Basic Soul

Saxophonist Josh King stretches out on his own with the release of “The Young Ones”. King taps into a more jazzier sound combined with Dilla inspired beats and house rhythms in contrast to the soulful hip-hop oriented sound of the Melbourne based group 30/70 of which he’s an active member. “Seeds” is an infectious up-tempo banger with crackling percussion courtesy of drummer Ziggy Zeitgeist. It’s essential jazz funk with elements of house that’s irrestiblea. “Nutta One” is another up-tempo heater filled with spacey soundscapes. King’s tone on the horn is big and broad as evidence on the slow burning “Jazz Muggie”. On “23” the band dives deep into a samba groove and stretches out. Zeitgeist’s powerful rhythms provide the canvas for King’s horn and Lewis Moody’s gorgeous piano melodies. King makes a potent impression with his debut and demonstrates the ability to lay down a groove in a myriad of styles. It’s an impressive album that you shouldn’t miss.

The Melbourne based label La Sape has been very busy this year. Among their projects are the JK Group, Horatio Luna and Godtet among others. Another impressive project has emerged courtesy of pianist and instrumentalist Joshua Smeltink aka On-ly. On-ly’s latest lp “Broth” is an exploration of psychedelic fusion and hypnotic grooves. On-ly’s approach to his compositions are a bit unorthodox but pleasing nonetheless. “Cante Hondo” is a trippy stew of moogs and synths. “Get It” is a twelve minute journey of atmospheric jazz funk loaded with synths and percussion. “Double Edge” is mellow spaced out funk. Overall “Broth” is a tasty treat of avant garde jazz funk along the lines of Miles Davis “Bitches Brew” with a touch of Weather Report that’s definitely worth checking out.

It’s simply a pleasure to have a brand new full length release from singer songwriter Deborah Jordan. Whether it’s her own recordings or appearing on other Futuristica releases, her angelic vocals have always felt like a gift from above. As superb as her previous recordings are her latest release “See In The Dark” is simply brillant in every way. Every song here is worhty of repeated listens but it’s best to start at the beginning. “Spirit Of The Earth” starts out with soft fluid piano from K15 aligned with heavenly strings. Jordan’s vocals layered on top completes the mediatative masterpiece. “Be There(Call My Name)” begins with the caress of soothing rhodes followed by funky drum programming. Jordan’s lyrics are comforting as she assures that she will be there when they need her. The hip-hop flavored rhythms of “Machine” demonstrates that Jordan equally at home on a beat driven track as she is on a ballad. Speaking of ballads, the finale “I’ll See you Again” is riveting tribute to her Mother, who recently passed away. Nailing the production behind her is K15, Mecca 83 and Tris Browne. “See In The Dark” is moving, spiritual and evokes messages of positivity. The music flows with heartfelt sincerity. Without a doubt it’s one the best recordings you’ll hear this year.

The Madrid based Beat Bronco Organ Trio isn’t just another organ jazz trio. Instead they specialize in psychedelic funk and soul and demonstrate with aplomb over 10 tracks on their new release “Road Trip”. They ease their way into this session with the aptly titled “Easy Baby”. Once Lucas De Mulder’s wah wah rhythms lure you in Gabri Cassanova’s organ grinding grooves take over. Renowned Reedsman Chip Wickham jumps on two tracks here, “Squirtly” and “Electro PI”. Drummer Antonio Paz Alvarez sets the tone with a wicked drum snare beat while De Mulder and Cassanova take full advantage trading head swiveling rhythms. Wickham’s melodic flute phrasings is the missing ingredient of an otherwise tight knit group. This trio swings through this set with precision and dynamics while displaying a flair for a good groove. Come along for the ride, you’re certain to have a good time.

Trumpeter Malcolm Strachan may be familiar to some as a founding member of the funk and soul band The Haggis Horns. In addition he’s worked with a number of acts including The New Mastersounds, Mark Ronson and Lou Donaldson to name a few. With his solo debut “About Time” Strachan returns to his roots with straight ahead jazz. On “Mitchell’s Landing” Rob Mitchell’s baritone is the yang to Strachan’s ying as their melodic soloing make the perfect partners. The Latin tinged “Better Late Than Never” is another delight that’s filled with sizzle, thanks in part to George Cooper on Piano and a glorious horn section that also includes Atholl Ransome on Tenor and Dabby Barley on Trombone. Strachan has certainly absorbed the stylings of 60s soul jazz as evidence on the toe tapping “Time For A Time”. “Just The Thought Of You” is a lovely ballad to cool down to. The title says it all, “About Time” is what fans will be saying upon listening to this superb recording.

Bassist Stephen Bruner aka Thundercat returns with his fourth album “It is What It is”. Like his previous lps this record is a neighborhood effort with Flying Lotus on hand once again as producer and brother Ronald on drums. Bruner sings about love and loss, specifically the loss of his friend and collaborator Mac Miller. “Innerstellar Love” is a dreamy and ethereal tune to escape from the ups and downs of the world. “Black Quails” is instant funk with a thumping bass plus assistance from co-writer/vocalist Steve Lacy (The Internet) and funk icon Steve Arrington. “King Of The Hill” has a glorious thematic intro before seguing into a bass/synth cosmic gem. Throughout the disc Thundercat’s soothing falsetto takes center stage relying less on soloing but rather on the strength of engaging compositions. Despite the fifteen tracks the disc breezes along at a crisp pace with only a few tracks exceeding three minutes. Quite an enjoyable album that showcases the artistry of this talented bassist.

Berlin based vocalist Natalie Greffel has been sharing her vocal chops with groups like Radio Citizen, Karl Hector and others. While the fertile Berlin music scene afforded her opportunities to work she felt the pull to explore her roots in Mozambique and it’s connections to Brazil. Greffel would eventually relocate to Rio De Janeiro and immersed herself the storied history of Brazil, specifically the legends like Antonio Carlos Jobim, Milton Nascimento, Elza Soares just to name to a few. She was encouraged to make a demo by Matti Klein, pianist for Brazilian native Ed Motta. Four songs from the demo would eventually appear on the album. And that brings us to her debut “Para Todos”. Greffel’s vocals create a mood of peaceful bliss. Evidence of that lies in the warm melodies of the mid-tempo taster “Toquei”. “Blame” is filled with spirited fusion rhythms. On the title track Greffel starts out with a warm acapella melody while shifting her vocals into her upper register. Soon after the track takes it up a notch with a spirited guitar laden groove. Even though there’s only seven tracks here it’s satsfying nonetheless. Quite simply it’s a superb recording filled with haunting compositions and a beautiful voice to match. The future looks bright.

“New Me Same Us” is the sixth studio album from the Swedish band Little Dragon. Like their previous lps this release threads the needle for crafting emotive soul pop electronica compositions with splendid results. That being said, the band has taken a back to basics approach as they intergrate more instrumentation into this recording. Lead vocalist Yukimi Nagano’s vocals are as intoxicating as ever and delight the listener through eleven tracks. “Hold On” opens up the disc with an funky boogie groove as Nagano sings about letting go and moving on. “Another Love” is a melancholy tune that deals with heartache. If this is what heartache feels like then sign me up. “Where You Belong” is a reflective song enhanced by Fredrik Wallin’s keyboard arrangements. This self produced album is so cool yet it’s filled with warmth and heartfelt lyrics. It’s no wonder that nearly everyone in the music community have sung their praises. They haven’t reinvented the genre, they just do it better than everyone else.