R&B and pop realms over the past 15 years, Mark McLean had a single criterion when it came time to expand his horizons beyond the groove and record his long awaited breakout as a powerhouse composer and lyricist: it had to Feel Alright.

In an industry that often prefers pigeonholing to expansive creative expression, the multi-talented artist — whose credo is “I don’t want to be seen as a drummer, I want to be known as a musician whose instrument just happens to be drums” — breaks all the rules on this eclectic 11 track set, sharing his love for everything from old school soul, down and dirty blues/funk and traditional jazz to Southern folk-pop with a zydeco twist, Rat Pack-like swing, edgy pop/rock and New Orleans brass band music.

While a complete one-eighty in vibe and vision, Feel Alright is the follow-up to McLean’s acclaimed 2010 indie recording Playground, an all-instrumental showcase for his band of the same name whose tracks earned significant airplay on both traditional jazz and urban jazz stations. The new album is produced by Grammy winning engineer and producer Steve Bigas, well known for his previous work with Taj Mahal and Ziggy Marley and for his long association with Daniel Lanois.

Since moving to New York in 1999 and raising his international profile with his several year association with jazz singer/pianist Andy Bey in 2000, McLean — a jazz performance graduate from the University of Toronto who played at age 22 with fellow Canadian and jazz icon Oscar Peterson - has kept time in the studio and/or on tour with a virtual “who’s who” of jazz and pop artists whose music and influences spans multiple generations. These include Wynton Marsalis, Quincy Jones, Gladys Knight, Diana Krall, Glen Campbell, Carla Cook, Linda Eder, Jimmy Webb, Vanessa Williams, Patti Austin, Gladys Knight, Joe Sample, Jamie Cullum, Andrea Bocelli, Catherine Russell, Dionne Warwick and The Backstreet Boys.

Following his time with Bey, he developed a long term association with vocalist/pianist Peter Cincotti,  toured Europe with George Michael in 2011-12 and worked in the studio (on a Billy Joel track called “All My Life”) with the late legendary producer Phil Ramone. Ramone, who had called on McLean for numerous sessions since 2003, once said, “Mark is a tasty, sure handed drummer, a song man’s musician.” Still very much connected to the music of his home country, McLean has also worked in recent years with Molly Johnson (co-producing and arranging her Juno-award winning album Lucky) and co-arranging Sophie Milman’s Take Love Easy.

Most recently, McLean has toured with pianist and singer Michael Feinstein. He also served as drummer, music director and bandleader for the 2011 edition of Jazz FM 91.1's internationally renowned Jazz Lives concert/broadcast in Toronto, in which he and the house band backed Al Jarreau, Joey Defrancesco, and Randy Brecker. In addition, McLean was the musical director, leading the house band for the CBC’s 2013 Sounds of the Season, an annual live music event that raises money for various charities.

Considering all of the legendary vocalists he has worked with over the years, it would have been a snap for McLean to reach out to a handful of famous names to sing lead on the batch of original tunes that populate Feel Alright. But with the exception of Bey, who is featured on the title track “January Rain,” “Silent Prayer” (which the singer co-wrote) and (as the fictional Lamont Jeffreys) “Sugar Bones,” McLean chooses instead to showcase a wide range of talented (though lesser known) singers whose vocals match perfectly with the style of their songs. Listeners will no doubt start Googling and checking out YouTube immediately when they hear Wade O. Brown (“Shining Star Be Mine,” “Angel On Your Pillow”), Kellylee Evans (“24 Years”), Howard Fishman (also the co-writer of his featured tune “Surrounded By You”), Denzal Sinclaire (“Where’s The Door?”), Mark’s brother, Toronto based vocalist and saxophonist Lester McLean (“Damn Shame”) and Michael Dunston (“Only Friend”).

While the majority of his fans and the music industry at large thus far know McLean as “the drum whisperer,” he started his musical life as a classically trained pianist and has long had a penchant for composing and songwriting with lyrics. When he moved to NYC via a grant awarded him by the Canada Council for the Arts, he originally wanted to study with his idol, drummer Brian Blade—who eventually turned McLean on to his first teacher, Kenny Washington (McLean later studied with Billy Kilson). McLean was inspired by Blade’s success as an artist that established himself with instrumental recordings, but later sang on his 2009 pop oriented release Mama Rosa.

“I had originally thought that I would follow up Playground with another instrumental album,” McLean says, “but my urge to write more songs with music and lyrics was so strong, that putting out a recording with vocals seemed like the next logical step. When I thought back to what Brian had done, I thought, ‘Why limit myself to just being an instrumental artist?’ I’m not consciously trying to become undefinable as an artist, but I always think the best approach is to follow my instincts. I had the desire to create a vocal record showcasing these songs, and I knew that now was the time to do it.

“It helped meeting and working with a producer I liked, and Steve Bigas, who I knew from our days in the same high school jazz band,” he adds. “He did a wonderful job pulling all the diverse elements together. The songs cover a lot of ground genre-wise, but they can all live in harmony under the same roof. Feel Alright is like the ultimate playlist for me that lets my fans and new listeners know all of my influences. Steve understood my vision for the album and he came up with the brilliant idea of making it a raw, organic recording cut mostly live in the studio with minimal mic-ing and no digital editing. Because I’m playing piano and drums on most of the tracks, there was some overdubbing, but for the most part, we took the old school approach and that added a free spirited flavor to it.”

