Basic Soul

“The Space In Which The Uncontrollable Unknown Resides Can Be The Place From Which Creation Arises” is the latest project from the group Work Money Death. The project was the creation of Saxophonist Tony Burkill and pianist Adam Fairhall. The group performed with Burkill for his ATA records debut back in 2017. Although there’s only two tracks here they both come in at around seventeen minutes each. The two track disc has a spiritual jazz vibe as Burkill channels the spirit of Pharoah Sanders. On the haunting opener “Dusk” Neil Innes distinctive bass patterns are the driving force behind the tunes. Innes’s vamps are a perfect compliment to the melodic flourishes from Burkill and pianist Adam Fairhall. “Dawn” is a sixteen minute passage driven by a quest to spread peace and love. Burkill’s tenor is strong out the gate but isn’t the only element serving notice. Emotive percussions courtesy of Pete Williams are in alignment with Fairhall’s glorious soloing. Drummer Sam Hobbs understated rhythms serves as the perfect canvas for everyone to shine. Marvelous work from on hand here and another winner for ATA records.

Str4ta is the brainchild of renowned DJ/Producer Gilles Peterson and Jean “Bluey” Maunick of Incognito fame. “Aspects” is a nod to the eighties flavored Brit Funk era that they helped pioneer. Together they set in motion a genre that grew in stature and spawn numerous bands from the inception. Some of those bands were Hi Tension, Light Of The World and Freez just to name a few. The opening tune “Aspects” immediately transports us back to that time. A blistering up-tempo burner with an infectious groove backed by punchy drum programming. “Rhythm In Your Mind” takes the baton and serenades you funky atmospheric vibes. “Steppers Crusade” combines a wicked bass groove with blissful synths to put you in positive state of mind. In fact the entire disc is going to infuse you with good vibes while you reflect on just how precious this moment in time was. More importantly Brit Funk is alive and still relevant today thanks to these two legends.

Italian DJ/Producer Nicola Conte’s latest release “People Need People” finds him returning to form of showcasing Italian Club Culture. Conte is more than just a DJ these days. He’s become a solid guitarist and he’s surrounded himself with an esteemed group of musicians. Accompanied by Trombonist Gianluca Petrella, the duo collaborated on a couple of EPs and this superb release is the manifestation of those efforts. There’s much to savor here starting with the opening track. “Hold On To Your Dreams” opens with Magnus Lindgren’s meditative flute which sets the mood for Debo Ray’s enchanting vocals. “The Higher Love”, a sublime tune that offers a message of hope and change. Vocalist/pianist Carolina Bubbico’s evocative vocals combined by with the raw poetic skills of rapper Rashan Ahmad make this tune an instant favorite. Another keeper is the title track. A rumbling tune with heart pounding percussion and vibes courtesy of Pasquale Mirra. Bubbico provides backing vocals for Davide Shorty as he sings about the need for us to step away from our devices and become social again. Conte and Petrella have created a brillant record filled with global rhythms. Their mission is heal wounded souls through these beautiful recordings. Without a doubt one of the best releases this year.

DJ/Producer Prequel has delighted us with an array of moody house tracks and eps over the years. With his full length debut “Love Is” he fuses hip-hop jazz and house to give his perspective on love. It’s a concept album about the highs and lows from family to relationships. Prequel takes his production prowess to another level with the aid of some of Melbourne’s bottomless pit of talented musicians. The dark and moody “When Love Is New” armed with a pulsating bottom that echoes Motor City house. It also features amazing string arrangements courtesy of violinist Tamil Rogeon. “Violeiro” sparkles with Brazilian rhythms aligned with punchy beats. “All I’m Missing Is You” has a dizzying piano melody that takes you on an enjoyable ride. The remarkable “Love Is” is a meditative gem that features the emotive spoken word vocals of Cazeaux O.S.L.O. The album also ebbs and flows with jazzy sophisticated interludes that fits the mood. While there may be a touch of heartache here there’s plenty of euphoria that’s punctuated by these recordings. Prequel steps out of his comfort zone just a bit and creates a deeply satisfying debut. Few producers have explored a sound and a topic as marvelous as this record.

“After Dark” is the new release from harpist Amanda Whiting. Ms Whiting has performed with a number fo jazz and soul luminaries from Jamie Cullum to Matthew Halsall’s Gondwana orchestra. Whiting has played the harp since the age of 6 but mainly played classical music. She started building her chops in jazz in recent years and she hasn’t look back. Based on this release the years of study have paid off. The disc starts out in a modal mood. “Messed Up” highlights Whiting’s gentle flourishes juxtaposed with the splash of drummer John Robinson’s high hat. “Stay For One” is a melancholy tune that features fellow Gondwana member Chip Wickham on flute. Wickham shows up again on the swinging tune “The Feist”. Whiting ebbs and flows around Wickham warm melodies. The harp has become more promiment than ever. Let’s hope this is just the beginning of delightful recordings from Whiting. Jazzman records never disappoints and this release is no exception.

DJ/Producer Otis Jackson aka Madlib refuses to stay in one lane. His roots in hip-hop are firm and his deep dive into jazz and Brazilian music has elevated him well beyond your average beat maker. With his latest release “Sound Ancestors” he hands over hundreds of beats to Kieran Hebden aka Four Tet. Hebden hand picks and re-masters some of the beat conductoer’s unreleased gems and knocks it out of the park. “Road Of The Lonely Ones” is a prime example. Madlib weaves together a classic 70s soul vocal sample over a drum snare beat. “Dirtknock” is vintage neck snapping hip-hop. “Duumbiyay” is another testament to the master of his craft. The tune features what started as acapella of children singing and culminates with spiritual jazz rhythms and live instrumentation woven together. Hebden arranges the entire disc with a nice flow so you’re treated to one prime cut after another. With hundreds of tracks in his posession here’s hoping another album like this one will be on the way.