The Comet Is Comingr eleases their Impulse! Debut - Trust In The Lifeforce Of The Deep Mystery

The Comet Is Coming, "an improvisational, intergalactic mash-up" (The Guardian), will release their Impulse! debut, Trust In the Lifeforce Of The Deep Mystery, on March 15. Their first-ever US tour begins in Los Angeles on March 12 and takes them through SXSW, NYC, Philadelphia, DC, Big Ears Festival and finally lands them in Bonnaroo on June 13. The first track from the album, "Summon The Fire," is available today.

The Comet Is Coming, who in 2016 were shortlisted for the Mercury Music Prize, is comprised of King Shabaka (Shabaka Hutchings) on saxophone, Danalogue (Dan Leavers) on keys/synth, and Betamax (Max Hallett) on drums. On this album, Trust In The Lifeforce Of The Deep Mystery, the trio envisage a 21st century take on spiritual jazz that is part Alice Coltrane, part Bladerunner.

Danny Bennett, President & CEO of Verve Label Group (home of Impulse!), says of the group, "When I first saw The Comet Is Coming, I knew immediately I was in the presence of greatness that was bound to shake the foundation of music. This group is shifting paradigms, enticing listeners to expand their consciousness through this mind-bending music. This is what Impulse! and Verve Label Group is about – always pushing the envelope." 

Consider the titles of some of the trio's new songs: ‘Because The End Is Really The Beginning', ‘Birth Of Creation', ‘The Universe Wakes Up' and ‘Unity'. This is music brings us back into being through creation myths and the inception of life itself. Their arsenal: drums, synthesizers and saxophones alone. King Shabaka explains, "We are able to catch glimpses of this lifeforce energy during our music-induced trances, and in doing so can contemplate our position as a human species in the context of the vastness of space and the epic scale of its workings." Drummer Betamax posits, "There are going to be some massive shifts in our own lifetime as life begins to transcend biology… so let's at least find some essential truths and inner peace so we can make wise decisions."

Listen to the pulsing ‘Blood Of The Past', on which guest vocalist Kate Tempest delivers a state-of-the-universe address that somehow simultaneously summons the spirits of William Blake, Ian Dury, Carl Sagan and Stephen Hawking, all with wide-eyed awestruck wonder. Or ‘Summon The Fire', perhaps their most accessible, riotous, and air-punching moment to date. The trio are nothing short of alchemists, concocting a primordial stew of taut beats, sub-bass, and unhinged sax breaks. They paint pictures of astral planes and neon seas, with driving beats and celestial melodies.

The Comet Is Coming formed in London in 2013 when the tall, "shadowy figure" of Shabaka appeared stage-side during show by Danalogue and Betamax's formidable drums and synths duo Soccer96, sax in hand. Exploratory jams were immediately undertaken. Visions were experienced, dreams born. A member of Sons of Kemet and Shabaka and the Ancestors, Shabaka was already the MOBO-winning leading light of the contemporary British jazz scene. Make no mistake though, The Coming Is Coming are a three-headed beast, with all music co-written, and Danalogue and Betamax mixing and producing the record.

"There is an incredible amount of historical evidence that suggests the control of a single leader leads to corruption and is not to the benefit of the community," says Danalogue. "There is a trust we have in each other - to do what is best for the group."

Discovering a shared love for Sun Ra, Hendrix, Can, the LA beat scene, Mahavishnu Orchestra and Death Grips and named after a beloved BBC Radiophonic piece that they found in a vinyl library, the trio hit the studio immediately to record hours of music that would comprise the EP Prophecy (2015) and debut album Channel The Spirits (2016) plus Death to the Planet released on Record Store Day (2017). A helter-skelter ride down worm-holes to splash through far-flung topographical oceans and scaling celestial peaks, Channel… took in freak-out space funk, freewheeling psychedelia and jazz punk mayhem all the way. It was shortlisted for the 2016 Mercury Music Prize.

The group signed to Impulse! Records in 2018, and this is their first release on the legendary label. They are among greats like John Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders, Alice Coltrane: fathers and mothers of the spiritual and transcendental jazz movements, among other legendary jazz artists. Impulse! Records was recently relaunched and is now operated out of the United States, sitting underneath Verve Label Group alongside other imprints such as Verve Records, Verve Forecast, Decca, Deutsche Grammophon, and more.

The Comet is Coming to destroy illusions. It will manifest new realities, perceptions, levels of awareness and abilities to coexist. It is a musical expression forged in the deep mystery. It is the overcoming of fear, the embracing of chaos, the peripheral sight that we might summon the fire.

Through the transcendent experience of music we reconnect with the energy of the Lifeforce in hope of manifesting higher realities in new constructs. Because the end is only really the beginning.

A DEEP LOVE OF JAPAN'S CAPITAL CITY INSPIRES FRANCESCO TRISTANO'S NEW ALBUM "TOKYO STORIES"

His personal experiences of the metropolis distilled into 16 original pieces for piano & electronic. Featuring guest artists Michel Portal, U-zhaan, Keiichiro Shibuya, Hiroshi Watanabe & Guti

The new album "Tokyo Stories" captures Francesco Tristano's deeply held admiration for the city in 16 original compositions for piano, synthesizers and electronics. The album reflects his long personal connection to Tokyo, with each piece or ‘story' crystallizing experiences that range from the profound to the happily serendipitous. Composed by Tristano and recorded primarily in Tokyo, the album features a variety of guest artists on several tracks, including the Japanese musicians U-zhaan, Keiichiro Shibuya and Hiroshi Watanabe, Argentine electronic artist Guti and legendary French musician Michel Portal.

Tristano explains: "I came here for the first time in 2000. I was only 18 years old, a freshman at the Juilliard School of Music in New York. I realized very soon that New York City is barely even comparable to the mega-city that is Tokyo! It felt totally like a neon jungle. Clearly, I was impressed. I remember this first experience very fondly, even though there were some difficult moments. I didn't return until 2009, but since then I've made around 40 trips to Tokyo. This is my humble soundtrack to the city; my album is not about explaining Tokyo – it is about very specific moments in my mind, moments that I have lived intensely in this wonderful city over the past 10 years."

In some ways this album picks up where his previous album, Piano Circle Songs, left off: the stories are piano pieces, but this time enhanced by live and studio electronics, synthesizers, soundbites and field recordings made around the city. While the album title doffs its hat to Yasujirō Ozu's iconic 1950's film Tokyo Story, the inspiration for the music is personal to Tristano.

An intimate example is Yoyogi Connect, where Tristano explains: "In the summer of 2017 my father-in-law passed away as I was traveling to Tokyo. I didn't board my second flight but returned home to play at his funeral. The trip back afterwards was going to be very different – my most difficult trip to Japan. I had already begun to explore the city by bicycle and running, and I had been to Yoyogi Park many times. But that summer, I went to the park just once: not for running, but to reset my mind. To reconnect with nature. This song captures these moments of solitude, confusion and, ultimately, strength and reconciliation."

