Music Reviews
Show: New reviews | Artists beginning with: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 0-9 | Compilations
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Lekan Babalola - Songs Of Icons |
| Mr Bongo Recordings |
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| I've been lucky enough to have had a copy of 'Songs Of Icons' for over a year now and I thought it was time to write a review. The singles 'Asokere', 'Oba Awon Oba' and next up 'Kabioye' have been very well received with remixes from IG Culture, Afronaught, Mark De-Clive Lowe and Restless Soul. These are all ace but it's the originals that you'll keep going back to. I'm not sure all 12 tracks will make it to the final release but whichever tracks see the light of day, this will be an essential purchase. Lekan has played on percussion with some of the finest musicians known to man; Roy Ayers, Pharaoh Sanders, Miles Davis and Fela Kuti. It's no surprise 'Songs Of Icons' is very heavily influenced by his upbringing in Nigeria and jamming with the legends, giving us a mix of tribal rhythms with some wonderful brass solos and hooks. Highlights for me are 'Oososi', 'Oya', 'Ide Osun' and of course the singles mentioned above, which of course you'll already own. Half-way through writing this review I received notification this will be released by the end of 2005, fingers crossed. Simon Harrison, 11/05 |
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Leleo - Maravilhas |
| Acid Jazz |
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| A star in Brazil since the days of Banda Bel and where he’s worked with a lot of big names like Gilberto Gil, Leleo is now resident in London where he’s been ripping it up with DJ sets as well as band sets (his band is same name as this CD). The CD however was recorded in Copacabana and brings Leleo’s acid samba style up to date, with the trademark Brazilian samba and bossa rhythms getting a base of beats, to get those feet stirring into dance floor action. Very good. Graham Radley, 06/08 |
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Leon Ware - Moon Ride |
| Stax Records |
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| I get the feeling that folks don’t realize just how influential Leon Ware has been to soul music. His contributions began during the height of Motown where among his credits is co-writer of Michael Jackson’s “I wanna be where you are” and the sensual Marvin Gaye album “I want you”. Still, his singing and songwriting remains relevant today. His latest release, “Moonride” is a collection of his signature compositions of melodic and lyrical love music. Leon has been quite busy recently working with the likes of Jazzanova, Liquid Spirits and countless others. Fortunately he saved plenty of good music for his own release. Leon’s falsetto voice is in peak form on tracks like “Hold Tight”, a tender, dreamy ballad that is a delightful listen. “I never loved so much” is an engaging lush down-tempo soothing track. “A whisper away” is another lush gem that features warm latin grooves that make you think of summer. The fact that this is Leon’s first major label release in two decades is a testament to his craft of creating timeless love music. “Moon ride” will certainly satisfy fans of his music as well as those that enjoy warm intimate music for the soul. Reg Dancy, 01/09 |
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Lewis McCallum - Syntheology |
| Finch Studios |
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| Lewis McCallum’s background is rooted in jazz but it’s his love of beats that make his records stand out. His latest release, “Syntheology” is no exception. Lewis’s synth flavored compositions on this disc are more progressive than on his debut “Wake”. As a result the groove is a little edgier but the vocals are still satisfying and the instrumentals are very funky. Speaking of vocalists, let’s start with Deva Mahal, who blesses the modern funky “Take A Step Back”. “Tales of Mingus” is a wicked instrumental that displays Lewis’s wizardry at beat programming. The track “New Someone feat Tama Walpara” is a high energy soulful house track that would feel right at home in a club. “Deviate” feat. Cherie Mathieson is a clearly one of the strongest tracks here. This is a great example of funky instrumentation and smoothing vocals merging together. There are many records rely solely on digital programming yet “Syntheology” still maintains a soulful quality, largely because the vocalists on board. Lewis is already well known in his native New Zealand but he is certain to build a bigger audience with this impressive effort.
