NEW RELEASES: THE BLUE BEATERS - TOXIC/CATCH THAT TEARDROP; MARISA MONTE - VERDADE UMA IILUSAO - TOUR 2012/2013; GILBERTO GIL - GILBERTO'S SAMBA

THE BLUE BEATERS - TOXIC

Record Kicks proudly presents Italian Ska/RockSteady/Soul giants The Bluebeaters. Active since 1994 with 4 studio albums for King Size Records, V2 and Universal Music and several gold records under the belt, The Bluebeaters are top musicians in love with vintage Jamaican sounds: Ska, Rock Steady, Rhythm Blues and Soul. Blessed by Ken Booth, during the last 20 years of their career they've headline festivals like Rototom Sun Splash and International Ska Fest in 2012 and extensively toured around Europe, including a legendary sold out show at Dingwalls in London in 2011. Amongst their fans, there are folks like David Rodigan and the legendary late lamented Lloyd Knibb (The Skatalites).  The Bluebeaters lands on RK with two brand new tracks "Toxic (one drop version)" and "Catch That Teardrop". Produced by The Bluebeaters and mixed by Tommaso Colliva (Calibro 35) at Toomi Labs studio in London, this double-sider 45 features a storming early Jamaican cover up version, of pop single Toxic by Britney Spears (yes that Toxic!) able to set every dancefloor on fire. On the flip side the band keeps the pressure very high, bringing back to JA roots, Catch That Teardrop, a Northern soul/R&b single originally recorded in 1962 by The Five Royales from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Welcome Bluebeaters!

MARISA MONTE - VERDADE UMA IILUSAO - TOUR 2012/2013

Really lovely live work from Marisa Monte – an artist who's kept on making marvelous records over the years – even long after the initial wave of attention that brought her some global fame! This set's got Monte working in a mature mode that's almost in the territory of Gal Costa or Maria Bethania – stepping out front of some commanding arrangements that sometimes use bits of strings, sometimes have a smaller spontaneous group – but which are always topped by Monte's proud, confident vocals. There's a classic feel here that's almost better than some of her studio work over the past decade or so – although that's all pretty great too – and title sinclude "Arrepio", "Descalco No Parque", "Diariamente", "ECT", "De Mais Ninguem", "Dizem", "Lencinho Querido", and 'Sono Come Tu Mi Vuoi".  ~ Dusty Groove

GILBERTO GIL - GILBERTO'S SAMBA

One of the best records we've heard from Gilberto Gil in many, many years – a stripped-down session that focuses on his voice and guitar work – in a style that takes us back to Gil's earliest days in music! The album feels like some lost session that Gilberto might have recorded in the 60s – before his Louvacao debut – done with mostly just a bit of light percussion from the enigmatic Domenico, plus some help from Moreno Veloso – who also co-produced the record as well, with that great sense of space he always brings to his own music too. A few cuts feature extra touches – a bit of accordion, or some flute from Danilo Caymmi – but the main focus is on Gil, who hasn't sounded this great in years – still able to capture our imagination when he works in a straightforward style like this. Titles include "Milagre", "Um Abraco No Joao", "Tim Tim Por Tim Tim", "Eu Sambo Mesmo", "Aos Pes Da Cruz", and "Desde Que O Samba E Samba".  ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES: THE MOTOWN 7s BOXSET; SUCH - TRIAL AND ERROR; CHAIRMEN OF THE BOARD: THE COMPLETE INVICTUS RECORDINGS

THE MOTOWN 7s BOX: RARE AND UNRELEASED VINYL VOLUME 2 (BOXSET)

A real Motown treasure – a very limited box set that features seven 7" singles – each of which features rare or unreleased tracks! Some tunes have never appeared before at all, and others are making a debut on vinyl – great Motown gems that might have been lifted from the vaults for a CD compilation, but never issued as a 45 back in the day. The whole thing's got a nice numbered box around seven sweet slabs of 45 rpm wax – all done up with UK-style Tamla/Motown labels – and the set even includes a download for all the singles! Titles include "Angel Doll" by The Temptations, "He Who Picks A Rose" by Jimmy Ruffin, "We're Gonna Be More Than Friends" by The Spinners, "You Can Do It" by Kim Weston, "I Want My Baby Back" by Stevie Wonder, "Take Him Back If It Makes You Happy" by The Contours, "My Love For You" by Marvin Gaye, "I'm Grateful" by The Four Tops, "Don't Stop Now" by The Originals, "That's A Funny Way" by The Velvelettes, "I Know Better" by Barbara McNair, "Sure Is A Lotta Woman" by The Isley Brothers, "We'll Keep On Rolling" by Brenda Holloway, and "If You Ever Get Your Hands On Love" by Gladys Knight & The Pips. (Numbered, limited edition. Includes download!) ~ Dusty Groove

SUCH - TRIAL AND ERROR

One of the warmest soul debuts we've heard in a long time – a really well-crafted batch of work from the up-and-coming Such – who's also the first indie soul singer we've heard to hail from the Denver scene! The music is definitely contemporary soul, but there's a glistening undercurrent of jazz in the instrumentation – which gives the songs a really wonderful sense of flow as the vocals step back and forth over the gentle grooves! Most numbers are midtempo, but have a funky undercurrent – that pace that initially served Jill Scott the best at her start – although Such definitely has a style all her own. Quite strong, right from the start – and only getting better as the record rolls on – and titles include "Open Book", "Sugar Maple", "Bump This", "You", "Trial & Error", "Wake Up Call", and "Under My Skin". ~ Dusty Groove

CHAIRMEN OF THE BOARD: THE COMPLETE INVICTUS RECORDINGS 1969-1978 (9-CD SET)

A wonderful collection of work – one that not only features all the albums by this legendary soul group, but also solo projects by each member, and a host of rare bonus tracks too! The individual albums come in small LP-styled sleeves – and include Give Me Just A Little More Time, In Session, Bittersweet, and Skin I'm In by Chairmen Of The Board – plus Generally Speaking by General Johnson, Hypnotic Music by Harrison Kennedy, and Aries by Danny Woods! Plus, the package features two full CDs of bonus material – with non-album singles, rarities, unusual mixes, alternates, and two completely new Tom Moulton remixes for the set! 97 tracks in all – and new liner notes too. ~ Dusty Groove

Ken Thomson and Slow/Fast Release the powerful composed-jazz milestone, Settle

Settle, the new recording from Ken Thomson and Slow/Fast, exhibits the kind of stylistic breadth and alert experimentation that one would expect from a leader famed for his work in both the worlds of new jazz and contemporary classical music. Alto saxophonist, bass clarinetist and composer Thomson -- a co-founder of the acclaimed band Gutbucket and a recent addition to the Bang On A Can All-Stars - digs deeper into uncharted musical realms with Slow/Fast, a visionary quintet that includes the guitar phenomenon Nir Felder, trumpeter Russ Johnson, bassist Adam Armstrong and drummer Fred Kennedy. Settle, the band's second album, will be released on September 23, 2014 on NCM East Records (40138).