That cool, freewheeling energy is there from the get-go as Feel Alright opens with “Shining Star,” an emotional old school soul ballad sung by Wade O. Brown that crescendos with McLean’s powerful drum flourishes. McLean’s talent as a lyricist shines through on “24 Years,” a wistful folk and gospel inflected song about how feelings stay the same despite the passage of time. The brassy romp and organ fired “Sugar Bones,” performed by the fictional cartoon character, singing drummer Lamont Jeffreys (actually voiced by McLean and Bey), digs deep into McLean’s love for Southern music, jazz and blues/soul. Following the poignantly beautiful ballad “January Rain” (a feature for Bey, with only minimal brushes by McLean) is the mournful, front porch Southern blues ballad “Surrounded By You” featuring Howard Fishman’s Tony Bennett-like vocals and a zydeco touch.

The lively, swinging piano driven romp “Where’s The Door?” is a romantic throwback to the Rat Pack era, with Denzal Sinclaire singing McLean’s colorful story about a traveling musician’s one night stand that took a year to happen. Mark’s brother Lester McLean sings “Damn Shame,” a mid tempo blues/rock and funk tune that weaves a humorous tale about a budding romance featuring characters from worlds apart; she’s a working woman and PhD student and he’s a busboy. McLean’s introspective words about the need to learn lessons from our sadness and pain are the heart of the melancholy ballad “Only Friend,” sung by Michael Dunston. Wade O. Brown returns for the brass fired retro-soul romp “Angel On Your Pillow” before the set closes with two songs that show different sides of Bey’s musical personality — the stark and plaintive piano-vocal based ballad “Silent Prayer” and the rousing title track “Feel Alright,” a funked up, brass fired Mardi Gras celebration complete with call and response vocals.

“I’m grateful for having the chance to play drums with so many people I love and who are heroes of mine,” McLean says, “but along with this success has been a tendency to think of me in a singular way. Feel Alright is my chance for people who know me as a sideman to see that I’m also a passionate songwriter, pianist and arranger. I feel that the best part of the career I’ve had is that I’ve been afforded so many opportunities to be inspired by some of the greatest musicians, composers and artists in the world.”

http://www.markmclean.com/

NEW RELEASES: CHRIS GREENE QUARTET - MUSIC APPRECIATION; BRIAN CHARETTE - SQUARE ONE; NICK WATERHOUSE - HOLLY

CHRIS GREENE QUARTET - MUSIC APPRECIATION

A double-length set from Chicago tenorist Chris Greene – but a package that may well not be enough to hold all the new ideas in his music! We've really watched Chris grow strongly over the past few years – and with this wonderfully well-crafted, rich-voiced album, he steps forward to a level that rivals some of the much bigger saxophone talents recording these days for labels like High Note or Criss Cross! Greene's always had a deep tone in his horns – one that draws from a Chicago tradition, but inflects it with some of the more contemporary modes of later players on the scene – like Eric Alexander, who Chris might be approaching with this set. The range of rhythms and song styles is great – never gimmicky, but expanding past standard expectations – so that Greene's group is playing Coltrane and Wayne Shorter one minute, then Martin Denny the next, then Ed Motta, then a huge batch of their own great compositions as well. Instrumentation is simple – Chris on saxes, plus piano or keyboards, bass, and drums – but there's some wide voices here that really make the album compelling – and the longer length very necessary to contain it all. Titles include "Firecracker", "Deluge", "Day of Honor", "Divers", "Solution", "Papuera", "Clean & Clear", "Institutional Samba", and "Nostalgia In Times Square". ~ Dusty Groove.

BRIAN CHARETTE - SQUARE ONE

Damn tight Hammond work from Brian Charette – a player with a really deft touch on the keys, and able to really showcase his own voice on the instrument, but also dip back into some older soulful modes as well! Most of the tracks here are originals by Charette – although there's also a great Meters cover too – and his trio has all the right inflections to keep up with his soaring sense of energy – making for a mix of guitar and organ that's maybe even more balanced than most other organ combos. Charette's got a clean tone on most numbers – ala Jack McDuff at his mid 60s best – but also can open up with more flourish when needed, depending on the track. Titles include "Ease Back", "Time Changes", "Aaaight", "If", "Three For Martina", "People On Trains", and "Things You Don't Mean". ~ Dusty Groove,

NICK WATERHOUSE - HOLLY

Damn deep grooves from Nick Waterhouse – a singer we've always liked a lot, and one who really seems to sharpen his edge here with some great elements from older R&B! Nick's already proved himself to be one heck of a soulful vocalist – and this time around he picks up more grit from the pre-soul years – including some excellent twangy guitar, tippling piano, and snapping drums – all of which bring out some very blue elements in the lyrics. The overall feel is somewhere in the territory of the 50s 78rpm generation – particularly that of the indie labels that recorded their own styles of R&B – and the production follows nicely, with a very stripped-down feel. Nick's never too overdone – never tries to be too raunchy or over the top – just hits this great blend of soul, blues, and R&B in a very understated mode. Titles include "Sleeping Pills", "Holly", "Hands On The Clock", "High Tiding", "It No 3", and "Let It Come Down". ~ Dusty Groove

KAREN OBERLIN / SEAN HARKNESS - A WISH

A Wish, like a hope or a dream, whether simple or complex, is always personal. Yet the wishes of two artists can be expressed in one creative project like this one by Karen Oberlin and Sean Harkness. Karen had wished for years to make a duo recording with only guitar and vocals, and she found the ideal partner in Sean. When they first played together, spontaneously in an impromptu performance, they both knew they had to make an album together, or that became their great, mutual wish. Kitty Skrobela of Miranda Music, as is her way, made their dream come to life, their hope become reality, their wish come true. The fascinating, eclectic mix of extraordinary songwriters on this album, like Dorothy Fields, Paul McCartney, Fred Hersch and Joni Mitchell, unwittingly collaborated on this project as the song springboard for what these two artists wished to express. Collectively, Karen and Sean have brought to life this multi-faceted, deeply felt wish with a deliciously personal perspective on life and love...as if anything else matters.