Three stories will be released prior to the album in pure piano versions. These are Chi no oto (March 1), Lazaro (March 29) – a reflective melody written in memory of a friend's father, the melody stayed in Tristano's mind during the Tokyo recording sessions – and Neon City (April 26), which Tristano poetically describes as a "Juxtaposition of lights and shadows. Inexorable beauty and urban sadness. It is the Neon Jungle".

The tracks Lazaro and Neon City will each be accompanied by the release of a video visually representing the mood of each story.  

Tristano's collaborators are as varied as the stories themselves. The track Cafe Shinjuku sees renowned French musician Michel Portal contribute a beautiful collaboration on his bass clarinet. Considered one of the architects of modern European jazz, Portal's many accomplishments as composer, saxophonist and clarinetist bridge the worlds of jazz, classical, avant-garde and film music.

Japanese electro-acoustic composer Keiichiro Shibuya performs on synthesizers and electronics on Gate of Entry. This track is inspired by Tristano's contemplation of the majestic torii he stumbled upon when lost in the Tokyo suburb of Asakusa in 2011, while "preparing my mind for my first club show in Tokyo. The torii gave me energy". Shibuya has made an international name for himself composing and producing music for film, sound installations and through cross-sectional collaborations with researchers and artists using robots and artificial intelligence.

Japanese national master tabla-player U-zhaan adds a unique flavor with his array of tablas on the track Pakuchi. Tristano and U-zhaan's first collaboration, it proved an intense process of musical familiarization which can be heard developing via the call and response conversation between the piano and tablas.

Bokeh Tomorrow features the Japanese musician Hiroshi Watanabe on synthesizer and electronics. Watanabe trained at the Berklee College of Music and is one of Japan's leading electronic music producers; he's also well-known for composing, producing and recording music for games, TV and theatre, as well as through his collaborative projects.

The multi-talented artist and electronic music producer Guti hails from Argentina and provides mesmerizing electronics and synthesizers on Insomnia. With a deep-seated love of jazz and rock from his first incarnation as pianist in a popular Buenos Aires-born band, his career since has seen him play, produce and record house and techno to international and critical acclaim.

Francesco Tristano will present "Tokyo Stories" live in Germany in Stuttgart, Berlin and Leipzig in May 2019 and in Japan in October 2019.

Will Sellenraad / Eric McPherson / Rene Hart - Greene Street Vol.1

Family. That's what comes to mind when describing the music on Greene Street Vol. 1 (available June 14, 2019 on Deko Music), the follow up to Will Sellenraad's Balance. Growing up on Greene Street there has been a lot of changes. Amazingly though, the bond of friendship, music and growth for Sellenraad and many of his peers has remained very constant. There is a blurry line between friends and family growing up in New York City. The guitarist elaborates, "I think it's partly because you are thrown into everything so early that the friends who are dear to you become your extended family. You have to rely on them for support just as you would your family. Then there is playing music with the people you're closest to, and that is another level of support, and also intimacy and understanding. Over time these relationships really make us who we are." 

 

Throughout the years these musicians have played countless gigs here in NYC and on the road, and most recently premiered the trio at the inaugural Stowe Jazz festival. "As we grow as people the music develops in many ways. We find multiple ways and approaches that we can explore; it's really an amazing process. I've known Eric McPherson since we were kids. I'll never forget the first time I got to play music with him. I think I was about 16 or so and I couldn't believe what he was doing way back then, and I still can't right now. He is forever pushing the music forward and breaking musical barriers. Rene and I met when I was in college. He was playing with the great Arnie Lawrence. We've always had a great chemistry on and off the bandstand. Rene Hart has such a beautiful way of approaching music. He has family across the street and has been around NYC since he was a kid as well. Amazing to think that we've been playing together for over 25 years! Both of these gentlemen are two of my favorite people, and I wouldn't be who I am without them," says Sellenraad. 

Conceptually these three artists are coming at the music from the same place. They have a deep love for the tradition, but are aware that it's 2019 and therefore there is no limit to what is possible. "Funny, the older you get, the further back you seem to go. But our music encompasses a breadth of influence; it is in here and now but reflects the past as well. Improvisation and the conversational aspect also play a major part. You must listen and react, and it's usually not going to go how you thought it would," states Sellenraad.

In thinking how to release some new music, Sellenraad really didn't want to use the current model, but wanted to have something that would develop more organically, over time, where the collective process was part of the sound. This is more of the old model where bands would be in the studio and let the tape roll, letting the music breathe and develop. He explained, "for the last couple of years we've been recording here on Greene Street, where I grew up, in my father's old painting studio. We started tuning the room, playing, tuning the room more, playing, discussing, recording, drinking espresso, etc., a very harmonious process. We are set up now so we can just be three musicians playing and recording without constraints of any kind. The room, and this process, is now a part of our sound. Green Street Vol. 1 will be followed up shortly as Vol. 2 is already in the conception stage, and the guys have some wonderful new compositions percolating.

 

Greene Street has a long history, not just for visual artists, but also for music. "A couple doors up you had Ali's Alley and Survival Studios, owned by the great Rashied Ali. Up on the next block was Greene Street recording studio, Greene Street cafe, etc... Not to even mention the loft jazz scene or everything happening in Greenwich Village, the epicenter of jazz for decades now," explains Sellenraad.

With Greene Street Vol. 1, we are not trying to fit into any particular musical box, we are just developing our sound. Every time we play it is a further exploration of that and we sincerely hope the listener enjoys this snapshot of where we're at!

Greene Street Vol. 1 was mixed with Ben Rubin and mastered by Alan Douches at West Side Music. The album will be available through all digital media outlets and on vinyl.

Will Sellenraad has earned a growing reputation of being at the forefront of creative musicians working in New York City.  Known for his brilliant improvisations and his compelling, melodic compositions, this New York City native melds the various styles, phrasings and concepts of the jazz idiom with the raw elements of soul, rock and funk, to create a singular sound that is nothing short of inspiring. A recipient of several grants from the New York State Council on the Arts, Sellenraad is a mainstay on the NYC scene, and beyond, appearing at storied jazz venues such as The 55 Bar, Smalls, Mezzrow, The Blue Note, Birdland, The Iridium, the former Sweet Basil and many others.

Bassist Rene Hart is a unique musician who draws from a wide range of influences. He has toured the world extensively, performing at major Jazz and multi-genre music festivals including the North Sea Jazz Festival and the Montreal Jazz Festival. Hart's television appearances include The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Late Night with Conan O'Brien. The artist incorporates modern electronics with the traditional sound of the acoustic bass. Hart has recorded and performed with artists such as David Amram, Julian Priester, Don Braden, and Myra Melford, James Hunter, Anat Fort, Pete Seeger and many others.