Combining the sounds of improvisation-filled chamber jazz with the lucidity of contemporary classical composition - infused with distortion-laden twists that reveal the band's embrace of rock influences -- Thomson and Slow/Fast bring new ideas to small-group jazz. Vivid composition rather than head-solo-head norms prevail here, lending the album a freshness that leads the listener on a journey to unexplored, yet inviting, sonic landscapes.

The five main pieces on Settle were developed after the band toured behind their debut record. Each piece has a discernable focus and theme - whether the ever-shifting grooves of "Settle," the pushing of Thomson and Felder to new heights on "We Are Not All In This Together," the wild use of instrumentation on "Bend Towards Light," or the wide compositional-dramatic arc of "Spring" - but all display the seamless interweave of rigorous composition and exhilarating go-for-broke improvising that has become the calling card of this outfit. Settle is the sound of a compact band creating a massive musical groundswell.

Slow/Fast has remained consistent in its personnel since the release of the band's first album, It Would Be Easier If, in 2010. Finding its way on to many of the Jazz Journalist Association's Best of 2010 lists, the debut recording also received a featured New York Times review which pointed to the "intricately wrought and incident-steeped" compositions and "gutsy precision of the playing." The members of Slow/Fast are each new jazz mainstays, including guitarist Nir Felder whose own debut recording as a leader was released to critical accolades earlier this year; the newly Chicago-based trumpeter Russ Johnson, and the New York go-to players: bassist Adam Armstrong and drummer Kennedy.

In addition to his work with Slow/Fast, Thomson's recent compositional output includes Thaw, a CD for string quartet and bass clarinet recorded with the heralded JACK Quartet. Thaw was ranked the #1 Classical CD of 2013 by Rhapsody.com and garnered a four-star review in DownBeat; the piece was also listed on NPR's "10 Songs Public Radio Can't Stop Playing." http://ktonline.net/

Ken Thomson is a Brooklyn-based clarinetist, saxophonist, and composer.  In demand as a composer and freelancer in many settings, he moves quickly between genres and scenes, bringing a fiery intensity and emotional commitment to every musical situation; Time Out NY called him "the hardest-working saxophonist in new-music show business."

He has recently released a CD of his compositions for the heralded JACK Quartet, entitled Thaw, on Cantaloupe Music, called #1 Classical CD of 2013 by Rhapsody.com, and was featured in NPR's "10 Songs Public Radio Can't Stop Playing."   His latest project of exclusively his music, called Slow/Fast, released its debut CD It Would Be Easier If internationally on Intuition Records in 2010, garnering a feature review in The New York Times highlighting the "intricately wrought and incident-steeped" compositions and "gutsy precision of the playing."  A followup disc, Settle, will be released in 2014.

Thomson plays clarinet for the Bang on a Can All-Stars, one of the world's preeminent new music ensembles.  He leads the Asphalt Orchestra - a 12-piece next-generation avant-garde marching band, called "cooly brilliant, infectious... top notch players" by The New York Times.  He plays saxophone and is one of the 3 composers in the punk/jazz band Gutbucket, with whom he has toured internationally to nineteen countries and 32 states over fourteen years, and released CDs for Knitting Factory, Enja, NRW, Cantaloupe and Cuneiform Records.  He is on faculty at the Bang on a Can Summer Music Festival.

NEW RELEASES: HAMILTON DE HOLANDA / DIOGO NOGUEIRA - BOSSA NEGRA; JASON ADASIEWICZ'S SUN ROOMS - FROM THE REGION; RONNIE DYSON - PHASE 2 / BRAND NEW DAY

HAMILTON DE HOLANDA / DIOGO NOGUEIRA - BOSSA NEGRA

Some of the most incredible music we've ever heard from Hamilton De Holanda – a set that brings his work on bandolim into a whole new focus, by teaming him with the younger singer Diogo Nogueira! The album has this spare power that really grabs us right away – amazing interplay between the vocals and acoustic strings – with a rhythmic pulse throughout, which almost takes us back to some of the best post-bossa experiments in Brazil during the late 60s! Nogueira's vocals are wonderfully soulful, but never overdone – and the only other instrumentation is percussion and acoustic bass, used in these warm, rootsy ways that giev the music an earthy feel and a timeless spirit. Tremendous stuff throughout – with titles that include "Bicho Da Terra", "Bossa Negra", "Ta", "Ate A Volta", "Mundo Melhor", "Doce Flor", "Mais Um Dia", and "Salamandra". ~ Dusty Groove

JASON ADASIEWICZ'S SUN ROOMS - FROM THE REGION

Amazing work from one of the greatest jazz musicians working today – vibist Jason Adasiewicz, a player with a sound that's unlike anyone else we can think of! It's been years since we've been this excited about anyone on the vibes – and Adasiewicz not only returns the instrument to the prominence in avant jazz that it had during Bobby Hutcherson's "new thing" years, but also pushes the instrument forward in this incredible flurry of tones, sounds, and timings! And while these qualities have always been showcased in all of his albums as a leader – and his great dates with other players too – they really come to the forefront in this sublime trio session – a date that only features Jason on vibes, Mike Reed on drums, and Ingebrigt Haker Flaten on bass. The trio are incredible throughout – and the record's a modern jazz treasure that you could easily stack next to your most forward-thinking classics on ESP, MPS, or even Blue Note in the mid 60s. Titles include "Two Comes One", "Mae Flowers", "Classic Route", "Leeza", "I Forgot The Words", and "Cubane". ~ Dusty Groove