  

Sean Harkness is one of the most deeply respected, genre-jumping and capable guitarists alive. Jazz Inside New York said he was "a technical virtuoso whose Joe Pass/Tommy Emmanuel finger style approach is always in service to telling a story or creating a feeling within the song; Harkness transcends many genres and can touch listeners of many backgrounds." Regarding Karen Oberlin, winner of a recent Nightlife Award for Jazz Vocalist of the Year, the New York Times said "Beyond having a lovely voice, poise and interpretive insight, Ms. Oberlin has impeccable style and musical intelligence." She has had acclaim singing everything from Kern to Costello, and is celebrated for her song storytelling. Both of these great, versatile artists have toured internationally in both clubs and concert halls, are the recipients of numerous esteemed awards and are also accomplished recording artists with many group and solo recordings between them.

www.karenoberlin.com

www.seanharkness.com

www.mirandamusic.com

NEW RELEASES: SOUL ON THE REAL SIDE #; RAJDULARI - JOURNEY OF A WOMAN; JARED GOLD - JG3+3

REAL SIDE RECORDS PRESENTS SOUL ON THE REAL SIDE #1 (VARIOUS ARTISTS)

Contemporary cuts mixed with rare soul nuggets – all in a blend that goes way beyond the usual soul compilation! The Real Side team have issued a number of underground tracks on their own during the past decade – but they've also got ears that are really tuned towards a unique slice of soul from the 70s – those tracks that might have a deep soul feel in the vocals, but a modern soul element in the rhythms – a blend of rough and smooth that really sparkles strongly on the older tracks on this set! These 70s gems are interspersed with some of the newer material discovered by the pair – and the collection is a treasure trove of soul discoveries – with titles that include "Love's Journey" by Mebus, "I Can't Get Enough Of Your Love" by James Bradley, "I Need Your Love" by Patterson Twins, "Real Love (Tom Moulton mix)" by Jacqui Williams, "Rainbow" by Madagascar, "Let Your Love Rain Down On Me" by Jewel Bass, "Looking Up To You" by Michael Wycoff, "Am I Cold Am I Hot" by Bill Harris, "I Can't Do Enough For You Baby" by Tommy Tate, "Hold On To The Blues" by Lonnie Givens, and "I Should Be With You Tonight (Moonlight Studios rmx)" by Jesse Gomez. ~ Dusty Groove.

RAJDULARI - JOURNEY OF A WOMAN

A really great debut from Rajdulari – a singer with a hell of a strong voice, and a great ability to mix her lyrics with funky instrumental elements – maybe the best artist to do so since the debut of Jill Scott! The record's got a really special sort of punch – a quality that's upbeat and positive, yet laidback and confident too – never over-postured, but perfectly put-together – with a quality that sends the whole thing out of the park from the very first tune! It's great to hear a record this fresh, and this striking – especially from an artist we've never dug before – a really fresh voice that's one of the best new soul singers we've heard from New York in years. Titles include "Natural", "Peace", "Open Air", "Real Love", "Miracles", "Juicy", and "Journey Of A Woman". ~ Dusty Groove

JARED GOLD - JG3+3

Jared Gold's Hammond trio is nicely augmented here by three other horn players – as you might guess from the album's title! Gold's Hammond is one of the best things going for the Posi-Tone label these days – and a perfect fit for their old school style of recording – a mode that's expanded even more strongly with the presence of Patrick Cornelius on alto, Jason Marshall on baritone, and Tatum Greenblatt on trumpet! The added players soar strongly alongside the electric lines from Gold and guitarist Dave Stryker – in a formation that's definitely got some contemporary sense of structure, delivered with a classic sense of soul. Titles include "Cubano Chant", "Charcoal Blues", "Shower The People", "Sermonette", "Spirits", and "Pendulum". ~ Dusty Groove

SLAKAH THE BEATCHILD - SOUL MOVEMENT 2-

Returning to the scene of a rhyme, Soul Movement 2 is the sequel to Slakah The Beatchild’s critically acclaimed 2010 debut.

“For the original Soul Movement album, the whole purpose was to make music that I love, with no boundaries and no restrictions. And the music that I love, I mean REALLY love, is soul and hip hop.” Says Slakah aka Byram Joseph (the name he wrote in felt tip on his first ever vinyl purchase Chubby Checker & the Fatboy’s The Twist) who released his debut, also on BBE Records, when his profile as a hitmaking producer was already in its ascendancy.

Arriving hot on the heels of a 2009 Juno Award (think Canadian Grammy’s) via Divine Brown’s global hit Sunglasses, Soul Movement Vol. 1 chimed like a harmonic siren outta Hogtown. With both the r&b and hip hop genres on their knees in 2010, established black music acts, in an effort to get heard above the herd, had reverted to sixties duplication or 808’s and heartbreaks. Soul Movement, against this background music, was the art & beats that contemporary r&b had abandoned.

“The original was collaboration of like-minded people who were doing the same thing and I wanted them to be there with me, as part of that movement, but with number 2 I eased that back a little - I’m looking forward to setting out and touring this album on my own.”

Alá Quincy Jones, a fellow Performing Producer, Slakah’s debut album was choc full of features and collaborations; with a whole host of T.Dot locals including superstar rap king Drake. Indeed Soul Movement 2 still benefits from additional expert talent; however the list – including Glenn Lewis, Ayah, Spek Won & Tanika Charles this time – has become more select. This time the movement Slakah needed was already on his shoulders.

From the first cut and buzz single - the largely instrumental, mod funk bitches-brew of Cut A Rug (Byram’s Groove) – Slakah’s virtuosity and expertise is evident. “I’m not sure where the influences for Cut A Rug came from.” He wonders, though he has no such trouble with Where’s Yesterday, a lament on the dearth of quality new songs blaring outta North American radio stations. Says Slakah: “Commercial broadcasting forces us to listen to things we don’t always want to but it’s really developing music in a weird way. So I let that out in song – but I wanted to shout a few my heroes at the same time.”

