Chances are, if you’re reading this then you’re like many of the World Wide Family members. You rely on taste masters like Gilles Peterson to showcase the hidden gems you would otherwise miss out on. Well Vol.1 of the World Wide family mixtape series provides just that, twenty seven tracks ranging from house to soul to dub step to quench your thirst for progressive new music. Instead of Gilles doing the heavy lifting, the job has been placed in the capable hands of world renowned DJ’s Lefto and Simbad. Lefto compiled the mixup for disc 1and serenades us with a slice of electronica with “Meeting Point” by Damage Is Done. The Brass Roots funky horn cover of Inner City’s “Good Life” was easily one of my favorite singles of 2010.  Not to be outdone, Simbad serves up some equally hot joints on disc 2 with the rhythmic jazz of Afrikan Sciences and Kebbi’s “5 Spot”. Seiji’s “The King” is a tasty house track with wicked drumbeats that ignite instant toe tapping. There are many more tunes that you’ll want to add to your rotation so treat yourself and purchase now. Who knows? By the time you’re done Vol.2 could be on the way. That would be good news indeed.

Reg Dancy

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It’s one thing to have a prolific voice on the bass but in the case of the multi-talented Esperanza Spalding, she can equally captivate you with her vocal chops as well. That is readily apparent on her release “Esperanza”, a sparkling project that fuses Latin, Brazilian and World music rhythms in a jazz formula. Esperanza arrived at Berklee college with much fanfare and soon became one of their youngest teachers there. However the desire to record a project with her personal stamp clearly outweighed the classroom and it’s easy to see why. Her disc opens with the melancholy “Ponta De Areia”, a  tune originally penned by Milton Nascimento. The original version was a folk flavored tune but Spalding transforms it into a dreamy melodic gem. “I Adore You” is energetic Latin jazz piece that showcases her scatting prowess over a gorgeous piano melody. “Cuerpo Y Alma” (Body And Soul) finds Esperanza swinging in a bebop 5/4 beat while singing in Spanish with impressive results. With a recording  as strong as this, the buzz surrounding Esperanza clearly has merit. It will be exciting to watch her career evolve and experience the fruits of her recordings along the way.

Reg Dancy

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A true artist isn’t content to drive along the same path. Once the bow has been tied on the last project, they’ve taken a new road in pursuit of new musical horizons. In the case of Esperanza Spalding she has shifted from the spirited funky “Esperanza” to the acoustic “Chamber Music Society” and the results are heartfelt compositions filled with superb performances. Because of its intimate nature, chamber music has been described as the music of friends and she has filtered this disc with an array of talented musicians such as Milton Nascimento, drummer Terri Lynn Carrington and others. The opener “Little Fly”, a poetic tune with strings that was inspired by artist William Blake. “Chacarera”, composed by pianist Leo Genovese, finds Esperanza singing in a vocalese style over the engaging melodies created by Genovese and cellist Dave Eggar. “Apple Blossom” is an emotive if not somber piece where Spalding’s vocal harmonies are interwoven with Nascimento’s baritone phrasing. “Inutil Paisagem” is a tender duet between Esperanza and Gretchen Parlato that captures their  vocal dexterity. Parlato’s clever hand percussion playing intertwines beautifully with Spalding subtle bass riffs. You’re not going to find “Esperanza pt 2” within this recording but you will find a disc filled with warm and peaceful melodies that resonate within you. In addition they provide a snapshot of Spalding’s diverse talents.

Reg Dancy

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Having apprenticed with the likes of the band Sekoya and the soulful dance grooves of producer Opolopo, songstress Amalia is ready to spread her wings with her funk deluxe debut “Art Slave”. With production mainly from Opplopo excluding the remixes by AtJazz, AD Bourke and Son Of Kick, “Art Slave” is inspired by the 80’s electro soul period and there are several tracks that will transport you to that era. Among the highlights are the sensuous synth-funk “Welcome To Me”. “Luxurious” will conjure memories of Janet Jackson’s “Rhythm Nation” courtesy of Opolopo’s wicked synth work. Amalia cools down just a bit and blends a little ballad into the funky “All The Funk I need”.  “Zebra Butt” is a mid-tempo bass driven funk jam that receives an assist from rapper Probe DMS. If you can’t live on funk alone there’s the Opolopo Nu swing remix of “Life’s A Dance” that will quench the soulful dance thirst you’ve come to expect from her. Overall, “Art Slave” is an energetic coming out party for the lady with the siren voice. If you long for some 80’s funk with a little new jack swing mixed in, you’ll certainly enjoy this.

Reg Dancy

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Oli Lazarus, founder of Papa Records and Reel People return with their third release. Once again they deliver that customary soulful house sound that you’ve come to expect from them, albeit with a twist. Take for example the title track; Oli and singer Tony Momrelle flip the Stevie Wonder classic into a blissful Brazilian foot stomper. “Sure” featuring singer Darien continues along this theme blending a touch of samba and rhythm guitar into this soaring dance number. “It’s Hard” appears on the disc courtesy of Phil Asher and his Restless Soul Fun Band. This is a straight up soulful floor burner with sexy vocals and well placed horns.  “Nights In Africa” rounds out the disc and is arguably the highlight as well. Produced by Toni Economides and Kaidi Tatham, they create an uplifting afro-soul burner that is augmented by the vocals of newcomer Renn. With additional appearances from Choklate and Simon Grey, Oli and the crew have ensured that “Golden Lady” will receive plenty of burn throughout the year. I can’t emphasize the word burn enough, this is one hot record.