RONNIE DYSON - PHASE 2 / BRAND NEW DAY

The late Ronnie Dyson (1950-1990) began his career when he landed a lead role in the famed Broadway musical Hair, singing "Aquarius" (the song most associated with the show) at the age of eighteen. Signed to Columbia Records in 1968, Dyson continued his stage career in Salvation, achieving his first chart single with the US Top 10 with "(If You Let Me Make Love to You) Why Can't I Touch You" from the show. The young singer then cut a cover version of The Delfonics' "When You Get Right Down to It," -- produced and co-written by Thom Bell -- which became a Top 40 R&B US hit and a Top 40 UK charted single. In the wake of its success, Columbia teamed Dyson with Bell and the result was the 1973 best-selling album One Man Band, the title track for which was another pop and soul hit for the Washington, DC native. After recording a number of singles and three more albums for Columbia, Ronnie signed with Cotillion Records in 1982, teaming up with producer Bobby Eli to record "Phase 2". For the occasion, Eli used top-notch New York musicians including drummer Yogi Horton, guitarist Doc Powell, bassist Francisco Centenato and keyboardist Ray Chew, along with famed MSFB arranger/conductor Don Renaldo's strings and arrangements by Richie Rome and Eli. The album included a revival of the Gamble & Huff-penned Soul Survivors' 1967 hit, "Expressway to Your Heart," and the double-sided R&B charted single, "Heart to Heart" and "Bring It on Home." In 1983, Ronnie teamed up with another renowned Philadelphia producer, Butch Ingram, for his final Cotillion album, "Brand New Day". Recorded in Philly with members of the Ingram family, the eight-song set focused on a mix of dance-oriented material ("You Better Be Fierce"), ballads ("Tender Loving Care" and "I Gave You All of Me"), a duet with premier Philly background vocalist Barbara Ingram on "Let the Love Begin," and spawned Ronnie's final Top 30 R&B charted single, "All Over Your Face." The Real Gone Music reissue of "Phase 2/Brand New Day" in association with SoulMusic Records marks the worldwide CD debut for both albums, featuring liner notes by noted American journalist Roshod Ollison. ~ Real Gone Music

BEBEL GILBERTO RETURNS WITH 'TUDO' FIRST NEW STUDIO ALBUM IN FIVE YEARS

World renowned, multi-Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Bebel Gilberto  has released her first new studio album in five years, Tudo, released via  Portrait/Sony Music Masterworks.  The intoxicating new 12-track collection includes  Gilberto’s  trademark blend of warm Brazilian rhythms and ethereal vocals, along with  with bright, incandescent bossa nova-infused melodies, lyrics about love, and a lilting performance style that has earned her a devoted fanbase worldwide.

"For me, this album came straight from the heart, and the recording process was one of the most intense I have ever been through," said Gilberto.  "A good part of the album was recorded in LA, and you really feel that lighter, brighter west coast vibe in the music, mixed in with my darker 'New Yorker' feelings.  Tudo means 'everything' and as a Brazilian, I feel everything and live every moment deeply, and wanted to sing about each little moment, emotion, idea, melody that has been part of my life over the past year. I am loving life and living more passionately than ever and wanted to share all that!"

Gilberto, daughter of bossa nova immortal Joao Gilberto, is one of the most internationally famous and beloved of Brazilian musicians. "Tudo," which means "everything" in English, showcases Bebel's trademark vocals and wistful, dreamy songwriting in each of the CD s 12 tracks. With Bebel singing in French, English and Portuguese, "Tudo" is a shimmering, sweet summery collection that includes original songs along with songs by her father, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Neil Young and John Michel-Jarré as well as soulful duet with Seu Jorge.

Recorded in Brazil, New York and Los Angeles this past winter, and produced and mixed by Mario Caldato Jr., Tudo features six new original tracks including the captivating standout English language track "Somewhere Else,"  the soft "Nada Nao," filled with hypnotic percussion touches including wood bongos, shakers and even bottle caps; "Tom de Voz," which features Gilberto teaming up with acclaimed songwriter and guitarist Cesar Mendez from Bahia, who Gilberto met through mutual friend Caetano Veloso and who penned the track; and the delightful  duet "Novas Ideias," which Gilberto co-wrote and performed with her longtime friend Seu Jorge.

Gilberto also masterfully reinterprets the Antonio Carlos Jobim classic "Vivo Sonhando," and pays homage to one of her personal favorites, Neil Young, with a beautiful cover of "Harvest Moon," which Gilberto originally sang - and debuted her guitar skills on - at the "Music of Neil Young at Carnegie Hall" tribute in NYC in 2011.  Jon Pareles of The New York Times praised the performance saying, "Ms. Gilberto turned 'Harvest Moon' into a whispery bossa nova that savored every bit of its romance."

An outstanding band of assorted longtime musical friends and collaborators joined Gilberto in the studio to lend their talents to Tudo  including Masa Shimizu on assorted guitars, Didi Gutman (of Brazilian Girls fame) on piano, percussionist Mauro Refosco, Kassin on electric and acoustic bass and guitars, and Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, who helmed the wonderful string arrangements.

Gilberto captured fans and media acclaim worldwide with her hit breakout album Tanto Tempo in 2000, which featured her trademark electronic bossa nova, taking over clubs around the world and positioning Bebel as one of the top-selling Brazilian artists in the U.S. since the '60s. Critically-acclaimed albums to follow included Bebel Gilberto (2004), on which she refined her sound to create an acoustic lounge style that showcased her strengths as a Brazilian composer, and Momento (2007), which masterfully showcased her skills at fusing all her musical styles, and the Grammy-nominated All in One (2009), which brought to forefront more of Bebel's personality and love for organic rhythms.  Bebel Gilberto also recently released a beautiful concert DVD called Bebel Gilberto in Rio in Brazil in 2013.

Tudo Tracklisting:

1.Somewhere Else  

2.Nada Nao  

3.Tom De Voz  

4.Novas Ideias  

5.Harvest Moon  

6.Tudo  

7.Saudade Vem Correndo  

8.Areia   

9.Tout Est Bleu  

10.Lonely in My Heart  

11.Vivo Sonhando   

12.Inspiracao   

Wadada Leo Smith Teams With Jamie Saft, Joe Morris and Balazs Pandi New RareNoise Release 'Red Hill'

There's a sense of mystery, majesty and daring surrounding this remarkably deep studio session, the first of its kind for the adventurous renegade label RareNoiseRecords. Each piece resounds with such compelling, conversational, in-the-moment playing that it sets a new standard in collective improvisation. "I believe it raises the bar for what improvised music can achieve on record," says pianist Jamie Saft of Red Hill, the group's mesmerizing debut on the RareNoise label. 