The spirit of two of those, J. Dilla & D’Angelo, can be heard channelled on the brilliant Us Theory, a song Slakah counts as one of the most personal on the album: “When I record the music I sing nonsensicals over it to begin with, just melodies, but the word “always” just kept coming back. It paved the way. The groove, whilst it was recorded on acoustic drums, has that push/pull unquantized feel of a Dilla or D’Angelo track.”

It’s not his girlfriend’s pick though. Intriguingly, that would be the cool jazz thing titled Miscommunication a song originated by rapper Spek Won.

“I get the best feedback from my girl,” Says Slakah. “Because she’s not your typical hip hop or soulhead, and I like getting viewpoints from people whose taste in music differs to my own – it means a song can translate across genres.”

Despite the title there’s no lingering issue between them, especially after Slakah let his girlfriend get a few right hand shots in when she played the duck (yes Duck!) in the recent video teaser he directed promoting this new set. There are songs for the lovers too you see, and you can hear how The Beatchild’s vocal chops have developed since his last EP Something Beautiful on the sultry Adventure For Two. “Basically, I was feeling real frisky when I wrote that song, and sometimes - not necessarily sexually - you gotta do crazy, scary things together. I’m the adventurous one; I’ll walk towards the explosions when everyone’s running away. I can be heard asking ‘wow, what’s blowing up?’”

Blowing up? Could be the collaboration with major label star Glenn Lewis or the cut with newbie Tanika Charles, who appears on the short sojourn to Slakadeliqa (a Slakah side project) via the cool sixties soul stomp Love Fool. In Tanika, Slakah has discovered a gem of a voice, one of those tortured early classic soul vocalists who sound like they’re man has been sleeping around with Barbara Mason (From His Woman To You).

Slakah The Beatchild’s T. Dot Soul Movement continues to march on …

Track listing:

1. Byram's Groove (Cut A Rug)

2. Stompthatflo feat. Spek Won

3. Adventure for 2

4. Number 1 feat. Glenn Lewis

5. Where's Yesterday

6. Keep Up feat. Ayah

7. Something About Her

8. Miscommunication feat. Spek Won & Ian Kamau

9. Endurance

10. Wanna Do

11. Us Theory

12. Someone Like That

13. Love Fool feat. Tanika Charles

14. Overtime

~ bbemusic

MONTREAL INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL ADDS DIANA ROSS, BOBBY MCFERIN, DIANNE REEVES, GINGER BAKER JAZZ CONFUSION AND OTHERS TO ROSTER

As the 35th edition of the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal, presented by TD in collaboration with Rio Tinto Alcan fast approaches, fans can already warm themselves with the notion of what summer will hold in store for them. From grand premieres to shows on the leading edge of dance or film, here's a heart-pounding glimpse of what will happen from June 26 to July 6. Tickets for these concerts go on sale this Friday, March 7 at noonŠ although Infolettre Spectra subscribers (free subscription at Montrealjazzfest.com) can take advantage of an exclusive pre-sale running from tomorrow, 9 a.m., to Thursday, March 6, 6 p.m.!

Diana Ross - July 3, 7:30 p.m., Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, PdA - Événements spéciaux TD series - A true Diva if ever there was one, a showbiz icon and living legend, Diana Ross couldn't have offered fans a better gift than this very first visit to the Festival. The personification of glamour right down to her fingertips, holder of a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, Diana's repertoire is a musical odyssey spanning 50 years, from such Motown classics as Love Child to disco smash Love Hangover to the jazz of Lady Sings the Blues. Love it is!

Keith Jarrett solo - June 28, 8 p.m. Maison symphonique de Montréal - Le Festival à la Maison symphonique series - The brilliant pianist, daring composer and peerless improviserŠ in a solo concert? For those who rank The Köln Concert among the crown jewels of the music world, a tête-à-tête with Keith Jarrett is like winning the lottery, even more so when we remember it's been almost 25 years since the virtuoso has treated us to such a proposition. It's a signature evening in the company of a living legend of the Festival, considered by many to be one of the most important musicians of the past half-century.

Bobby McFerrin - June 30, 7 p.m. Maison symphonique de Montréal - Le Festival à la Maison symphonique series - A vocal virtuoso, a hypnotic performer and an artist of peerlessly contagious joyŠ a Bobby McFerrin concert is an experience as dizzying as it is unforgettable. The utterly deserving winner of the 2003 Ella Fitzgerald Award, a musical adventurer who takes jazz vocal to new lands, McFerrin returns to a Festival that loves him with his latest album, Spirityouall, featuring the musical legacy of his father, a renowned performer of Negro spirituals and the first Afro-American singer in the Metropolitan Opera. A jubilant musical pilgrimage.

Zappa Plays Zappa - July 2, 8:30 p.m., Métropolis - Les Rythmes series - Zappa Plays Zappa is the fabulous, inspired and slightly mad project conceived by Dweezil Zappa, eldest son of the late, lamented and heroic Frank: to revive his father's wildly eclectic and ambitious repertoire, which he's done over 500 times on the world's stages since 2006, winning a Grammy along the way. Accompanied by his group, he'll take us on an epic journey through musical time with the Roxy & Elsewhere tour, playing that legendary Zappa/Mothers album in its entirety.