Also a native of NYC, Eric McPherson came to prominence apprenticing with legendary saxophonist and educator, Jackie McLean, and the innovative pianist and composer Andrew Hill. Those foundational experiences cultivated McPherson into one of the leading drummers in contemporary creative music. McPherson continues the legacy of the musical giants who came before him. As well as performing and teaching internationally with an array of today's leading contemporary creative musicians, McPherson teaches privately and at the University of Hartford's Jackie Mclean institute.

 

Iconic Drummer Jimmy Cobb, at 90 Years Old and as Vital as Ever, Releases His New Album This I Dig of You, Featuring his Rich, Classic Swing

Name a canonical jazz artist, and chances are Jimmy Cobb has shared a stage or recording studio with them. Starting with his first recordings with Earl Bostic at the tender age of 21 all the way up to his new album This I Dig of You, due out August 16 via Smoke Sessions Records, Cobb has been not just a jazz drummer but the jazz drummer — a musician unmatched in technique and experience.

60 years ago, of course, Cobb played on what wound up becoming the most indelible record in jazz history, Kind Of Blue. This recording, with a band of Cobb’s longtime collaborators — pianist Harold Mabern, guitarist Peter Bernstein, and bassist John Webber — pays tribute to that seminal album by proving that it’s still not yet history. The 90-year-old drummer, after all, is as vital and thoughtful as he ever was as he swings through standards and contemporary compositions by his bandmates alike.

Mabern is Cobb’s oldest friend in the band; they’ve known each other since meeting in Miles Davis’ band in 1963. “It's not that much different,” Cobb says of playing with Mabern then compared to what it’s like to share a stage today. “We've probably both gotten better. I think I have. I know more about it, have had more experience with it.”

Bernstein was one of Cobb’s students at the New School, and introduced him to Webber. They wound up as members of Cobb’s first working band, Cobb’s Mob, alongside Brad Mehldau — the band on Cobb’s first Smoke Sessions album, 2014’s The Original Mob. “He’s one of the originals,” says Webber now. “He's such a great listener, he hears everything — there are a lot of young drummers on the scene, but I don't think I can say they've surpassed Jimmy in any way.”

The album’s classic, rich swing was recorded with a casualness that recalls the kind of sessions Cobb was booked for during the music’s heyday. “I let them pick the tunes,” Cobb says of his bandmates, who chose from the wide array of songs in the Cobb’s Mob repertoire while focusing on ones that they’d never recorded before. This I Dig of You required no rehearsal, and was recorded in just one session.

But the thing that makes the album so special isn’t the design of the tracklist — it’s the precision and detail the legendary drummer uses to carefully guide each song, responding to and amplifying the soloists in his quartet.

The uptempo opener, Hank Mobley composition “This I Dig of You,” finds Cobb carving out all kinds of fresh rhythmic intricacies in an extended solo that still sounds timeless. Bernstein’s “Blood Wolf Moon Blues,” inspired by recent astronomical events, spotlights the drummer’s inimitable feel underneath groovy solos by Mabern, Bernstein and Webber.

Cobb first recorded “I’m Getting Sentimental Over You” with Earl Bostic in 1951; all these years later, ironically, it sounds less sentimental than ever — Bostic’s swooning vibrato replaced by unhurried but never indulgent melodies. Heartfelt ballad “My Old Flame” has a similarly storied place in Cobb’s repertoire — he recorded it with his old flame, Dinah Washington, in 1955. “Like Miles used to say, probably the best time I had with my clothes on,” Cobb remembers, laughing.

Dexter Gordon’s knotty “Cheese Cake” shows that Cobb has lost none of his fire and urgency behind the kit, while Mabern’s “Edward Lee” proves the pianist’s ageless, poignant playing. “Somewhere in the Night” updates the Teri Thornton (another Cobb collaborator) original to a fresher version of jazz at its most romantic and sophisticated.

“Yesterdays,” which Cobb first recorded live with John Coltrane and Stan Getz in 1960, provides another subtle dose of nostalgia with Mabern quoting Duke Ellington and Cobb playing every last angle of the tune, drawing out exactly what still makes it fascinating to play. “I’ll Wait And Pray” is also drawn from Cobb’s catalog with Coltrane (they recorded it together 60 years ago), but Sarah Vaughan (naturally, another Cobb collaborator) had famously recorded the classic tune as well. Wes Montgomery’s “Full House” is another tune that Cobb himself originated, though you wouldn’t know it by listening to how vibrant he sounds over 50 years later.

Ask Cobb about how it feels to have spent over seven decades as one of jazz’s pillars, and he responds in typically self-effacing fashion. “I didn't really expect to be alive all these years later — I'm thankful that I've been able to be here this long,” articulating a sentiment shared by jazz fans the world over.

"This I Dig Of You" was produced by Paul Stache and Damon Smith and

recorded live in New York at Sear Sound's Studio C on a Sear-Avalon custom console

at 96KHz/24bit and mixed to ½" analog tape using a Studer mastering deck.

Available in audiophile HD format.

Jimmy Cobb · This I Dig Of You

Smoke Sessions Records · Release Date: August 16, 2019

Two Guitar Ninjas Raul Midón & Lionel Loueke Join Forces On Summer Tour Collaboration

Singer, songwriter, and guitar wizards Raul Midón and Lionel Loueke explore their talents sharing the stage this Summer in a beautiful partnership that is both a refreshing musical exchange and fine example of camaraderie.   A mix of West African and Latin American Roots.  A perfect marriage across North America.

Lionel and Raul will end each night with an unforgettable joint performance demonstrating their synergy with a magical tone that kicks off June 15th in Florida and ends in Montreal on June 30th. 

"I’m excited to be working with Lionel Loueke, a musician blessed with unparalleled skill and a boundless creative imagination.  We will make music with no limits”.  Raul

  

Heralded as a "one-man band who turns a guitar into an orchestra and his voice into a chorus," (NY Times) Raul Midón has collaborated with such heroes as Herbie Hancock, Stevie Wonder, Jason Mraz, Queen Latifah and Snoop Dogg. Blind since birth, Midón produced-engineered his 2017 album, Bad Ass and Blind, using special computer software for the blind. The album, which confronts the challenges of his blindness with verve and grace, received a 2018 Grammy nomination in the category Best Jazz Vocal Album. Midón's 2018 follow up release, If You Really Want, featuring the Metropole Orkest under the direction of Vince Mendoza, was nominated for a 2019 Grammy award in this same category.