Fueled by the urgent high note blasts and expressive muted trumpet work of avant-garde icon Wadada Leo Smith and underscored by an uncanny group-think of RareNoise stalwarts Saft (Metallic Taste of Blood, Slobber Pup, Plymouth, The New Standard) on keyboards, Joe Morris (Plymouth, Slobber Pup, One) on acoustic bass and Balazs Pandi (Obake, Metallic Taste of Blood, Slobber, Pup, One) on drums, Red Hill is a kind of clarion call for the new avant-garde. "It's rare that four improvisers with such a broad depth of approach are given complete freedom to construct an album such as this," adds Saft. "I think there is nothing like Red Hill. It is a wholly unique and previously unheard shape for an album. The session was totally improvised. No sketches or preconceptions, really no discussion at all before playing." 

A dynamic, highly intuitive offering, Red Hill is full of tensions and releases and characterized by dramatic use of space juxtaposed with turbulent crescendos by the provocative collective. That this music really breathes and flows organic is due in no small part to the incredibly sensitive, remarkably flexible playing of drummer Balazs, who covers a very wide spectrum on this recording. "Balazs has a sense of freedom that is rare in improvised music," says Saft. "He brings a depth of knowledge of both hardcore and metal music as well as free jazz and noise styles. He is of the moment and always pushing forward. He's a deep listener and a sympathetic thinker, so improvising with Balazs always flows properly." Saft has similarly high praise for Pandi's rhythm tandem mate, bassist Joe Morris. "His approach to the acoustic bass is completely unique and like nothing else in this world. Joe pushes the music into uncharted territory while sustaining the flow brilliantly. The idea of 'Snake Time' is in full effect here, and Joe and Balazs together create truly unique and crucial spaces to frame the improvising." 

Pandi's sensitive, highly interactive brushwork and coloristic cymbals underscore Smith's lyrical muted trumpet playing on the sparse opener, "Gneiss." And yet, when that piece builds to a turbulent crescendo near the end, the drummer is right there to fuel the frantic proceedings. With mallets, Pandi engages in a conversational duet with Smith at the outset to "Janus Face," a piece that evolves from slow, open rubato statements to dense explosions of tumultuous free jazz sparked by Saft's Cecil Taylor-esque attack on the piano. Saft switches to Fender Rhodes electric piano to attain another color on "Agpaitic," a conversational romp that features some aggressive bowing on the bass by Morris. And Pandi supplies the rolling free pulse beneath Morris' trance-like bass ostinato and Smith's edgy trumpet excursions on "Tragic Wisdom," which also has intrepid improvisor Saft plucking strings inside his piano. 

Silence is the watchword on "Debts of Honor," a thoughtful improvisation which evolves gradually over the course of nine minutes from zen-like tranquility to intense crescendo paced by Pandi's relentless drumming and Saft's spiky piano comping and is highlighted by some of Smith's most powerful blowing of the session. The trumpeter begins the closing number, "Arfvedsonite," with a high-note blast before Morris enters with some insistent arco work to create an edgy texture. Pandi's rolling pulse with mallets and Morris' resounding bass tones quickly establish a solid launching pad for Wadada's stratospheric improvisations on trumpet, bringing this spell-binding collection to a ferocious conclusion. 

"I have worked with Wadada in the past both as a pianist and also as an studio engineer," says Saft of the revered elder statesman of this Red Hill session. "I was thrilled to record and mix Wadada's large ensemble album Lake Biwa as well as contribute some piano to it. I've worked closely with Wadada in the studio in the past and witnessed his incredible focus and deeply intuitive way of putting together albums. So it was thrilling for me to get the opportunity to put together this album with a lead voice as strong and important as Wadada's. My approach to this record was to accompany and support him as deeply and as intuitively as possible. All decisions were made in service of the whole." 

Adds Morris, "I first heard Wadada in my hometown of New Haven in 1973-74. I've always paid attention to him, heard all of his work, read his writings. We've known each other for more than 30 years but this was the first time we've had the chance to work together. I think of Wadada as a master trumpeter/improviser and as the inventor of his own methodology. He has a completely unique sound and way of playing. He uses space and pulse in very sophisticated ways, and he always plays everything from the deepest part of his being. He's a beautiful person, artist and musician. He always brings out the best in everyone around him." 

With the iconic Smith inspiring the rest of the crew of Saft, Morris and Pandi on this freewheeling session, the four daring improvisers hit a stirring accord on Red Hill, their monumental debut on RareNoise Records.

TRACKS

Gneiss

Janus Face

Agpaitic

Tragic Wisdom

Debts Of Honor

Arvedsonite

NEW RELEASES: CHUCK BERRY - ROCKIN' AT THE HOPS; KOKO TAYLOR - BASIC SOUL; BO DIDDLEY - ANOTHER DIMENSION

CHUCK BERRY - ROCKIN' AT THE HOPS

Chuck Berry's way more than just rocking for sock hops here – as the set has the seminal figure working at the height of his powers – in a raw, stripped-down setting that still packs way more punch than you might remember if you only think of Chuck in terms of all those over-used cliches! The approach is almost more blues than rock – as the core combos have key work from Chess staple Willie Dixon on bass, plus piano from Johnnie Johnson and some occasional tenor from Leroy C Davis. But the real highlight is Berry and his mean guitar – and his sinister style of singing – almost a midwest counterpart to the nasty gritty grooves that the young Johnny Guitar Watson was laying down on the west coast at the time! Titles include "Worried Life Blues", "Too Pooped To Pop", "I Got To Find My Baby", "Broken Arrow", "Let It Rock", "Down The Road Apiece", and the cool instrumental "Mad Lad".  ~ Dusty Groove

KOKO TAYLOR - BASIC SOUL

Basic soul, plenty of blues, and a fair bit of funk as well – a killer from Koko Taylor, recorded in that best style of late Chess Records! Koko sings here more like a funky female soul artist than on her later blues – and the record crackles with energy right from the start, thanks to impeccable production from Willie Dixon – who really knows how to keep things lean and mean! The core group is nice and tight – and all Chicago-bred – Joe Young on guitar, Lafayette Leake on piano, and Louis Satterfield on bass – and Gene Barge added just a bit of horns over the top, to deepen the soul of the tunes. Titles include "Pollution", "Tease Your Man", "That's The Way Love Is", "Un Huh My Baby", "It's A Poor Dog", "I Need More & More", and "Let Me Love You Baby". ~ Dusty Groove

