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Reel People: Seven Ways To Wonder [Papa Records]
If you are only just coming down from the happy heights their "Second Guess" album elevated you to, then rest assure this new offering is going to catapult you back there. Reel People have collaborated with the likes of Omar, Vanessa Freeman, Imaani, Tony Momrelle, Joy Rose and Dyanna Fearon to keep you in the happy zone both on this release and the forthcoming concert. An early summer sounding soul album, due to hit the shops the back end of February, and presented live for you at The Jazz Cafe on Thursday 7th February 2008 www.jazzcafe.co.uk, is destined for acceptance across the board from the soul jazz that is "Ordinary Man" through the Neo Soul that is "Anything You Want" to the jumpy "It will Be" and "High" that the broken soul lovers will adore and no album fillers here folks, just pure quality! This is Britain at its best, an album stamped with longevity and oozing passion, inhaling the best possible soulful oxygen and exhaling a progressive masterpiece with the album"s anthem tracks "Outta Love" and "Upside" destined for greatness at Southport while "Love Is Where You Are" and "Amazing" hitting every Modern Soul dance floor throughout the North. Don"t let this slip you by, make the space on your shelf now and insert a card that says "Insert Reel Music Here" and get your best dancing shoes polished ready for the live album launch at The Jazz Cafe, London and bring your banner "OMAR FOR MAYOR OF LONDON". "Seven Ways To Wonder": Just what ears were put on your head for.
Shuya Okino: United Legends replayed by Sleep Walker [Geneon Records]
Modal. Jazz. Unbelievable. Sleep Walker are brought on board to remake the "United Legends" album from this time last year and for all but a few notable vocals by way of Carleen Anderson, Clara Hill, Navasha Days, Yukimi Nagano and Josh Milan you would think this was a brand new Sleep Walker release. Full on jazz encased by the now expected perfect packaging only the Japanese seem to provide us. Just good music. Oh, I nearly forgot…. CD 2 is instrumentals… now that’s cleaver.
AL Kent presents The Million Dollar Orchestra: Better Days [BBE Music]
When did you imagine disco died? Wrong! Because it happens sometime after 2008 and The Million Dollar Orchestra are here to prove just that. Creative, refreshing, gutsy disco blinders from start to finish. If you are bored with the way some of the genres have been heading then pick this album up and stimulate the parts of the brain usually left for alcohol and wickedness. Best of 2008? Here we come and you had better step aside!
Various Artists: Strange Breaks & Mr Thing Compiled by Mr Thing [BBE Music]
Straight off the back of the label’s "Strange Games" compilation comes this onslaught of funky cuts from artists like Chain Reaction, Steve Smith and The Honey Dippers. Just when you thought the vaults and collections of some of the world’s best record collectors and labels must be nearing exhaustion arrives on the scene another, somewhat superior, gem. If you are feeling the many comps on this tip then this will not disappoint, and for those who otherwise steer clear, Mr Thing includes "Boogie Man" by The Crystal Mansion the dog’s nuts of folk funk!! Don’t hesitate; get your dry roasted funk here.
Raheem DeVaughn: Love Behind the Melody [Jive Records]
Other than the well placed use of Floetry on "Marathon" there is but one worthy track, that of the two-stepper "Love Drug". The rest? Well let’s say it is in a field where players are plentiful and skill sparse. Let’s hope Jive can produce something for the Premier League later in the year.
The 4orce: Mind the Gap Anthems Vol.2 [BBE Music]
BBE and the UK’s Producer and MC Steve Ellington join forces to give us this live offering from someone better known for remixing joints by Common, LL Cool J, and Buster Rhymes. On this British Hip Hop monster we are treated to a very soulful set of thirteen tracks helped along the way by Pete Cherry, Tim Baxter and Phoebe One and the most samples.. You will be racking your memory banks listening! Particular favourite here is "Precise Precision" for its soulfulness. Those looking for something harder should head straight to "Magnificent". Top marks for this release – quality hip hop CAN come without explicit lyrics.
Makossa + Megablast: Kunuaka [G-stone Recordings]
After 20 successful compilations in the last ten years Makossa’s heritage sits tight beneath this album, with hard beats and subtle tones. The collaboration here with Megablast works like some music mad conjoined twins permanently in the studio together. This is a breath of fresh air including two of the tuffest tunes so far this year – ‘Kunuaka’ and ‘Mama’. Give this release your undivided attention as its place in your collection is just.