Benin guitarist and vocalist Lionel Loueke has received critical acclaim from both his idols and contemporaries on his latest release, The Journey. Paul Simon raves that Loueke is "one of a rare handful of guitarists that move effortlessly between his West African roots and modern American Jazz", and Sting cites Loueke as "one the most original, essential and inspiring musicians on our planet today.” As a Blue Note Recording artist and member of Herbie Hancock's band for the past 10 years, Loueke has recorded and toured with artists as unique and varied as Terence Blanchard to singers Angelique Kidjo and Luciana Souza. Praised by Herbie Hancock as “a musical painter,” Loueke combines harmonic complexity, soaring melody, a deep knowledge of African folk forms, and conventional and extended guitar techniques to create a warm and evocative sound of his own.

Dorthaan Kirk, Newark’s First Lady of Jazz, Selected as a 2020 NEA Jazz Master

Kirk, along with fellow NEA Jazz Masters Bobby McFerrin, Roscoe Mitchell

and Reggie Workman, Will Be Honored at a Special Concert

at SF Jazz Center on April 2, 2020

If you missed yesterday’s exciting announcement that DORTHAAN KIRK was named a 2020 NEA Jazz Master for her work as a tireless advocate for Jazz, please click on this link: https://www.arts.gov/news/2019/national-endowment-arts-announces-2020-nea-jazz-masters

Dubbed Newark’s First Lady of Jazz, Dorthaan retired from WBGO Jazz 88.3 in 2018 after four decades as a founding employee of the award-winning public radio station in Newark. She continues to produce and book events throughout New Jersey; inspire and support young musicians through the Dorthaan Kirk Scholarship Opportunity Fund; serve as Consultant to New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC); head up Rokir Music Corp. to build upon the legacy of her late husband, Rahsaan Roland Kirk; book Bethany Baptist Church’s Jazz Vespers services, now for the 20th year; and offer her time and expertise to help secure the future of the art form. 

Stay tuned for more information on the Scholarship Opportunity Fund awards in the coming weeks.

Dorthaan Kirk, who will receive the 2020 A.B. Spellman NEA Jazz Masters Fellowship for Jazz Advocacy at a concert at SF Jazz Center on April 2, 2020, will be honored with fellow NEA Jazz Masters Bobby McFerrin, Roscoe Mitchell and Reggie Workman.

About Dorthaan Kirk:

“I was absolutely stunned and speechless (I’m never speechless) when I learned I was receiving the award. What an honor to be in such great company of others that have received it and to be acknowledged in such a big way for the work I love to do in jazz. I will continue my work to the best of my ability as long as I’m allowed to.”

Dorthaan Kirk has been a major force at WBGO Jazz 88.3 FM, Newark Public Radio—the only full-time jazz format station in New York and New Jersey—working in various roles for more than four decades. Called “Newark’s First Lady of Jazz,” Kirk has been active as a curator and producer of jazz events primarily in and around Newark, New Jersey, and is an avid supporter of musicians and jazz education for children.

Kirk grew up in Texas and lived in California before moving to the East Coast in 1970 with husband Rahsaan Roland Kirk, a jazz great known for playing multiple horns simultaneously, whose career she managed. Kirk was already a jazz fan before marriage, but her husband introduced her to more musicians and new venues, and she became more knowledgeable about jazz history through him.

When her husband died unexpectedly in 1977 at age 41, Kirk wanted to continue to work in the jazz business. She was introduced to Bob Ottenhoff, who was working on getting the Newark Board of Education to transfer their underutilized broadcast license to create the first public radio station in New Jersey, as a full-time jazz station. Ottenhoff hired Kirk as one of the original employees that launched WBGO in 1979. Before retiring in 2018, Kirk was the special events and community relations coordinator; the curator of the station’s art gallery, which is open to the public; and managed the annual WBGO Jazz-a-thon as well as the WBGO Children’s Jazz Series, which offers free jazz concerts by top-name musicians specifically for young people since 1993.

Kirk has been active for decades in the Newark community presenting jazz events. In 2000, she coordinated with the Rev. Dr. M. William Howard Jr. of the Bethany Baptist Church in Newark to present free-of-charge monthly Jazz Vespers, live jazz events during the months from October to June, that have featured nationally renowned performers, such as Jimmy Heath, Jon Faddis, and Gregory Porter. Since 2012, Kirk has been the consultant producer for a monthly jazz brunch series titled Dorthaan’s Place in her honor at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center’s Nico Kitchen & Bar in Newark. In addition to recruiting talent, she has also acted as master of ceremonies for these events.

She continues to be the keeper of the flame of her late husband’s musical legacy: managing his music; acting as administrator of his publishing company; and organizing special events in his honor, such as the tribute at St. Peter’s Church in New York City in December 2007.

Kirk has been the recipient of numerous awards from the City of East Orange, City of Newark, and New Jersey State Assembly for her community-based initiatives in the arts. In 2013, she received the Humanitarian Award from the American Conference on Diversity, Essex County Chapter. For her 80th birthday in 2018, the Dorthaan Kirk Scholarship Opportunity Fund was created to support jazz students in the Newark area.

New Music: The B.B. King Blues Band - Soul Of The King; Locos Por Juana Ft. Freddie McGregor - Don't Tell Me No; Rita Marley – The Best Of Rita Marley: Lioness Of Reggae

The B.B. King Blues Band - Soul Of The King

The B.B. King Blues Band have created a love letter to their fallen leader while staking their own claim in the modern era. Choosing songs from King's sprawling catalog could have been an ordeal. But for The Soul Of The King, the lineup made a smart move, letting the A-list guests dictate the material. There's a heartfelt turn from Michael Lee on “The Thrill Is Gone.” Mary Griffin and Taj Mahal combine their vocal and guitar talents on “Paying The Cost To Be The Boss.” Kenny Neal lends poignant vocals and licks to “Sweet Little Angel.” Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Joe Louis Walker also guest.

Locos Por Juana Ft. Freddie McGregor - Don't Tell Me No

This will be the second release off their upcoming album, due out early this summer, after the fan and critic favorite lead single “Crazy for Jane” Ft. Common Kings. Billboard hailed the album’s debut single as “an amalgam of Caribbean sounds with Common’s South Pacific and West Coast vibration connecting effortlessly, the collaboration extols the virtues of reggae.” The new song first appeared on KCRW’s PanCaliente Blog, who called it, “a 'lover’s rock', bilingual jam that combines McGregor’s vocals on some sweet verses, with LPJ’s reggae groove.”

Rita Marley – The Best Of Rita Marley: Lioness Of Reggae

Award winning singer, musician, philanthropist and reggae icon Mrs. Rita Marley, OD presents a career retrospective of her most well-known material. The Best Of Rita Marley: Lioness Of Reggae is available exclusively on limited edition vinyl. Includes the following songs: Harambe; One Draw; A Jah Jah; That's The Way; Who Feels It Knows It; King Street; Thank You Jah; Good Morning Jah; I'm Still Waiting; and Play Play.