BO DIDDLEY - ANOTHER DIMENSION

Funky Bo Diddley – one of Bo's key early 70s sessions for Chess Records – all of which have him stepping out in a much harder groove than years past! The sound here is relatively tight – with Diddley guitar and vocals on top of some larger arrangements from Bob Gallo – backings that mix together sounds from contemporary rock and soul, but always with an ear for the roots that Bo inspired in the first place – put forward towards a new generation with nicely kicking rhythms and really fuzzy guitars! The standout number here is the break classic "Go For Broke" – a drum-heavy instrumental that's worth the price of the record alone – and other titles include the great original "Pollution", plus versions of "The Shape I'm In", "Down On The Corner", "Lodi", "Bad Side Of the Moon", and "Bad Moon Rising". ~ Dusty Groove

Barry White’s 70th Birthday Commemorated with New Boxed Collection, ‘Barry White: 5 Classic Albums,’ to Be Released September 30

September 12 marks what would have been the 70th birthday of the late soul / R&B legend Barry White. To commemorate the anniversary and to salute White’s enduring influence on contemporary music, Mercury/UMe will release a new 5-CD boxed collection of five of his most essential 1970s albums on September 30. Barry White: 5 Classic Albums features four of the GRAMMY® winner’s No. 1 Billboard R&B albums: ‘I've Got So Much To Give’ (1973), ‘Stone Gon'’ (1973), ‘Can't Get Enough’ (1974, also No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart), and ‘Just Another Way To Say I Love You’ (1975), and his Top 10 R&B album, ‘Let The Music Play’ (1976).

Barry White: 5 Classic Albums is brimming with many of White’s timeless hits, including his first No. 1 R&B single, 1973’s “I’m Gonna Love You Just A Little More Baby,” the R&B and Hot 100 chart-topping “Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love, Babe,” the R&B and Disco chart-topping “You’re The First, The Last, My Everything,” and the R&B No. 1 “What Am I Gonna Do With You.” Several of White’s Top 5 R&B hits are also featured, including “Never, Never Gonna Give Ya Up,” “I’ve Got So Much To Give,” “I’ll Do For You Anything You Want Me To,” as well as the single version, instrumental B-side version, alternate version, M+M Throwback Mix, and Funkstar’s Club Deluxe Mix of “Let The Music Play.”

Celebrated around the world for his sultry, silken baritone, Barry White achieved iconic success during his more than 40-year recording career, with global album sales topping 100 million copies. In the U.S., White’s RIAA-certified sales achievements include 41 Platinum albums, 106 Gold albums, 10 Platinum singles, and 20 Gold singles.

Barry White’s legacy continues to resonate through his music. At this year’s BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards on August 22, he was posthumously honored with a Most Performed Song Award for "TKO" by Justin Timberlake, which includes a sample of White’s song, "Somebody's Gonna Off the Man" (co-written by Jerome Harmon). White’s music is also heard in several blockbuster films, including 2013’s Despicable Me 2 and 2012’s Dark Shadows. In 2013, White was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This year, the GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles saluted White with a custom exhibit; the museum will unveil another display in his honor in September.

Barry White: 5 Classic Albums

Disc 1: I've Got So Much To Give (1973)

1. Standing In The Shadows of Love

2. Bring Back My Yesterday

3. I've Found Someone

4. I've Got So Much To Give

5. I'm Gonna Love You Just A Little More Baby

6. Just A Little More Baby (Instrumental)

7. I've Got So Much To Give (Instrumental)

Disc 2: Stone Gon' (1973)

1. Girl It's True, Yes I'll Always Love You

2. Honey Please, Can't Ya See

3. You're My Baby

4. Hard To Believe That I Found You

5. Never, Never Gonna Give Ya Up

Disc 3: Can't Get Enough (1974)

1. Mellow Mood, Pt. 1

2. You're The First, The Last, My Everything

3. I Can't Believe You Love Me

4. Can't Get Enough Of Your Love, Babe

5. Oh Love, Well We Finally Made It

6. I Love You More Than Anything (In This World Girl)

7. Mellow Mood, Pt. 2

Disc 4: Just Another Way To Say I Love You (1975)

1. Heavenly, That's What You Are To Me

2. I'll Do For You Anything You Want Me To

3. All Because Of You

4. Love Serenade

5. What Am I Gonna Do With You

6. Let Me Live My Life Lovin' You Babe

7. Love Serenade, Pt. 2

Disc 5: Let The Music Play (1976)

1. Don't Know Where Love Has Gone

2. If You Know, Won't You Tell Me

3. I'm So Blue And You Are Too

4. Baby, We Better Try To Get It Together

5. You See The Trouble With Me

6. Let The Music Play

7. Let The Music Play [Single Version]

8. Let The Music Play [Instrumental B-Side Version]

9. Let The Music Play [M+M Throwback Mix]

10. Let The Music Play [Funkstar's Club Deluxe Mix]

11. Let The Music Play [Alternate Version]

 

NEW RELEASES: ETTA JAMES Sings Funk; BILLY STEWART - I Do Love You; ROY HAYNES - Hip Ensemble

ETTA JAMES - SINGS FUNK

Etta James has sung plenty of styles over the years – R&B in the 50s, soul in the 60s, even a touch of jazz during her years at Chess – but this smoking set has Etta singing funk in a mighty bold way – turning her hard soul style towards some super-sharp grooves! The album's a treasure in the best funky blues tradition of late 60s Chess work by artists like Muddy Waters or Howlin Wolf – and the session was unusually recorded in LA, with arrangements by Gene Barge and Rene Hall – who balance out the sound nicely. Etta's vocals are right up top the whole way through – and there's a few mellower ballads that have a hard-burning, deep soul feel. Titles include "The Man I Love", "Sound Of Love", "Nothing From Nothing Leaves Nothing", "Your Replacement", and "Tighten Up Your Own Thing".  ~ Dusty Groove

BILLY STEWART - I DO LOVE YOU

There's nobody like Billy Stewart at all – one of the first big overweight lovers in soul music, and still one of the best – and a godlike talent who was blessed with a voice that can still send us into raptures so many years later! Billy passed way to early to leave his mark in the wider annals of soul – but a record like this is more than enough of a legacy – as it's filled with just the sort of tunes that made Stewart so unique – especially the kind of slow-stepping ballads that still managed to come off with a really hard edge. The vocals are sublime – with the same reach as in his "Summertime" hit, but turned towards some more personal original material – including classics like "Sitting In The Park", "I Do Love You", "Fat Boy", "Fat Boy Can Cry", and "Strange Feeling". A treasure!  ~ Dusty Groove