Dianne Reeves - June 27, 8 p.m. Théâtre Maisonneuve, PdA - Les Grands Concerts Rio Tinto Alcan series - Recipient of the 2002 Ella Fitzgerald Award and 4 Grammys besides, Dianne Reeves has long since won her place in the pantheon of jazz singers. A flamboyant onstage performer, loved by critics and audiences alike, she's here to present her new album, Beautiful Life, a lovely marriage of R&B, Latin music, pop and jazz in both new compositions and covers of Bob Marley, Fleetwood Mac and Marvin Gaye. Produced by Terri Lyne Carrington, the album also features the talents of Esperanza Spalding, Gregory Porter and the late George Duke.

Ginger Baker Jazz Confusion with Pee Wee Ellis, Alec Dankworth and Abass Dodoo - June 30, 8 p.m. Théâtre Maisonneuve, PdA - Les Grands Concerts Rio Tinto Alcan series - In his very first visit to the Festival, legendary British drummer Ginger Baker, former member of Cream with Eric Clapton and Jack Bruce, father of the drum solo and rock titan, arrives at the head of a quartet filled out by Pee Wee Ellis (saxophone), Alec Dankworth (bass) and Abass Dodoo (percussion). The menu will feature top-flight high-energy jazz that crosses swords with African rhythms reminiscent of the great Fela Kuti, with whom qui Baker previously collaborated.

Farruquito - Improvisao - July 2, 8 p.m., Théâtre Maisonneuve, PdA - Les Grands Concerts Rio Tinto Alcan series - Hailed as one of the greatest male flamenco dancers of the century by The New York Times, Juan Manuel Fernandez Montoya "Farruquito" built his reputation on a perfect mastery of authentic and visceral flamenco, melded to his innate talent for improvisation and a passionate and flawless balance. Vocals, guitar and dance are fused in a spectacle of complete freedom, creating an utterly unique performance every night.

Piazzolla Plays Piazzolla by Escalandrum - July 3, 9:30 p.m., Théâtre Jean-Duceppe, PdA - Jazz Beat Hyatt Regency Montréal series - Under the baton of Daniel "Pipi" Piazzolla, grandson of illustrious bandoneonist and composer Astor Piazzolla, Escalandrum returns after the smash success of MONTRÉAL EN LUMIÈRE 2013, back to vigorously and respectfully reinvent the late maestro's songbook. Sailing between the tango legacy and an interpretation steeped in jazz, Daniel Piazzolla (drums), Nicolás Guerschberg (piano), Mariano Sívori (double bass), Damián Fogiel (saxophone), Martín Pantyrer (clarinet and saxophone) and Gustavo Musso (saxophone) pull off their daring gambit: bringing together the best of two musical worlds.

Tom Harrell Colors of a Dream with Esperanza Spalding, Jaleel Shaw, Johnathan Blake, Ugonne Okegwo, Wayne Escoffery - July 6, 9:30 p.m., Théâtre Jean-Duceppe, PdA - Jazz Beat Hyatt Regency Montréal series - Uniting the talents of legendary trumpeter and bugle player Tom Harrell and the most fascinating bassist on the music scene, Esperanza Spalding, Colors of a Dream promises nothing less than great art. Add in a handful of other musicians blessed with similar talent and creativity, including the flamboyant Jaleel Shaw on alto saxophone, and you have a high-voltage summit with today's jazz elite. It's like a dream come trueŠ

For the Record: Tarantino in Concert - June 25 to 30, 7 p.m., and June 28 and 29, 2 p.m., Cinquième Salle, PdA - Culte ! series - Somewhere between film, music and theatre, you'll find the electrifying spectacle of this mad cavalcade. Expect a killer show from this troupe of 28 dancers, musicians and performers, serving up the 360º musical version of cult scenes from the modern master of American cinema, Quentin Tarantino. From Reservoir Dogs to Django Unchained, it's the perfect opportunity to relive the diabolical twists and supercharged turns twists of the films. Son of a Preacher Man, Hooked On A Feeling, Bang BangŠ So what do you think, will you lend anŠ ear?

Rufus Wainwright solo - June 27, 28 and 29, 8 p.m., Théâtre du Nouveau Monde - Nouveau Monde series - Back from a tour that took him all the way to Turkey, Rufus Wainwright unveils gems from his latest release, Vibrate: The Best of Rufus Wainwright, an overview of a career that counts 7 albums and one international reputation as a peerless singer and songwriter. And two years after thrilling the Place des Festivals, Montréal's beloved native son promises a very special treat this time around: a series of solo shows in the intimate confines of TNM.

Trixie Whitley - June 27, 7 p.m. Club Soda - Just a few months after unveiling a debut full-length album, Fourth Corner, that immediately made her a female artist to watch, the daughter of late-lamented soul-bluesman Chris Whitley once again enfolds us in her incandescent blues-soul universe. Gifted with stage presence as magnetic as her voice, the young artist is well on her way to major successŠ starting with her Female Artist of the Year Award from the Music Industries Association, and the new album on the way.

Bombino - July 1, 7 p.m., Club Soda - Last summer, rising young guitar star Omar "Bombino" Moctar, a Tuareg from northern Niger, blew away a FrancoFolies audience with his Tamashek desert blues-rock, music literally born of rebellion. Since then, he's toured the world with his second album, Nomad, produced by Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys, from Australia to Holland and from California to Poland, winning instant international success; and we're grateful to be hosting him here in Montreal once again!

montrealjazzfest.com

SEAN WAYLAND RELEASES 23RD ALBUM - BARRENJOEY

Australian-born pianist, composer and keyboardist Sean Wayland has released the 23rd studio album of his prolific career, a magnificent and stylized take on jazz and funk with roots in Australian rock. In fact, this album, 'Barrenjoey', takes its name from Wayland’s homeland in Australia (not, as those familiar with the New York jazz scene might think, from famous local drummer Joey Baron). This album tells a different story, and one that’s highly personal to Wayland.