New Releases: Esperanza Spalding - 12 Little Spells; Betti Mac - Beth McFarlane; Ada Morghe - Pictures

Esperanza Spalding - 12 Little Spells

12 Little Spells finds Spalding conjuring in the medium of musical creation, through an exploration of the body, human energy and healing. Esperanza released one new spell per day on her website and social platforms as well as a “Liner Notes Live” hosted on Facebook all resulting in over 3.1 million views. The spells come in the form of new music, which was crafted by Spalding at a castle in Italy last month, and then recorded in sessions completed just yesterday in Brooklyn. Each spell will be presented with song-specific imagery and video spells (short films that accompany each release).

Betti Mac - Beth McFarlane

Beth McFarlane aka 'BettiMac' is a solo singer-songwriter and recording artist who hails from Stony Hill / St. Andrew, Jamaica W.I. She is the youngest of ten children, 'De Wash Belly' as they would say, who had her singing television debut at age eight on a popular children’s show hosted by the late Louise Bennett, 'Ms. Lou'. BettiMac continued singing wherever she could at her school and around town, knowing it was what she wanted to do as a career, but her parents did not see it that way. At seventeen, after singing at her high school graduation and seeing how her parents and the audience were moved and congratulating her, she knew it was time to make a move on her singing career. A few years later, BettiMac debuted her single and music video “Brown Eyes Blue” on her own record label Prosperity, which was only released in Jamaica W.I. Shortly thereafter, BettiMac started a family and a business which led her to be out of the music industry for ten years. Fast forward to 2000 R.I.P. Daddy! BettiMac was back in the studio, singing her heart out to the tunes of Britney Spears “Lucky” and Shania Twain “You've Got Away” reimagined in reggae style. The latter of the two songs led her to her second journey in music, recording and releasing her debut album Icy Spicy Girl (2008) and a slough of singles and mix CD's followed. Now, she presents her debut EP self-titled Beth McFarlane in 2019. A blend of influences across seven tracks, merges old and new inspirations for fans to get excited about!

Ada Morghe - Pictures

  

Her debut album presents Ada Morghe, based in London and Munich, as a new, striking husky voice in Jazz. Writing her own songs will show her as a lyricist, creating moods in preference to stories. Inspired by famous authors like Cormac McCarthy and Dylan Thomas she creates relaxed atmospheres full of subtle sentiments, with a touch of nostalgia. She is supported by an impressive musical line up: Livingstone Browne, bass and co-producer, who worked artists like Kylie Minogue und Bryan Ferry, and produced, among others, Steve Bruckstein and Maxi Priest. Luke Smith, long time keyboardist of the George Michael band, worked with Alicia Keys and Jamie Cullum and was co-writer for Amy Winehouse and The Sugarbabes. Josh “McKnasty” McKenzie, who is the regularly drummer of Wretch 32 and Naughty Boy. And Italy-born guitarist Luca Boscagin, who appears on several Jazz festivals in Europe. He regularly performes at the Ronnie Scott´s, the 606 and other important clubs in London, where he lives. The album was recorded at Abbey Road Studios, produced by Hans-Martin Buff, a renowned recording engineer, who was Prince’s personal engineer from 1996-2000.

Bassist Marcus Shelby's Latest Features Four-Part Suite,Seven Standards Performed by His 15-Piece Big Band

Marcus Shelby Orchestra Transitionis Bassist, composer, and bandleader Marcus Shelby brings together three of his greatest passions -- African-American history, baseball, and big-band jazz -- on Transitions, the latest work by his 15-piece Marcus Shelby Orchestra, set for a June 7 release on his own MSO Records. While the album offers Shelby's lush arrangements of classic tunes by Charles Mingus, Duke Ellington, and Cole Porter, its centerpiece "Black Ball: The Negro Leagues and the Blues" is an original four-part suite inspired by the history of Negro League Baseball. It also features superb work by two special guests, violinist Mads Tolling and acclaimed vocalist Tiffany Austin.

Shelby's work to date has established his penchant for deep musical dives into African-American history and culture. Transitions is not a full-length opus like his 2007 oratorio Harriet Tubman or 2011's Soul of the Movement: Meditations on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., but it is unquestionably on the same ambitious path as those two works. It's also a natural choice of subject matter for San Francisco-based Shelby, a self-described baseball aficionado who (when he's not on the bandstand) can often be found cheering on his beloved San Francisco Giants.

"I did a whole theatrical project that premiered last September at the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival," he explains. "It re-created the environment of a Negro League baseball park. This suite was inspired by the research I did for that project. But it's more about these four cities -- Pittsburgh, New York, Chicago, Kansas City -- that were very central to the Negro Leagues."

Those were also central to the development of jazz, and Shelby's pieces reflect the parts they played in that development. The suite's opening "Transition 1 (Pittsburgh)," a nod to two powerhouse teams (the Pittsburgh Crawfords and the Homestead Grays), also reflects the city's blues tradition and the hard swing generated by native-son drummers from Art Blakey to Jeff "Tain" Watts. Its finale, "Black Ball Swing (Kansas City)," celebrates the Kansas City Monarchs -- "the best known, most respected team of all time in the Negro Leagues," Shelby says -- with both the riff-driven style of the Count Basie Orchestra and the supercharged bebop of Charlie Parker, both Kansas City exports.

Transitions also includes one composition each by Charles Mingus and George Shearing, along with two by Cole Porter and three by the grand master of big band writing, Duke Ellington. It's "an album that mirrors a live performance," he says. "It's like seeing one of our concerts. It felt good to break away from doing programmatic music to playing some straight-up blues and swing and standards." The Duke's gorgeous but rarely played "On a Turquoise Cloud" is a feature for guest violinist Tolling, while his "Mood Indigo"and "Solitude," along with Shearing's "Lullaby of Birdland"and the two Porter tunes, are vehicles for Tiffany Austin's vocals.

Marcus Shelby was born February 2, 1966 in Anchorage, Alaska, moving to Sacramento, California at the age of five. He played the bass as a teenager, but his real passion was for baseball and basketball, earning a college scholarship in the latter. At 22, however, a concert by the Wynton Marsalis Quartet reignited his love of music, and he returned to school at California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) in Valencia, where he studied with Charlie Haden and James Newton.

First gaining attention in Los Angeles as a cofounder (with drummer Willie Jones III) of the hard-bop band Black/Note in the early 1990s, Shelby relocated to San Francisco in 1996. He quickly established himself as an essential creative force on the Bay Area arts scene, leading both the Marcus Shelby Trio and the Marcus Shelby Jazz Orchestra and earning increasingly prestigious commissions from dance companies, theatrical productions, and presenters.