ROY HAYNES - HIP ENSEMBLE

Drummer Roy Haynes works here with an ensemble that's definitely as hip as the title promises – a really righteous group that makes the album one of Roy's most spiritual records ever! Haynes was always a drummer who was really a cut above, even back at the start – but here, he really steps out strongly with a new musical vision for the 70s – working with a lineup that includes George Adams on tenor and flute and Marvin Hannibal Peterson on trumpet – but players who give the music a really bold feel, right from the start! The rest of the lineup is wonderful, too – as Carl Schroeder plays Fender Rhodes with this flowing vibe that's plenty soulful – alongside bass from Terud Nakamura and Mervin Bronson, conga from Lawrence Kilian, bongo from Elwood Johnson, and more drums from Haynes himself. Titles include a sublime reading of Stanley Cowell's "Equipoise" – plus "Tangiers", "You Name It", and "Satan's Mysterious Feeling". ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES - PHIL UPCHURCH - THE WAY I FEEL: LACK OF AFRO - FREEDOM; RASHELL - CALI

PHIL UPCHURCH - THE WAY I FEEL

One of the greatest moments ever from guitarist Phil Upchurch – and one of the best from legendary arranger Charles Stepney too – a set that uses Upchurch's guitar in the same way that Stepney was using the piano of Ramsey Lewis in the late 60s! The record has full arrangements that are in the best late 60s Chess/Cadet style – rich, but never sleepy – with undercurrents of funk down at the bottom, and sweet backing vocals from a small group that includes Cash McCall and Kitty Haywood. But the real difference is Phil's guitar – which has some fuzzier, trippier elements – which make for a nice contrast with the smoothness of the Stepney backings, at a level that creates one of the most compelling Chess albums of the time! Titles include "Elektrik Head", "Peter Peter", "Way I Feel", "Bacn' Chips", and "You Don't Have To Know". ~ Dusty Groove

LACK OF AFRO - FREEDOM

Set for release on September 22 is the new single from Lack of Afro on Freestyle Records.  The new single, Freedom, features vocals from Jack Tyson-Charles and includes a remix from The Gene Dudley Group. The 7-inch vinyl version of the single includes an exclusive track; Clean Living Under Difficult Circumstances. The single is taken from the latest Lack of Afro album; Music For Adverts Music For Adverts has been one of the best received Lack of Afro albums of Adam Gibbons' entire career. One of the many stand out moments, without doubt is Freedom (feat. Jack Tyson-Charles) and now its horn heavy, driving and cinematic funk heads up this six track download package of totally exclusive instrumentals and remixes. Wah Wah 45's rising stars The Gene Dudley Group focus their remixing attention upon this amazing track firstly on the vocal version and then the instrumental. Bundle that all up along with the previously unreleased instrumentals of hip hop banger Here We Go Again and you've got a fantastic, five track feast of Lack of Afro goodness! The release will be available on a two-track 45 featuring the original, plus the exclusive cut; Cleaning Living Under Difficult Circumstances. And the digital version will contain all the tracks within this package, minus the aforementioned vinyl exclusive track.

RASHELL - CALI

Rashell is the new sound of R&B/Soul - a sound that is distinguished with vocal range and control. Her music appeals to younger and older crowds alike with bold lyrics written from experience and angelic vocal arrangements she delivers a powerful presence.Rashell's bold yet smooth lyrical expression will grab your attention. Her music is presented with pure passion. She is currently working on her second album which is scheduled to be released soon. Her first album EP titled "Rashell" and many other singles can be found on several public/media sites. Rashell released her official music video focused on Domestic Violence Awareness 2012 titled “Dry Ur Eyez” which is currently available on Itunes and streaming worldwide. Rashell was also nominated for Best R&B/Soul Artist this year for the 2013 Sammy Music Awards. 

NEW CD FROM VOCALIST CARMEN LUNDY, ‘SOUL TO SOUL’ SET FOR RELEASE SEPTEMBER 23

“Soul To Soul,” a passionate new song cycle from vocalist, songwriter, producer and musician Carmen Lundy, is set for release September 23rd, 2014 via Afrasia Productions.  “Soul To Soul”, Lundy’s 14th album, is the next chapter in her critically-acclaimed career as both a musical artist and a visual artist; a return to her roots but also an exploration of these roots -- and the journey that those roots can take you on.  The release of “Soul To Soul” will be accompanied by tour dates both in the U.S. and overseas.

Carmen Lundy began working on “Soul To Soul” well over a year ago in a very hands-on manner – literally composing, co-composing and arranging eleven of the thirteen tracks and then playing and recording all the instruments - including bass, drums, piano, guitar and percussion - in her home studio to get a working “feel” for how the music might sound. She then “sweetened” the songs by adding string sounds and other software instruments to elaborate and experiment with the aural mood of each track, interpreting and identifying with each track’s sound individually as well as part of the overall song sequence.  On the final CD, Lundy plays guitar on all tracks, piano and Rhodes on many tracks, and drums on two. 

“I wrote the music with specific players in mind for each respective instrument,” says Lundy.  “My producer and label co-owner Elisabeth Oei encouraged me to reach out to those musicians whose music I have loved and have been inspired by; some of whom I had worked with but never recorded with. I consider these artists specialists on their instruments.  These are players who bring a distinctive sound to everything they play and

add another layer of individuality to my original music.”

Patrice Rushen, for example, is featured on nearly every track on “Soul To Soul” because of the deep musical connection Carmen felt with her.  “I could hear her sound in my music,” says Lundy, “Patrice creates these beautiful sonic palettes from which I could soar freely through the music.  This project would not be as special to me if it were not for her incredible contribution.”

Featuring the stellar talents of guest artists Patrice Rushen, Geri Allen, Randy Brecker, Mayra Casales, Simphiwe Dana, Bennie Maupin, Carol Robbins, Ada Rovatti, and Warren Wolf along with Carmen’s core rhythm section members Darryl Hall and Jamison Ross, “Soul To Soul” invites the listener on an intriguing journey. Whether the source of inspiration comes from time spent in Sardinia, Italy (“Soul To Soul” and “Sardegna”) or from her hometown of Miami in the songs “Kindred Spirits” and “Grateful” – “It’s important to acknowledge and remember where you come from and all those who provide unwavering moral support” says Lundy; from the beauty of Mary Lou Williams’ “What’s Your Story, Morning Glory” - “Geri Allen and I have spent many years performing the works of this great pianist,” Lundy remarks, “I could not miss the chance to have yet another of the great pianists/composers of our time be a part of this musical journey”; to the sexy bossa nova beat of “Everything I Need”, the moods and moments of  “Soul To Soul” are genre-bending and traverse many borders, both literally and figuratively.