Eva Be: Moving Without Traveling [Sonar Kollektiv]
This little Reggae infused dubfest glides along through all manner of guests and is more typical of Ninja Tunes than of Sonar Kollektiv releases. One of those love it or hate it albums. For my special moments try skipping to ‘Speakeasy’ and ‘Zerrdub’ for maximum effect.
Antonio Adolfo, Brazil & Brazuka: Destiny [Far Out Recordings]
My mind told me ‘re-issue’, my mind expected to hear a bright, sharp sounding album full of 60’s and 70’s discoloured and poorly recorded batch of MPB… how wrong it was. I popped the album into the player and sat back wondering why I had overlooked this artist and how Far Out were to play such a significant roll in my musical life.
WOW! – the first track made way for an abundance of wonderful Brasilian music.. so I decided to then read the sleeve notes. Simply said this album is the way Far Out Recordings allowed Antonio Adolfo a means to record brand new music in the style he was best known for in a modern day studio. A fresh clear beautiful sound was the product and the release. I love this album and “Luizao” is just one of the outstanding pieces on here. Great music.
Trilok Gurtu: Twenty Years Of Talking Tabla [Manteca]
Spanning a most significant period in jazz, Trilok’s fusion with the likes of Don Cherry, Pharaoh Sanders, Jan Garbarek and John McLaughlin are just some of the amazing musicians he has worked with and presented in this milestone release.
Trilok’s Tabla work on this release does not highlight his excellence but rather shows how he compliments other musicians creating a soundscape of jazz rather than indo-jazz as found with other musicians. For those of you unfamiliar with his work this would make for a great window into his world. Other recommended releases by Trilok are 1990’s ‘Living Magic’, ‘African Fantasy’ from 2000 and my particular fave ‘Miles_Gurtu’ from 2004. Either way you play it, there is some great music with this man behind it and in front – go explore the world that is Trilok Gurtu.
Democustico: Democustico [Far Out Recordings]
Firstly I must warn you… there is a dark, filthy, nasty world where Seiji has trodden and from where he has discovered the East-Mental Vocal remix that is far too dangerous for you to encounter… better we confine ourselves to the project that is ‘The Album’ as safety is paramount.
You may have read that the album is a fusion between Brasilian and Asian kaleidoscopes – well even that is a little misleading. FarOut produce some great releases, of which this is one, but with a clear Brasilian umbrella covering their catalogue, so that’s where I want you to position yourselves. This is as elegant as you would expect of Joyce; this is as dramatic as you would expect of Grupo Batuque; and this is as gripping as you would expect of Azymuth.
Gabriela Geluda’s songs are full of timbre and warmth on all eleven pieces here, ‘Grito’ is powerful stuff indeed (and perhaps why Seiji has picked up on it and…. lets not go there!). ‘Vega-Lume’ is the band’s most recognisable offering and worthy of its place in 2006 alone, ‘Rejoycing’ is a great bossa splash and ‘Nunca Never’ is quirky and jumpy – a sit up a take note kind of tune.. Great.
So where indeed does Democustico take the listener? For me, who revels in all things Brasilian, it’s a class offering from a great label with ever so subtle touches of tambura, pandeiro, rain sticks, bells and cleaver programming, courtesy of Roc Hunter, providing me with an album that will last and last, and something I am confident you would agree with. For those who need a little more encouraging… listen to ‘Pera’, listen also to ‘Brasil’ and tell me I’m wrong!
Grand Union: Through The Green Fuse [People Tree Records]
What’s more of a challenge – to be given an album you enjoy to review or to be logical and constructive about something you are not that all too sure about? For most, music is good music to somebody, if only the creator of the music. Let’s therefore try to be constructive about an album I love, about a band that when playing live are exciting and maybe even about a band that shines above many in this year’s bombardment of quality releases as, dare I say it, the year end is neigh.
The jazz critic: ‘Morning Brings The Light’ comes at you like some unearthed Gilles Peterson discovery. Flute and vocals with amazing rhythm, with complex yet almost basic ideas associated with labels like MPS and Impulse. How have they managed to create this familiarity in today’s age of technology? Perhaps, no, simply the best piece of jazz for me this year.
