Carla
Bley / Andy Sheppard / Steve Swallow - Life Goes On
Beautiful
sounds from pianist Carla Bley – a musician who just keeps on blowing us away
as the decades move on – and that's saying a hell of a lot, given how many
years she's been making music! There's a really special quality to this record
– a warmth and maybe just a slight touch of humor, but not in the overdone way
of some of Carla's records from the 80s – much more subtle, and mixed with
occasional currents of darkness – all handled with this understated sense of
personality that perfectly showcases all three members of the group – Bley on
piano, Steve Swallow on bass, and Andy Sheppard on tenor and soprano saxes.
Swallow maybe sounds more wonderful here than we've heard in years – the record
is a great reminder of how many great contributions he can make to music – and
titles include the longer cycles of songs "Life Goes On",
"Copycat", and "Beautiful Telephones (parts 1 to 3)". ~ Dusty Groove
Khruangbin
& Leon Bridges - Texas Sun
Khruangbin
get a great new sound here – thanks to the vocals and acoustic guitar of Leon
Bridges, who bring a whole new dimension to their music! The title and cover of
the record are very well-put – as there's this open space to the record that's
a bit different than previous outings by Khruangbin – still that aesthetic that
lingers somewhere south, down near the border – but maybe more relaxed and
letting itself flow down the road to some territory that's all its own – the
marvelous vocals of Leon Bridges at the wheel, with the rest of the group
well-tuned to make the journey with a warm dose of mellow soul. Titles include
"Midnight", "C-Side", "Conversation", and
"Texas Sun". ~ Dusty Groove
Boogaloo
Communicators - Carpe Diem
A really
fantastic little quartet – one who play an old school version of soul jazz
that's jamming, groovy, and completely outta sight! These guys have a sound
that makes you feel like you've just found some Hammond combo album on a tiny
label from back in the day – long tracks that are filled with great solos on
organ and guitar, driven by tight drums and congas – with a mode that's soulful
and slightly psychedelic – reminding us of our favorite records by artists like
Ivan Boogaloo Joe Jones, Cal Green, or Charles Kynard – all references that we
don't use lightly! Titles include "Ms Persuasive", "Sin
Ti", "Zumbambala", and "Wee Lee". ~ Dusty Groove