Of special note is the story of the track “Grace,” the result of a meeting with South African vocalist Simphiwe Dana.  At the time of the meeting – which coincided with tour dates Lundy and Dana had in Johannesburg and Los Angeles – Lundy was in the process of writing the song on guitar and had been haunted by it for months.  She then played the track for Dana who immediately began to sing the melody in her native tongue, and whose contribution to the track on the CD adds yet another dimension to the journey of “Soul To Soul.”

Added Lundy, “It is an honor to have these players joining in this majestic musical adventure.  I hope listeners – both new and established - enjoy the voyage.”

Carmen Lundy is also a celebrated mixed media artist and painter, and her works have been exhibited in New York at The Jazz Gallery in Soho, at The Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles, and at a month-long exhibition at the Madrid Theatre in Los Angeles, CA

SOUL TO SOUL TRACK LISTING:

Kindred Spirits  (Carmen Lundy)

Life Is A Song In Me  (Carmen Lundy, Julie Raynor)

Soul To Soul  (Carmen Lundy)

When Will They Learn  (Carmen Lundy, Julie Raynor)

Daybreak  (Carmen Lundy)

Between Darkness and Dawn  (Carmen Lundy, Julie Raynor)

Grace  (Carmen Lundy, Simphiwe Dana)

Grateful Pt. 1  (Carmen Lundy)

Grateful Pt. 2  (Carmen Lundy)

 Everything I Need  (Carmen Lundy)

 Don’t You Know How I Feel  (Marilyn Castilaw)

 Sardegna  (Carmen Lundy, Deborah Ash)

 What’s Your Story, Morning Glory  (Mary Lou Williams)

www.carmenlundy.com                   

ORBERT DAVIS' - CHICAGO JAZZ PHILHARMONIC RELEASES 'SKETCHES OF SPAIN [REVISITED]' New Rendition of the 1960 Miles Davis and Gil Evans Classic Recording

The Chicago Jazz Philharmonic, celebrating its upcoming tenth anniversary year, releases its second full-length album, Sketches Of Spain [Revisited], an orchestral transformation of the 1960 iconic original by Miles Davis and Gil Evans. 

For this reinterpretation of the 1960 classic recording, CJP artistic director and composer Orbert Davis created two new compositions, incorporated traditional African and Middle Eastern instruments, and made numerous modifications in ensemble orchestration.  The result is an intimate yet powerful performance that transports the listener to a different world.

  

"If you're going to reconceptualize a work as iconic as Sketches Of Spain - daring to change the original instrumentation, and even to replace some movements with new compositions - you'd better do one spectacular job of it. Orbert Davis has dared, and succeeded."  Neil Tesser, Grammy-Award Winning Jazz Journalist.

Davis' involvement with Sketches Of Spain began in the 1990's when, as a trumpeter in Bill Russo's Chicago Jazz Ensemble, he was asked to perform the solo trumpet part originally played by Miles Davis (no relation). A particular challenge was to disregard the expectations of some purists that the original performance would be re-created.  "However," Orbert notes, "What Miles played is not intended to be duplicated. Miles reached past the technical aspects of his instrument and played from the depths of his soul.  I took that approach to freely create during the improvised sections." 

  

Orbert Davis' version of the classic work developed over many subsequent performances and years of studying the original recording, as well as Spanish music and culture. From the first performance with his own Chicago Jazz Philharmonic in 2011, Orbert introduced new elements to reflect the Moorish influences on Spanish culture, introduces new infectious jazz grooves, and highlights the unique talents of individual musicians in his ensemble.

  

"One has to think that Miles Davis would have been intrigued, given his own history of ignoring rules and continuously reinventing his music." Howard Reich, Chicago Tribune

Working together, the musicians have created a sound based on Spanish culture that is a blend of classical aesthetic and jazz sensibility, revealing an emotional depth that is universally recognizable. "I hope that the listener will be able to identify with the passion and emotion expressed in this work", says Davis.  "There is a story behind the music, and each person needs to interpret that story for themselves."

The theme of creatively reinterpreting a classic is carried out on the album's cover, which features original artwork created as part of a CD Cover Art Contest held by CJP in the spring of 2014. The contest required Chicago area students to interpret different visual aspects of Spanish culture: a matador, a flamenco dancer, and a mountain village scene.  The winning entry was submitted by Jaylyn Scott, a 14-year-old student at Orland Junior High School.  As the contest winner, Jaylyn earned a prize fee and will receive royalties on the sale of all related merchandise like posters, mugs or t-shirts. The multi-talented Jaylyn is also a student in the CJP Summer Jazz Academy where she studies the saxophone.

BARITONE JAZZ VOCALIST AND PIANIST ANDY BEY SET TO BE THE DEBUT HEADLINER AT CAFÉ NOCTAMBULO AT PANGEA – MANHATTAN’S NEW PREMIER LIVE MUSIC SUPPER CLUB

​Café Noctambulo at Pangea, the premier supper, jazz and cabaret club that’s bringing back a taste of the cool, classic heyday of NYC nightlife of the 60’s and 70’s to  Manhattan’s East Village, is excited to announce famed baritone jazz vocalist and pianist Andy Bey as its debut headlining artist.

​Celebrating the release of his latest album Pages From an Imaginary Life, the multi-talented performer takes the stage on consecutive Fridays and Saturdays, September 12-13 and 19-20 with two shows nightly at 8 and 10 p.m.

Bey will be playing the venue’s rebuilt and reconditioned 1960s era Baldwin Grand Piano that the club’s Artistic Director Christopher Gines says they got “for a song.”

​After a long absence from recording, Bey - once a regular presence in The Village, whom Aretha Franklin once called “a jazz original…brilliant and precious” – returned to the studio for his HighNote debut in 2013 with The World According to Andy Bey. The acclaimed album won a prestigious Academie Charles Cros Coups de Coeur Jazz Award and was a Grammy finalist.

Bey’s combination of enormous vocal range and communicative piano playing with a distinct focus on atmosphere has long transported audiences to a “Lotus-Eater Land” where listeners are asked to meet his unique renditions on their own terms as they seemingly erase from memory all previous versions. 

There will be a $30 music charge in addition to a $20 food/beverage minimum per person for all of Bey’s highly anticipated performances.

The cozy, 50-60 seat club’s still growing entertainment element currently features singer/pianist Eric Comstock every Tuesday night from 8 p.m. to midnight and will begin hosting renowned jazz singer Hilary Kole on Wednesday nights starting September 10 from 7 – 11 p.m.

Returning to his piano bar roots, Comstock – who has appeared at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and virtually every important nightclub in NYC and across the country – has been hailed as “the heir to the cabaret throne” by Stephen Holden of the New York Times.