Reg Dancy, 07/10 |
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Life Force - Fearless Warriors |
| Sonorama Records |
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| Originally released in very small quantities on the private Numu Numu label in 1981 'Fearless Warriors' was the debut recording by Life Force, an Atlanta based group founded by Joe Jennings and Howard Nicholson. Thanks to Sonorama this spiritual jazz-fusion rarity now gets a welcome reissue. The set sits somewhere between Pharoah Sanders and Jeff Lorber's early material and features the solid mid-tempo grooves 'Wow', 'Sister Bea' and the brilliant title track plus the bright and breezy 'To Pharaoh With Love', an awesome jazz dancer which should find favour at nights such as Messin' Around and The Jazz Rooms. Andy Allen, 12/07 |
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Lionel Loueke - Karibu |
| Blue Note |
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| Benin born guitarist Lionel Loueke made a name for himself on the concert circuit and was spotted by none other than Herbie Hancock who championed his talents and passed on the good word to trumpeter Terence Blanchard who in turn used Loueke's services. Subsequently Loueke has released a trio of well received albums on the independent label Obliquesound, gaining a reputation in France, before moving to Blue Note for this big label debut. In recent years African artists and jazz have enjoyed a fruitful relationship with Richard Bona and the Kora Jazz Trio being just two of the more successful ventures and Dee Dee Bridgewater returning the compliment in the opposite direction. For 'Karibu' Loueke plays in a tight trio and, with the exception of three standards, pens all the other compositions. What immediately strikes is the degree of improvisation and abstraction to many of the pieces and their freshness, notably the radical reworking of the standard 'Skylark' which is one of the album's highlights. On a couple of numbers Loueke enlists the support of Hancock and Wayne Shorter. It is the latter who contributes a gorgeous soprano sax solo to Coltrane's 'Naima' which features lovely percussion. Loueke's playing has a melodic folksy feel in parts and with scat vocals a la George Benson, he may in time gain popularity outside jazz circles. Perhaps, his own compositions could veer less towards the abstract and stress both the African and Brazilian influences which he was exposed to as a youth, but there is no questioning the promise of talent on offer, nor the rapport between Loueke and the other musicians. The duet with Hancock on 'Seven teens' is worth the admission price alone. A very promising future beckons for Loueke. Tim Stenhouse, 04/08 |
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Liquid Spirits - Music |
| Kindred Spirits |
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| Liquid Spirits are an 8-piece band, consisting of drums, guitar, bass, keys and four vocalists, and, under the stewardship of producers Manuel Hugas and Wilboud Burkens, they make pure, unadulterated Soul music of the highest order. There is something of Kindred The Family Soul in their sound, as well as a touch of Acid Jazz along the lines of The Brand New Heavies, but there are no scratches, no samples, no drum machines; just real people singing and playing instruments. Even when Phonte, of Little Brother fame, pops up on the wonderful, Tribe-like ‘If You Don’t Love Me’, the grooves are understated and organic, but always, always funky. Elsewhere, Leon Ware adds to the feeling of overall authenticity with a performance truly befitting a legendary vocal veteran of his calibre. The album’s not quite perfect, for it displays a tendency to occasionally stray into syrupy, lounge territory, but to complain here would be to split hairs. Any Soul fan worth their salt will definitely want to give this a whirl and I’m guessing that most will be extremely pleased that they did. Tom Breslin, 02/09 |
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Lizzy Parks - Raising The Roof |
| Tru Thoughts Recordings |
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| Tru-thoughts has a new songbird on their roster and her name is Lizzy Parks. The promise that Lizzy displayed on her 2005 release “Watching Space” is shining through on “Raising The Roof”. With production from Ben Lamdin of Nostalgia 77, you know that the musicianship here is top notch. In addition, Riaan Vosloo does masterful job on string arrangements. As for Ms Parks, she displays a sultry voice and flawless phrasing on this eleven track disc. The disc starts out with the title track, what immediately stands out is the synergy that exists within Lizzy and the trio, particularly the crisp playing on double bass and the sparse drum beat. On a great sound system you would think you were at a live concert. Lizzy shows that she can groove on the soul jazz tune “All That”, a swinging tune that is aided by the funky riffs of the Hammond B-3 organ. On “Prayer”, Lizzy’s voice is so tender and yet so powerful as she weaves through an orchestral aesthetic of wonderful soundscapes. This is a climatic ending for a wonderful record that should catapult Lizzy to star status. Highly recommended.
Reg Dancy, 10/08 |
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Lone - Lemurian |
| Dealmaker Records |
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| As Nottingham’s answer to Flying Lotus, Lone is an expert in the field of surreal, off kilter, wonky-tonk Hip Hop beats and with song titles like ‘Green Sea Pageant’, ‘Sea Spray’ and ‘Buried Coral Banks’ it is hardly a major surprise that much of his work evokes a warm and unmistakably oceanic feeling. Every sound has been tweaked, compressed and manipulated to within an inch of its life, creating the slightly unnerving, but nevertheless very welcome, sensation that the music (without wanting to borrow too heavily from Alan Partridge’s ‘Deep Bath’ metaphor) really is just washing over you. You get the idea. This is top-drawer ambient, electronic music and the initial comparisons with Boards of Canada are altogether justified. Tom Breslin, 10/08 |
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Lou Donaldson - Here 'Tis |
| Blue Note Records |
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| Lou Donaldson made his reputation largely on the basis of soul jazz recordings such as this. While he would later enjoy commercial success with 'Alligator Boogaloo', this album from 1961 is a superior example of the organ jazz format with five extended pieces. Accompanied by Grant Green on guitar and the under-recorded Baby Face Willette on hammond organ, the quartet cooks on the gospel influenced title track with Willette excelling. Green expands upon the standard 'Foggy Day' and Donaldson himself has his finest hour on the Charlie Parker tune 'Cool Blues' with driving support from organ and drums. An album that truly puts the soul into jazz.
Tim Stenhouse, 05/08 |
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