Shelby opened a new chapter with the release of 2006's Port Chicago (Noir), a major orchestral work inspired by the World War II incident that saw 50 young black seamen convicted in the largest mutiny trial in U.S. naval history. Since then he's focused his creative energy on a series of meticulously researched, hard-swinging works exploring African American history, like 2007's Harriet Tubman (Noir) and 2011's Soul of the Movement: Meditations on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (Porto Franco).

Marcus Shelby will perform as Resident Artistic Director at SFJAZZ, 201 Franklin St, San Francisco, Thursday 5/23 through Sunday 5/26. The four-night run will feature the artist in collaborations literary (with Daniel Handler, aka Lemony Snicket), political (with Angela Davis), and Ellingtonian (with Faye Carol, Kenny Washington, and Mads Tolling), along with an evening dedicated to the performance of "Black Ball: The Negro Leagues and the Blues."

Web Site: marcusshelby.com

Pablo Cruise, Michael Paulo & Patrice Rushen Headline Memorial Day Weekend for the 15th Annual Temecula Wine & Music Festival

Pablo Cruise and an all-star band led by Michael Paulo and Patrice Rushen headline the

May 25 event benefiting Boys & Girls Club of Southwest County  

For over forty years, saxophonist Michael Paulo has made a living making records and performing with some of the brightest stars in pop, R&B and jazz, but when he produces events like next month’s Temecula Wine & Music Festival, it’s personal. He’s not only a longtime Murrieta resident, but the festival’s beneficiary, Boys & Girls Club of Southwest County, directly impacts his own family. 

“A few years ago, my youngest daughter, Natasha, volunteered to help out the Club. She came home and said they don't even have supplies for the kids she was working with. We are close friends with one of the founding members who said that they needed help. This is the fifth year that the festival will benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Southwest Riverside County,” said Paulo, whose Apaulo Productions produces the festival that will mark its 15th edition this Memorial Day Weekend.

Taking place on Saturday, May 25 from 12-6pm at Hawk Ranch, Paulo has assembled a diverse international musical lineup along with world-class winemakers. Topping the marquee is platinum-selling pop-rockers Pablo Cruise who are certain to include hits “Love Will Find A Way,” “What You Gonna Do” and “A Place in the Sun” in their set list. Paulo’s relationship with the group dates back many decades." 

Pablo Cruise toured the same circuit I was on during my stint with the Hawaiian rock band Kalapana in the 1970s and 80s,” said the Hawaii native who injects the generous and joyous aloha spirit into everything he does. 

Paulo will team with Grammy nominated jazz/R&B keyboardist-vocalist Patrice Rushen who returns to the festival for an all-star performance that will feature members of contemporary jazz band Hiroshima, Japanese sax man Kanzaki, and some of the finest sidemen in music including bassist Freddie Washington, drummer Michael White and guitarist Fred Schreuders. Paulo’s father, Rene Paulo, will sit in with the ensemble on piano. The first to take the stage will be regal jazz singer Barbara Morrison, who will be accompanied by Japanese guitarist Yu Ooka, keyboardist Kimo Cornwell, trumpeter Ron King, bassist JV Collier, percussionist Arno Lucas and drummer Land Richards. 

Festivalgoers will have the opportunity to partake in some of the region’s finest vintners such as Wilson Creek Winery, Falkner Winery, San Antonio Winery, 14 Hands Winery, Domaine Ste. Michelle, Chateau Ste. Michelle, Columbia Crest, BWSB, Francis Ford Coppola Winery, Drumheller and Murder Ridge.

  

This year’s festival is the second consecutive to take place at Hawk Ranch. “The venue sets the mood for the festival with its scenic park setting nestled among tress and a quaint pond,” said Paulo. 

  

Tickets are on sale now at Tix.com priced at $40 for general admission lawn seats, $55 gold reserved seats, $85 reserved table seating, $95 premium seating up front that provides entrance to an exclusive artist meet & greet reception. Sponsor seating is available for $250 that includes the reception along with complimentary wine and food. 

Paulo’s professional career spans more than forty years, and includes playing alongside Al Jarreau, James Ingram, Patti Austin, Jeffrey Osborne, Kenny Loggins, Johnny Mathis, Peter White, Bobby Caldwell and Rick Braun. Producing and performing at the Temecula Wine & Music Festival is a way he gives back to his community.

  

“Every year, with the help and support of our friends, family and the community, we are able to host our festival. After moving to the Temecula Valley 16 years ago, we are so fortunate to continue this wonderful community event now in its 15th year. Last year, we raised over $14,000 from the festival for the Boys & Girls Club. We are hoping to surpass that this year. We hope everyone will come out and support the festival.”  

For more information, please visit www.temeculawineandmusicfestival.com.

Jazz guitarist Chris Standring reimagines his best for new 'Remixed" album

Over twenty years and twelve albums into his career as a solo artist, chart-topping guitarist Chris Standring had no interest in putting out a typical “best of” album. After a gig, a fan approached him with a novel idea that did get his creative wheels spinning. 

“I had thought about releasing a 'best of' for a long time, but it didn't make a lot of sense because with streaming and downloadable songs, anyone can grab their favorite songs thus a compilation felt a little redundant. But then a fan brought me the idea to take my most popular songs and do something new with them. It's nice to breathe new life into some music that has been around a while,” said Standring who drops “Best of Chris Standring Remixed” on June 21 on the Ultimate Vibe Recordings label. 

The British guitarist remixed eleven songs from his catalogue of instrumental R&B, soul jazz and electronica, including the No. 1 Billboard Contemporary Jazz Track of the Year in 2010, “Bossa Blue,” and a 2014 Billboard No. 1 single, “Sneakin’ Out the Front Door.” According to Standring, the songs for “Best of Chris Standring Remixed” were selected based on two criteria.

  

“First and foremost, the popularity of each track. Most of these songs were heavily searched on the internet. Secondly, songs were chosen based on how each might lend itself to a remix,” said Standring, who will celebrate the album release by performing two shows at the Blue Note Napa in the heart of the Napa Valley on the record release date.

  

The only song not culled from a previous Standring solo album is the 1996 track “Stop It!” from an acid jazz band he was in called Solar System. One of his former bandmates and longtime songwriting partner, Rodney Lee, reconfigured that track along with four others – “Fast Train To Everywhere,” “Liquid Soul,” “Pandora’s Box” and “Sneakin’ Out The Front Door” – adding imaginative bursts of electronic ingenuity over chunky beats. British techno DJ Matt Cooper put a clubby trance vibe on three cuts - “Bossa Blue,” “Oliver’s Twist” and “Ready Steady Flow.” Standring’s only advance directive to Lee and Cooper was “‘Do your thing.’ I didn’t want them to be constrained in any way. And they certainly weren’t.” 

Standring remixed four tracks himself, taking two swings at “Kaleidoscope.” The Neptune Mix 2019 version will be released as a single, collecting playlist adds on July 22. 