Kole, who has performed in NYC everywhere from Birdland, The Blue Note, Iridium and Jazz at Lincoln Center, has recorded and/or performed with numerous icons, including Oscar Peterson, Michel Legrand, John Pizzarelli, Monty Alexander, Michael Feinstein and Dave Brubeck. On her new independent full-length album, the world reknowned vocalist and musician paints A Self Portrait with illuminating stylistic brushstrokes and an expansive repertoire that takes her far beyond her storied roots as a purveyor of the Great American Songbook.

There is a $20 cover charge and a $20 minimum for all performances by Comstock and Kole.

Occupying what was previously a popular party space at the back of Pangea, a casual Mediterranean-Italian restaurant and mainstay in the East Village with a colorful 30 year history in this location, Café Noctambulo is the vision of Christopher Gines, who has spent more than two decades as a crooner of classic American Songbook and jazz standards and has toured the U.S. and internationally for many years.

“I wanted to create a special place that was affordable and fun and not pretentious and stuffy, a great spot to hang out with friends and enjoy sensational food and a wide array of music and entertainment by world class performers in a fun, relaxed and informal setting,” he says. “For me, Café Noctambulo is the realization of an idea I have wanted to do for a long time – and it’s a true joy to have the opportunity to give this kind of home to artists I enjoy while helping create a spot that people from all over the city and beyond can call home as well.”    

NEW RELEASES: HERBIE HANCOCK - FLOOD; NAT KING COLE - AFTER MIDNIGHT; IMELDA MAY - TRIBAL

HERBIE HANCOCK - FLOOD

Herbie Hancock and the Headhunters take to the road in the live double album Flood, recorded and released only in Japan. Contrary to the impression left by his American releases at this time, Hancock was still very much attached to the acoustic piano, as his erudite opening workout on "Maiden Voyage/Actual Proof" with his funk rhythm section makes clear. The electric keyboards, mostly Rhodes piano and clavinet, make their first appearances on side two, where Hancock now becomes more of a funky adjunct to the rhythm section, bumping along with a superb feeling for the groove while Bennie Maupin takes the high road above on a panoply of winds. Except for "Voyage," the tunes come from the Head Hunters, Thrust, and Man-Child albums (another reason why this was not released in the U.S.). "Chameleon" comes with a lengthy outbreak of machine pink noise that attests to Hancock's wide-eyed love of gadgetry. In all, this was a great funk band, not all that danceable because of the rapid complexities of Mike Clark's drumming, and quite often, full of harmonic depth and adventure. ~ Richard S. Ginell. ~ CD Universe

  

NAT KING COLE - AFTER MIDNIGHT

Digitally remastered using 20-bit technology by Ron McMaster. The AFTER MIDNIGHT sessions were Nat "King" Cole's attempt in 1956 to get a little more in touch with his jazz roots, once again accompanying himself on piano--at one time Cole was considered the heir to Teddy Wilson--and playing with a small combo that included Harry "Sweets" Edison on trumpet, Juan Tizol on trombone, and Ray Nance on violin. As such it was a highly succesful date for Cole and Co. and it stands up more than 50 years later. This was no mere jam session but a chance to hear Cole vocalizing in a non-orchestral setting, just like his early trio but this time singing full-fledged standards like "What Is There To Say?" and the beautifully rendered "You're Looking At Me," not just the familiar Cole trio novelties. THE COMPLETE AFTER MIDNIGHT SESSIONS gathers the 21 master takes that were recorded at the time, three more than the previous "complete" edition on Capitol. LP VINYL EDITION 180 GRAM, DIRECT METAL MASTERING, 2 BONUS TRACK, ALL MUSIC GUIDE. Recorded at Capitol Studios, Los Angeles, California between August 15 & September 24, 1956. Includes liner notes by Ralph J. Gleason and Michael Cuscuna. Reissue producer: Michael Cuscuna. Personnel: Nat "King" Cole (vocals, piano); Willie Smith (alto saxophone); Harry "Sweets" Edison (trumpet); Juan Tizol (valve trombone); Stuff Smith (violin); John Collins (guitar); Charlie Harris (bass); Lee Young (drums); Jack Costanzo (congas, bongos). Producer: Lee Gillette. JazzTimes (3/97, p. 99) - "... this is classy music for mellow hours, before or after midnight." ~ CD Universe

IMELDA MAY - TRIBAL

Imelda May's fourth studio album, 2014's Tribal, finds the Irish chanteuse balancing an '80s-influenced new wave rockabilly energy with a few of old-school '50s ballads and a bit of country twang. Produced by Mike Crossey, who previously helmed projects by Arctic Monkeys, Jake Bugg, and others, Tribal features all of the elements that have made May such a breakthrough artist since her 2003 debut, No Turning Back. Here we get her bright, puckered vocal attack showcased on a bevy of instantly infectious cuts. As with her past albums, Tribal is split down the middle between songs written by May and songs penned by her husband and longtime creative partner, guitarist Darrel Higham. There is also one track, the lyrical, '50s-inspired lullaby "Little Pixie," co-written by May and her brother Fintan Clabby. From the opening title track, which hints at Bow Wow Wow's Burundi beat style, to the fiery Cramps-meets-B-52s-sounding "Wild Woman," May digs deep into the kind of wide-eyed '80s punk-does-'50s-rock & roll that bands like Restless and the Escalators championed in the early part of the '80s. Elsewhere, she delivers a handful of equally compelling songs, including the jaunty country-swing of "It's Good to Be Alive," the yearning and moody "Gypsy in Me," and the cavernous and bluesy "Wicked Way." Ultimately, May has always been a Celtic rockabilly goddess, armed with her trademark front-rolled pompadour and Irish bodhrán drum. Tribal is her call to arms; her statement of purpose. As she sings on the title track," When you look in the mirror, tell me what do you see/Someone new or your ancestry?/You're a king, you're a queen, you're a wizard, a fool/Or if you're me, then rockabilly rules." Whether it's an ancient Celtic tribe or a tribe of leather-jacketed rockers, May and her fans belong. ~ Matt Collar Recording information: Livingstone Studios, London. Photographer: Barry McCall. Personnel: Imelda May (vocals, bodhran); Darrel Higham (guitar); Dave Priseman (trumpet, percussion); Al Gare (upright bass, bass guitar); Steve Rushton (drums, percussion); Mike Crossey (programming). Audio Mixers: Mike Crossey; Imelda May. ~ CD Universe