“I was inspired by surfing in Australia, New South Wales Coast, and Australian rock circa 1980,” says Wayland. “The title track is about a tombolo, or tied island, attached to palm Beach, the most northerly point of the Sydney region.” It’s not difficult to hear these inspirations shine through, particularly on the title track. With drumbeats that crash like waves, the landscape and the lighthouse the lyrics speak of come to life through the song. The passionate musicality and life of this album will transport listeners to the Australia of Wayland’s youth.

As a composer, Wayland is deeply rooted in the jazz piano tradition, and this is highly evident in all his work. He is a graduate of Sydney’s Conservatorium of Music, where he won the Jack Chrostowski Piano Award. He established himself as a creative star of the Sydney jazz scene before relocating to the States and making himself a fixture of New York City’s jazz scene. After moving to the city 14 years ago, Wayland has been recording at a staggering pace. Now, with Barrenjoey, he explores broadened stylistic territory in jazz and funk, while simultaneously harkening back to his roots.

“Better Down South” is a memory, an autobiographical piece about surfing in the Ulladulla and Jervis Bay regions of Australia when Wayland was young. Stories like these, told through his carefully constructed musical harmonies and rhythms, are close to the artist’s heart. “It’s a stylized, personalized take on various musical traditions including Australian rock, jazz and funk,” Wayland says. “There is a musical message that is hard to put into words.” Listeners to this album will certainly find the message easy to hear: a personal journey drawing from the music and recollections of Wayland’s past.

'Barrenjoey' features a number of other talented musicians and performers, including Keith Carlock on drums, James Muller and Nate Wood on guitar, and Jeff Harley on bass. Virna Sanzone lends her beautiful vocals to complement Wayland’s singing throughout the album.

~ SeanWayland.com

ORAN ETKIN - GATHERING LIGHT

Inspired by tours in Indonesia, China, Japan, Israel and Europe, Oran Etkin's brilliant new album, Gathering Light,to be released on Motema Music on April 8, 2014, and featuring Oran Etkin-bass clarinet, Ben Allison-bass, Nasheet Waits-drums, Lionel Loueke-guitar/vocals and Curtis Fowlkes-trombone, interweaves melodies and rhythms from these regions with Etkin's fresh compositions. Etkin's

music emanates from an openness to discovery in the world, in himself and within his music. On Gathering Light Etkin digs deep, taking inspiration from the depths of the jazz tradition that he grew up with, the New Orleans roots that inspired him to play, and ancient sources from around the world, to create venturesome music that pushes the art form in new directions.

From the opening bass clarinet notes of "Gambang Suling" (Etkin's homage to Indonesian musicians who taught him this folk song), to the tender closing notes of "When It's Sleep Time Down South" ("played in thanks for the man who first sparked my love of music, Louis Armstrong," said Etkin), this adventurous, intrepid artist reveals a depth of musicianship, character, and gratitude that is massively appealing. 

Two years ago, Oran Etkin's music took him back to his birthplace of Israel. He wanted to share the beauty of the country with the Malian balafonist in his band at the time, Balla Kouyate, just as he was shown the beauty of Mali when he toured there, so on a day off they headed to Jerusalem. Etkin explains, "there I heard a story, first told 500 years ago, that has stuck with me since. It tells of vessels filled with divine light that were said to have emanated from the eyes of the first primordial man, long before humans existed. The light was so strong that the vessels broke. Their shards scattered remnants of this soulful light into the darkest corners of our material world. The story poses this challenge to anyone who listens: in order to mend the world, it says we must gather these scattered points of light and bring them together. Etkin was drawn to this story as a focal point for his brilliant new album, Gathering Light, because it puts the fixing of the world in the hands of people, not in an external savior, and it says that the way to make the world better is to have the light of each culture come together and make something beautiful. "This resonates with my feeling of not staying within my own cultural surroundings, but bringing who I am, and the culture I grew up with, into new situations with people who are different than me and finding something beautiful together," explained Etkin. This idea is also in harmony with lessons that Etkin learned from his mentors Yusef Lateef, Anthony "Tuba Fats" Lacen, Dave Liebman, George Garzone (and others), that the blues is not just a musical form, but an approach to life, and that this was a music that grew out of the human instinct to find and gather light in our darkest moments.

Etkin elaborated, "I didn't know quite what to make of this story when I first heard it. I continued on with my tour, and in the following months I was fortunate enough to be invited to perform in beautiful places like Indonesia, Japan, China, Belgium, Germany and France. In my travels, I saw the darkness of poverty, injustice and hate, but I also saw many sparks of light. I collaborated with local musicians whenever I could, learning some of their musical traditions and sharing my own music. This openness and interaction made me discover things within myself as well, affecting the music I created for my New York based trio and for my new album, Gathering Light."

"My music is always simply an expression of who I am at my core, and if I play and write music honestly, all of my experiences and my influences come out through the music, I do not need to try to evoke certain influences or intentionally mix them together, they are simply there every time I pick up my horn or my pencil. As my mentor, the late Yusef Lateef would say, it is Autophisiopsychic music," said Etkin. "Well having said that, I suppose there is just one thing I like better than honest autobiographical music, and that is music that is co-biographical. I am really very honored and blessed to have each one of these wonderful musicians in my life and to be able to tell our story together in real time through improvisation or spontaneous co-composition."