Although placed in entirely fresh contexts, Standring’s guitar work throughout “Best of Chris Standring Remixed” – whether playing an electric jazz guitar or nylon-string instrument – remains at the fore, melodically embarking on lyrical runs, dexterous embellishments and impassioned finger-work forays. 

A consistent hitmaker, the classically-trained guitarist basked in the glow of his “Sunlight” album last summer when it went No. 1 on the SmoothJazz.com chart. Standring notched three No. 1 Billboard singles the previous year, including duets with trumpeter Cindy Bradley (“Category A”) and two-time Grammy-winning guitarist Paul Brown (“Piccadilly Circus”). He was a first-call session player when he first came to America, recording with Jody Watley and Bebe & Cece Winans among many others before touring extensively with trumpeter Rick Braun. 

In addition to playing spot dates such as a two-night Memorial Day Weekend stand (May 24 & 25) at Seal Beach’s Spaghettini, Standring will spend the year working on an album of all new music for release next year. In the meantime, he’s eager for people to hear his best material in an all-new way.     

      

“My hope is that everyone embraces the experimentation that took place and simply loves it.”

“Best of Chris Standring Remixed” contains the following songs:

“Stop It!” (Mercury Mix 2019)

“Fast Train To Everywhere” (Jupiter Mix 2019)

“Bossa Blue” (Outside Mix 2019)

“Kaleidoscope” (Neptune Mix 2019)

“Liquid Soul” (Venus Mix 2019)

“Pandora’s Box” (Saturn Mix 2019)

“Sneakin’ Out The Front Door” (Earth Mix 2019)

“Soul Express” (Love Mix 2018)

“Oliver’s Twist” (Outside Mix 2012)

“Constellation” (Galaxy Mix 2018)

"Ready Steady Flow” (Outside Mix 2019)

“Kaleidoscope” (Cake Mix 2019)

http://www.chrisstandring.com

MINDI ABAIR AND THE BONESHAKERS RELEASE THIRD STUDIO ALBUM "NO GOOD DEED"

Mindi Abair and the Boneshakers live, eat and breathe music as a collective — it’s their oxygen. Add to that a balanced mix of diverse musical backgrounds, big personalities and the bond of mutual respect coupled with friendship, and what transpires in the recording studio is sonic magic. It’s that kind of chemistry that the Los Angeles-based band has righteously captured and parlayed into their third studio album, No Good Deed, which is set for release on June 28, 2019 on Abair’s Pretty Good For A Girl Records.

Featuring an enthralling array of original material along with some cleverly reworked covers of songs from the Rascals, Etta James and others, No Good Deedis the band’s most multidimensional album to date and reflects the longtime camaraderie between the Boneshakers’ Randy Jacobs (guitar and vocals), Rodney Le e(keys), Ben White (bass, vocals) and Third Richardson (drums, vocals) and lead vocalist and award-winning saxophonist Mindi Abair. Not only does the album showcase the band members’ diverse talents and knack for creating music that is undeniably evocative and irrepressibly energetic; this time they’ve peeled back the layers to reveal more of their respective influences, unleashing unbridled infusions of punk, jazz and blues.

It took only five days to recordthe album, which was done at the legendary EastWest Studios in Hollywood. Acclaimed producer Kevin Shirley (Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, Joe Bonamassa), who had worked with the band on their first studio record, The EastWest Sessions, returned once again. Going into the studio, the band already knew what they wanted to do, didn’t overthink things, and let creative inspiration and adrenaline lead them — a methodology that’s not new to them.

“It’s really the way that we love to make records,” says Abair. “We’re all in the studio at the same time and we’re really cognizant of how we want to capture and keep that spirit, that energy, that chemistry — because sometimes you can lose it after playing through a song too many times — it's just not the same, because you're thinking about it too much.”

The original material featured onNo Good Deedtakes a journey along the mood and energy spectrum — defiance and decisiveness meet remorse and reflection for a seductive, energizing and intoxicating romp, all propelled by the work of phenomenal musicians: Jacobs’ amped up and versatile lead guitar, White’s pumping baselines, Lee’s jazz-inspired keyboard virtuosity, Richardson’s expansive command of the drums and cymbals and Abair’s gripping vocals and untouchable mastery of the saxophone.

“No Good Deed Goes Unpunished” is the second track on the record and was penned by Abair, Jacobs and Dave Yaden. With the explosive amped-up energy it radiates, it is sure to induce stadium-style foot stomping and hand clapping. The bluesy, richly textured “Who’s Gonna Save My Soul” was written by Abair and Tyrone Stevens and is a haunting dig through the wreckage of love lost and the attempt to reclaim inner strength. Abair’s imploring lament “I’ve got more life to live but I’m lost and alone, I’ll find my strength to get by, make it on my own” adds a stirring, soul-searching dimension to the song. On “Bad News” Richardson plays a cut crystal glass instead of a triangle to produce an alluring tingle. Coupled with Abair’s gritty sax riffs, it further enforces the song’s smoky, sultry vibe which transports the listener to a dark bar where it’s easy to hide until “the bad news has arrived, it’s closing time.” “Movin’ On” showcases the band’s affinity for quintessential, in-your-face rock as they deliver a headbanging, no-holds-barred anthem that gets a thunderous boost from Jacobs’ meaty guitar playing and Abair’s ‘hell yeah’ attitude as she declares she’s “movin’ on like a gypsy vagabond, let the past be the past — it’s dead, I’m gone.”

When choosing covers for the album, Abair says they opted for material from some of their favorite iconic R&B and rock artists. The album’s opening song is the old school sizzler “Seven Day Fool,” written by Billy Davis and made famous by Etta James. Richardson joins Abair on Ike and Tina Turner’s scorching hot rock duet “Baby Get It On” which closes out the album while the deceptively upbeat “Good Day for the Blues” dances in the middle.

Shirley threw his hat in the ring by sending Abair the original 1964 recording of the Young Rascals’ “You Better Run” (later made into a mega hit by Pat Benatar). “It’s an amazing song,” says Abair. “You can’t help but bob your head up and down and rock out! Kevin thought that with the power and muscle in this band — Randy on guitar — it could be just in your face fun to record.” 

Before she and the Boneshakers were a band, Mindi Abair had already made her mark as an award-winning sax player, with two Grammy nominations and eight records to her credit. Her edgy, contemporary style of playing was widely sought after by bands like Aerosmith and Duran Duran — both of whom she toured with extensively.

Abair first met Jacobs at a gig where she witnessed him do a back flip off the stage and into the audiences without missing a chord change. Jacobs, who played in Bonnie Raitt’s band and Was Not Was, became a regular player on her solo records, but it was later, when Abair sat in with the Boneshakers at the Newport Beach Jazz Festival in 2014, that the two musical forces became one. 