A world music perspective: ‘I Remember My Life like A Story’ blasts you with Balkan violin madness, gypsy almost but somewhere before you reach Tango.and for ‘John Riley’ an invoking Irish love song only to clear the way for ‘One Bright Day’, a folk up-tempo groove with sparks of almost Senegalese undertones. Clever and enjoyable.
So why all the excitement? The band stepped on stage to the words "welcome to a night of folk music".. And that is where the balance of the album sits you – smack in the middle of some outstanding jazz orientated folk. ‘Jane Jane’ is an impressive composition, so too ‘Wonderful World’, aired on the aforementioned Mr. Peterson’s Worldwide programme. Add to that the fact that our very own Sammy Goulbourn’s The Other Side show has featured several offerings from the album too should be a clear guide to its standing.
This studio album is a must and I implore the reader to see the band perform live for they are truly a strong part of our ever changing movement with all things jazz in this country.
Huba: Huba [Jupiter Records]
My first encounter with Huba came after picking up two other releases on the Jupiter label; an album by Fly and one by Teddy Rok Seven. This led me on to the Quintessence album followed by Jukka Eskola… the link? Finland!
Nothing could quite prepare me for Huba’s 12″ release ‘Mary’ – heavy vinyl – heavy tune. Perfect music.
The word spread and all the right faces soon had the twelve in their collection, but then what? Well for me it all went a little too quiet for my liking until… the album – delight, expectation, nervousness, enthusiasm, even celebration as the opening ‘Mary’ floods the memory banks with euphoria. So I sit, late on a mild November night, headphones tight and volume… yeh! Just right.
Each of the twelve compositions blend beautifully from one to the next, no disruption, fantastic musicianship prominent and wonderful exciting ideas clear…. ouch ‘Brave & Strong’ smacks you centre face – invigorating soulful and powerful.
What next? Funky licks with ‘Who’s Got The Nerve’, a monster of a tune that gets the pulses racing, and then jazz with the vocal stamp of authority that is Huba. A great groover and a serious contender for a 12″ release in the New Year me thinks. So what’s the verdict? Well for those of you not familiar with Huba need this simply for ‘Mary’ – those of you that oh-so-big-step in front will die for ‘Like Sly Says’ and ‘Summer Morn’, but for me.. where the money is? Well it’s all about ‘Natural High’ the most soulful tune since the year 1979… tears appear. A happy man am I. This gets full marks and then some.
Fink: Biscuits for Breakfast [Ninja Tune]
Ahhhh, if I were asked to review albums like this every day of every week I would truly be a contented soul. The blues has not be represented this strongly since Ernesto’s ‘A New Blues’ album last year (Exceptional Records). Acoustic bliss with someone who actually knows how to produce his own album – precise imagery and colour make this a zero fatigue treat for the ears and a welcome relief for the speakers who have been missing John Martyn dearly. Nothing can quite replace the sound of musicians playing instruments in a rather overwhelming electronic world of jazz and soul music. ‘Pretty Little Thing’ opens the proceedings where you will find yourself settling back into the armchair for what becomes a wonderful and refreshing project. Fink touch all the rite spots with ‘You Gotta Choose’, ‘Biscuits’ and their re-work of ‘All Cried Out’ is a remarkable concept, highlighting a true experience for the listener and clearly identifying their writing skills. The Blues – but not a dead dog in sight! An amazing album.
Zero dB: Bongos, Bleeps & Basslines [Ninja Tune]
Moving on in spirit and body from Fluid Ounce, Zero dB join forces with Ninja Tune and with a little help on the mental ‘Coisa de Gringo’ and ‘A Pomba Girou’ Heidi Vogal; to bring forth a major statement on the nu-jazz and broken beat platform that is the year 2006.
We like this. It does what it was meant to do – blow you! Broken madness, samba rhythms and the all important jazz… bring it and bring it loud. Beat heads and Chelsea Taxis alike will die for ‘Know What I’m Sayin’, then you have ‘A Pomba Girou’ which has been tried and tested on every notable dance-floor the world over and ‘Conga Madness’ sticks its arse out to the dons-of-the-broken beat-scene and messes up their supremacy. Step aside for the bongo, bleep and bassline haecceity will destroy.
‘Tw Quiero’ provides the favela treatment, showing Zero dB’s multi-talented capabilities through a powerful album which should adorn every worldwide music collection. The best thing since vinification.