Etkin first played with bassist Ben Allison when Allison subbed in Etkin's Kelenia project (a band he has had for ten years with West African musicians with whom he recorded his debut CD for Motema). "We found ourselves in constant musical dialogue, finding a lot of playfulness in the space between the beats. We did a few duo and trio concerts after that, and we eventually decided to invite Nasheet Waits to fill out the trio. Nasheet is someone I have known for a long time, and his sense of groove and openness fits right into this common language that Ben and I had found together," said Etkin. The two guests on the album are both long-time collaborators and have appeared on previous albums of Etkin's (Lionel plays on Kelenia and Curtis on Wake Up, Clarinet!). Etkin's elaborates, "Lionel Loueke and I have played together since I moved to the city back in 2002. I had already been playing a lot in the West African scene for five years at that point, and I was excited to find a partner who has deep roots in that scene but also appreciates a very open approach to making music. Curtis Fowlkes was also one of the first people I played with when I moved to NYC as sidemen in a project called Antilles Connection, and I have always continued to love playing with him. His sound is so guttural and raw and always hits me and pushes me to put my all into every note.

The recording sessions for Gathering Light began with "Gratitude". Etkin explains, "we try to start every performance with this tune to ground ourselves in this feeling of gratitude, out of which all other feelings can spring forth. In this song I hear the joy of reuniting with two of my longtime friends and collaborators, Lionel Loueke and Curtis Fowlkes, together with my trio of Ben Allison and Nasheet Waits. As the bass clarinet rubs with Curtis' raw trombone and Lionel's distinct African-tinged guitar, the sound reminds me of the sweet polyphony of the New Orleans music I grew up listening to, reimagined in a very different context."

Gathering Light opens with "Gambang Suling", a song from Indonesia. "I toured there twice recently and got to work with some traditional musicians. The first time I went, I had a day off and I went two hours out of Jakarta to a town called Bandung, where they have a center called Sang Udjo Anklung. There they have about 500 students from toddlers up to adults studying and building instruments just out of bamboo, including the Anklung, the Gambang and the Suling. The next time I came to Indonesia, they invited me to do a concert at their beautiful outdoor theater as part of my tour. The Gambang is a bamboo percussion instrument like a xylophone, and the Suling is a bamboo flute. The song is about their sounds and how beautiful they are, but it is said that the hidden spiritual meaning is that the Gambang is like the heart and the Suling is like the voice and if we tune our voice to our heart so they play together, then that is the ideal way to live", explained Etkin.

"Taxi Dance" is about the many crazy taxi rides Etkin and his cohorts have had touring the world, and how in a short cab ride, in just a few quick turns, you can find yourself in a whole other world. This song is also part of the "Tony" story, expressing Tony's character (see "Tony's Dance"). "Guangzhou Taxi" explores the same theme, with a bit more intensity, expressing the craziness of the city.

"Shirim Ad Kan" is a beautiful song from Israel that Etkin has heard his entire life. It is based on a poem by a father who lost his son in a war and "shirim ad kan" means all the songs until here and now . . . the singing of the beauty of life that they had shared until that point. "The words I always remembered were 'people more beautiful than me and you, the earth has taken'. It is one of the saddest things when a father must bury his son, and it is all too often the result of unnecessary wars. It is important to experience the love and positivity of love while we are together, and hopefully, let that be stronger than the fear and hatred that too often lead to wars.

"Takeda" (Homesick Blues) is based on an eight-bar traditional melody that Etkin learned while on tour in Japan. He explains, "I was invited to play a special concert with a band that the producer formed with Keiko Matsui on piano, a shamisen player and a Taiko drummer! Very interesting instrumentation and we hadn't met until two days before the concert. They taught me this traditional Japanese song that dates back to a time when there was a caste system of sorts. Sometimes parents in the lower caste had to sell off their daughters to work for the upper caste. This song is sung by a girl from the lower caste taking care of a baby in the upper caste, and singing to her so that she will fall asleep, but at the same time, she is singing about how much she misses her own home and her parents. It is a deeply sorrowful blues, a work song of sorts, and I created an arrangement that draws on the blues and work songs that I know from American music. Amazingly, when I toured China, the country was not on friendly terms with Japan, and I was told to not even mention Japan on the radio. I then knew I would not be able to play this song . . . but I wondered . . . I whistled the melody in the presence of the festival volunteers and they said, 'oh, that's a Chinese song!'. Then, when we got to this traditional theme in the concert, we played 'Takeda' and the whole audience started singing along in Chinese! Nothing like music and food to connect two people who think they are at odds with each other."

"All I Really Want To Do Is Dance" - Etkin commented, "it's true . . . that is all I really want to do. This song was actually also recorded on my 'Wake Up, Clarinet!' CD for children, which is based on the Timbalooloo method I developed. Part of the method is that all the instruments are actually talking, so that the kids make their instruments talk instead of playing the 'right notes'. In this song my clarinet is saying 'All I Really Want To Do Is Dance' and 'Dance really silly, dance willy nilly, dance like uncle Billy' . . . but it's based on a nine-tone row, one of the concepts that the late, great Dr. Yusef Lateef shared with me in our time together."

Other highlights on Gathering Light include "Tony's Dance", is based on the original name of this project, as it existed in Etkin's head during the conceptualizing process, and "Tony" became a kind of alter-ego for Etkin while he was on tour in China, Japan, Indonesia, Israel and Europe. "I carried Tony around in my head. In the early stages of forming ideas for this album he did not have much of a character yet, but as I went on, his character began to grow and to reveal itself to me. Turns out Tony is great, very helpful, carrying my horns through the airport, etc, but once we get to our destination, he has a tendency to get in trouble, always running into the street market, trying all the foods. And, Tony is absolutely undiplomatic and honest. That is the character of the music that we play - we express what we can't express with words with our music, uncompromising and honest and direct, and also daring and unafraid and playful", said Etkin.