Reg Dancy

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It doesn’t take long to recognize that the ten member unit known as the Liberators can play a mean brand of Afro-funk, and play it well. The Sydney based band’s debut is a crisp ten song collection of high energy afro-funk that percolates from one song to the next. The group was formed by Dojo Cuts guitarist Nathan Aust and he has assembled a cohesive unit with all the ingredients; a blistering horn section, wicked guitar rhythms and top notch drumming and percussion.  That’s evident right from the start with “Multiculture”, a hard charging tune armed with an airtight horn section and a lead tenor sax delivering spirited soloing. “Rags To Riches” brings more heat, albeit with some funky guitar work and precision horn arrangements. Only three tracks feature vocalists and none of them disappoints. “Let It Go” is a nice mid-tempo tune with a strong groove and bubbling percussion that features Dojo Cuts member Roxie Ray. “Liberation” is one of the highlights of this strong set, a dynamic tune that features Afro Moses. Known in Ghana as the African James Brown, Moses puts a charge into the set with his singing and his energy is infectious. The Afro funk sound and Afro beat in general becomes more popular every day and firing up clubs everywhere. Let’s hope that this is the first of many strong releases by The Liberators to help carry the torch.

Reg Dancy

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This latest from Portico Quartet is actually their very first full length release from 2007.  “Knee Deep In The North Sea” is the record that put these guys on the map and for good reason. There is a great level of musicianship here and their compositions are colorful and engaging. Then of course there is the hang instrument, performed by Nick Mulvey that distinguishes the group because of its steel pan like tone. There are many tracks to savor as the entire disc is enjoyable. “News From Verona” is warm and mellow thanks in part Jack Wyllie’s phrasing on sax that blends nicely with the tone of the hang drum. Duncan Bellamy’s gentle brushes on the cymbals convert the drums into a percussion. “Zavodovski Island” is a spirited tune blends spectacular moments from Wyllie as well as Milo Fitzpatrick on bass. “Steps In The Wrong Direction” starts out soft and sublime then changes tempo and carries the tune to greater heights. A live session of this song is also featured here. There are other live recordings that are equally enjoyable. “All The Pieces Matter” is from the Madia Vale session and “Knee Deep In The North Sea” from the Copenhagen sessions. This was already a wonderful record when it was first released. Now with a little fine tuning and reproduction polishing, a great record just became better.

Reg Dancy

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Hearing the sound of Deborah Jordan’s voice fulfills your musical palette much in the way the taste our favorite desert satisfies our sweet tooth. The difference is there are no regrets after indulging in Deorah’s music like you would with the desert. We all remember the first time we heard her voice from way back in the day with Silhouette Brown. All she has done since is elevate her collaborations with numerous artists such as Replife, Jneiro Jarel among others. In 2009 she released her debut and now her latest “What You See”, picks up from where she left off. Her recent release contains eleven original compositions and three solid remixes. Among the tasty treats is the title track, a warm earthy mid-tempo track with sun drenched chords. Lyrically “What You See” is about looking what is beyond the surface of a person in search of who’s real and who isn’t. “Lullaby”, produced by Kira Neris is a dreamy atmospheric tune with jazzy soundscapes that will certainly transport you to another place. “See The Light” is another highlight, a mid-tempo tune with  a strong groove and pretty melody. There are many more soulful selections to savor and all are exceptionally produced. All three remixes are also superb but if I had to pick one, it would be the Ty Macklin rework of “Slipping Away”, a beautiful down-tempo tune that morphs into a funky two step treat. Overall this is one fabulous record that is equal or even slightly better than “The Light”. One thing is certain is Jordan continues to build an impressive catalogue of timeless quality music for us to enjoy.

Reg Dancy

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The good folks at Record Kicks have done it again by assembling some of the hottest funky treats past and present from both sides of the pond. Indeed, Vol. 7 turns up the heat right from the outset with "His Voice", armed with a smoking rhythm section and the voice of Elder William Smith will move your hips and leave your soul feeling sanctified. In addition to the funk, we’re serenaded with "Rags To Riches", a wicked Afro funk tune from The Liberators that features vocals from Roxie Ray from Dojo Cuts. "Tonic Stride" is a deep soul groover from Detroit based Third Coast Kings that is worthy of repeated listens. Other honorable mentions include "Sookie Sookie" by The Hi Fly Orchestra and "Let Me Take You Higher" by Roy Ellis and The Teenagers. The Soulshaker compilations have been consistent with delivering essential soul and funk recordings and this one is no exception.

Reg Dancy

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Twenty three year old multi instrumentalist Nick Rosen’s debut “Into The Sky” is a dreamy collection of atmospheric soundscapes that are deeply melodic and spiritually uplifting. Rosen co-produced several tracks with Miquel Atwood-Ferguson, with whom he’s worked with as a member of the Build An Ark ensemble. Their chemistry shines on tunes like “Ancestral Echoes” on which Atwood-Ferguson begins with a simple yet enchanting piano melody before accompanied by his ensemble to build a rich aural mesmeric  sound. Atwood-Ferguson’s playing on  violin is equally engaging. The performances on “African Sun” are also joyful and equally moving, Rosen’s playing on acoustic bass  provides warmth and will certainly strum your heartstrings. The disc also brings together a host of innovative musicians that leave their mark on each arrangement. Cellist Peter Jacobson, French horn Danielle Ondarza and vocalist Mia Doi Todd all put their stamp on this disc.  This is a wonderful record, If you like the stylistic string compositions of Build An Ark that echo peace and hope then you’ll certainly enjoy this.

Reg Dancy

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