“We’ve got a lot of years together as a band,” says Abair. “And what you hear on No Good Deeddrips of me and the Boneshakers but also unveils variations of where the band can go. We pushed into other spaces that we’re really comfortable in — we just hadn’t showed them to the world yet.”

The band tapped renowned visual artist Nick Egan to design the album’s cover art (which they’re keeping under wraps until the album drops). Egan’s portfolio features a who’s who of talent, from the Sex Pistols to Oasis to INXS. “Great art just amplifies great music and it was incredible to work with my friend Nick,” says Abair. “He captured our spirit so completely with this album cover and art — It’s amazing.”

Tour dates:

• Thurs., April 4   BOSTON, MA City Winery
• Fri., April 5  WESTHAMPTON BEACH, NY   Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center
• Sat., April 6 ROCKVILLE CENTRE, NY  The Madison Theatre at Molloy College
• Sun., April 7 PAWLING, NY  Daryl’s House
• Thurs., April 25THE WOODLANDS, TX   Dosey Doe
• Fri.-Sat., April 26-27 AUSTIN, TX  The One World Theatre
• Thurs., May 30  SARATOGA, CA  Montalvo Arts Center
• Thurs., June 6  ALEXANDRIA, VA The Birchmere
• Fri., June 7  ANNAPOLIS, MD Rams Head Tavern
• Sat., June 8    HAVRE DE GRACE, MD Havre de Grace Jazz & Blues Festival
• Fri., June 14  DENVER, CO  Soiled Dove
• Sat., June 15  SALT LAKE CITY, UT Utah Blues Festival
• Tues., June 18  GAS CITY, IN  Gas City Concerts In The Park
• Sat., Aug. 3   MAMMOTH LAKES, CA  Bluesapalooza Mammoth Festival of Beers
• Sat., Aug 10  LEXINGTON, KY. Kentucky Horse Park
• Thurs., Aug 15  VALPARAISO, IN Memorial Opera House
• Fri., Aug 16  CHICAGO, IL City Winery Chicago
• Sat., Aug 17  ANN ARBOR, MI  Ann Arbor Blues Fest
• Fri., Aug 30  FT WORTH, TX  Music Fest at South Fork Ranch
• Sat., Oct 19  AKRON, OH  Tangier - Cabaret Room
• Sat., Oct 26 to Nov 2  MEXICAN RIVIERA  Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise
• Fri.-Sun., Nov 15-17 PUNTA GORDA, FL Mindi Abair’s Punta Gorda Wine + Music Festival
• Sat., Nov 23  READING, PA  Reading Blues Festival

Mindi Abair and the Boneshakers on the web:

Website: https://www.mindiabair.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MindiAbair/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MindiAbair/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MindiAbair/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/officialmindiabair/

Jr Walker & The All Stars: Walk In The Night – The Motown 70s Studio Albums (3-CD Set)

New set includes the following albums: A Gasssss; Rainbow Funk; Moody Jr; Peace & Understanding; Jr Walker & The All Stars; and Hot Shot).

6 Motown albums from Jr Walker & The All Stars – all long overdue for reissue! First up is A Gasssss – a gas of a record from Jr Walker & The All Stars – a set that has the magical Johnny Bristol producing – giving the group this really warm, soaring sound that's totally great! Walker still serves up plenty of strong tenor solos, but there's also some vocal currents in the mix – strong leads at times, but also some nice backups too – all of which really helps to keep things soaring! Titles a nice mix of Motown covers and original material – and titles include "I Was Made To Love Her", "Do You See My Love", "And When I Die", "Honey Come Back", "Holly Holy", "Riding High On Love", "At A Saturday Matinee", and "Groove & Move". 

Next up is Rainbow Funk – a record that definitely has Jr Walker & The All Stars picking up a bit of funk – but in a groove that still mixes things with that warmly soulful glow the group had right from the start! The basslines are definitely up a bit from before – although not rumbling in Norman Whitfield territory – and the sax solos get a bit more space to stretch out and bite on the longer numbers, but often with a bit of backing vocals to warm things up around the edges! Jr is great all the way through – Motown's very strong answer to King Curtis – and titles include "Right On Brothers & Sisters", "Way Back Home", "Feeling Alright", "Psychedelic Shack", "Pieces Of A Man", and "Teach Them To Pray". 

Moody Jr is a sweet early 70s groover from Jr Walker & The All Stars – a set that reunites the group with producer Johnny Bristol, who always has a great way of helping them set fire to their sound! Walker and company may have shot from the gate with a mix of R&B tenor and Motown soul – but the sound here is much more in the latter, more matured mode of the label – with strong deep soul lyrics on a number of cuts, which are balanced out nicely by Bristol's fuller production. There's plenty of sax solos too, of course – and titles include "Way Back Home", "Bristol's Way", "Don't Blame The Children", "Me & My Family", "Still Water Medley", and "Groove Thang". 

Peace & Understanding is a record that has Jr Walker and the group stepping out with some of the righteous touches promised in the title – partly in the choice of songs on the set, which are all nicely tucked into that strong mix of deep soul vocals and saxophone lines that had become the Jr Walker groove! The set features work from a number of different arrangers – all the hipper side of Motown in the early 70s, as the list includes, Willie Hutch, Gene Page, and James Carmichael – and tunes include two great originals, one by Hutch, one by Leon Ware. Tracks include "It's Alright Do What You Gotta Do", "Soul Clappin'", "Gimme that Beat (parts 1 & 2)", "It's Too Late", and "Peace & Understanding Is Hard To Find". 

The self-titled Jr Walker & The All Stars album is maybe the rarest in the bunch – an obscure UK-only record from 1974, and one that has the group's usual approach warmed up by some more ambitious arrangements – a bit like the direction some of the vocal acts of the 70s were taking at the time! The production on most of the set is by Clarence Paul – and there's mostly a focus on the saxophone, not any vocals at all – which makes the set feel a bit like some of the Willis Jackson or Lou Donaldson work for Atlantic around the same time – or maybe even a bit like Hank Crawford on Kudu. Titles include "Boogie Down", "All In Love Is Fair", "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life", "Break Down & Sing", and "Dancin Like They Do On Soul Train". 

Hot Shot is a mid-70s stormer from Jr Walker & The All Stars – a set that glides along on a fuller set of backdrops than before, with Holland-Dozier-Holland production from Brian Holland returning to Motown – but in a hip 70s style that has strings and funk dancing along in a great way beneath the strong sax solos in the lead! There's a bit of vocals on the record, but the real strength lies in the instrumentation – especially some of the weirder, fuzzier guitar lines and keyboards. Titles include "Why Can't We Be Lovers", "Hot Shot", "Probe Your Mind", "I Need You Right Now", and "You Ain't No Ordinary Woman". ~ Dusty Groove