"When It's Sleepy Time Down South" - "I added this song to our repertoire when I was in the South of China, but it is about a different kind of South, the one that was home for Louis Armstrong, who was my main inspiration to explore and love music. I first heard Louis when I was nine years old and for the next five years, I immersed myself in his music and that of his contemporaries. I went down to New Orleans a few times and got to listen to the music and play a bit with the great Tuba Fats during that time. The combination of his lyricism and soaring sense of melody together with his deep sense of swing and groove is something I humbly try to strive for in every situation I'm in, no matter how modern. This song is one of his favorites - and the one he would start each concert off with for many years. For me, it felt like a fitting way to close off this album, coming back home after a long and inspiring tour. The track starts off with a solo intro that recalls the flavor of "Gambang Suling from the beginning of the journey.

Highlights of the Gathering Light CD Release Tour!:

April 13 - The Lily Pad, Cambridge, MA

April 19 - Duende, Oakland, CA

April 26 - Simon-Petrus Church - Jazz Ahead!, Bremen, Germany

May 12 - Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, NY, NY

~ www.OranEtkin.com    

JAZZ AND R&B STARS SET TO GROOVE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND IN SAN DIEGO

With much of the nation presently suffering through the worst winter in decades, perhaps planning to party in luxury Memorial Day Weekend with a stellar slate of jazz and R&B favorites will help make the snow, ice and frigid temperatures a bit more bearable. The second edition of the Payne Pest Management San Diego Jazz Festival returns to the posh Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in sun-soaked Carlsbad, North San Diego County May 23-25, 2014 for a memorable three-day weekend of live music, dancing and warm weather fun with thousands of festival goers from all over the U.S. 

Grammy-winning soul balladeer Maxwell headlines opening night crooning a seductive set from his hit-filled R&B-pop songbook, a favorite mood-setter for the ladies and Lotharios. Energetic contemporary jazz-R&B multi-instrumentalist hitmaker Brian Culbertson bodes to make it “Another Long Night Out” when he performs cuts culled from his similarly titled new album. Emerging saxophonist Dominic Amato warms up the crowd.

Day two gets underway with jazz, R&B and hip hop mixologist Robert Glasper who is touring in support of “Black Radio 2,” the follow-up to his Grammy-winning disc. Up next, Mint Condition serves a refreshing taste of Saint Paul, Minnesota that incorporates the best of old school and new school R&B, funk and soul with tinges of jazz, Latin and Jamaican rhythms dynamically performed by a skintight band. Out promoting her forthcoming album, “The Truth,” 8-time Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Ledisi offers a smooth blend of sophisticated soul seasoned with jazz nuances. “Uncle” Charlie Wilson will show them how it’s done old school-style when the 2013 BET Lifetime Achievement Award winner and 7-time Grammy nominee turns it out during his headline set featuring a dazzling cast of musicians and dancers along with nearly as many costume changes as Beyoncé.

The Sunday program begins with a riveting show from R&B-soul singer-songwriter Leela James, a force of nature new school performer cut from the same cloth as such classic vocalists as Aretha, Stevie, Chaka and Marvin. After, soul-jazz saxman Boney James will set “The Beat,” his Grammy-nominated disc that spent seven weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Jazz Albums chart. Grammy-winning gritty-voiced R&B-soul singer Anthony Hamilton is the festival’s closer.

  

Phoenix, Arizona-based festival producer BTWconcerts.com will soon announce additional artists 

LACK OF AFRO - MUSIC FOR ADVERTS

A Wide ranging, eclectic and progressive musical outlook has always been the Lack of Afro approach. His latest material follows suit as he harnesses disparate musical styles ranging from funk, soul and hip-hop to create a contemporary yet vintage musical escapade of superb songs.

On his 4th studio album for Freestyle Records, the influences, sounds and musical textures are more eclectic than ever. Below, Adam talks us through some of the his favourite moments on 'Music For Adverts'.

First out of the box is the steaming funk killer Freedom: This time around I knew I didn't want an intro or a skit to start the album - I needed a strong, heavy opener - I had the melody for the chorus floating around in my head. It was then just a case of working with Jack Tyson - Charles on the rest of it and getting the vibe that the song required.

Long time Lack Of Afro collaborator Herbal T features on Brown Sugar: I had an idea of doing a disco track with an emcee on it, which you don't really hear often. This is actually the first time I've sung on a Lack of Afro track, adding my backing vocal warblings on the choruses! Special shout to George Cooper for the howlin' Hammond solo at the end too.

Of the gritty instrumental No Guts, No Glory Adam explains: I wanted to include 3 instrumentals as I always have a soft spot for them & it's what people know me for. The 'choir' was recorded by layering up my own voice in different octaves, nothing is auto-tuned, its all real. The studio allows me to do stuff like that but I could never sing live - I'll leave that to the proper vocalists.

'Proper vocalist' Jack Tyson - Charles again features on The Gypsy, which as Adam explains uses the classic song format to great effect: One of my favourite LOA tunes to date, Its in keeping with the album mission statement of wanting to write 'proper songs' instead of just grooves.

Another supremely radio friendly & catchy composition is the track which introduces Juliette Ashby; Making It Right, of which Adam informs us; the initial idea came from my good friend Flevans. George Cooper & I added the changes, Rory Simmons arranged the strings & Juliette Ashby came up with a really great vocal. It's most definitely different than a lot of LOA material, but that is no bad thing - sometimes you just have to get outside of your comfort zone and try new stuff.

The truth is that Music For Adverts is stuffed with beautiful audio gems of all varieties - from those 'proper songs', though tough nut, hard hip hop jams, deeply grooving funk - Lack Of Afro has mastery of many genres, production & various instruments, which is why this album is a fully formed tour de force through contemporary soul.

BLUEY FROM INCOGNITO - GOT TO LET MY FEELINGS SHOW (VIDEO)

CHRIS STANDRING - SNEAKIN' OUT THE FRONT DOOR (VIDEO)

NATHAN EAST - DAFT FUNK (VIDEO)