Dexter Gordon - 1962 - A Swingin' Affair

Artist: Dexter Gordon
Album: A Swingin' Affair
Year: 1962
Label: Blue Note

Personnel:
Dexter Gordon (Tenor Saxophone)
Sonny Clark (Piano)
Butch Warren (Double Bass)
Billy Higgins (Drums)

Dexter Gordon was on a roll in 1962 when he recorded A Swingin' Affair. Two days earlier he and this same quartet recorded his classic album Go!; the band included pianist Sonny Clark, bassist Butch Warren, and drummer Billy Higgins. Gordon wrote two of the set's six tunes, the first of which, the Afro-Cuban-flavored "Soy Califa," is a burner. Higgins' drumming double-times the band as Gordon lays out the melody -- even his solo doesn't stray far from it and he returns to it repetitively. Clark vamps with beautiful minor-key chords that he then adds to his own solo, moving all around the lyric with his right hand. And Higgins and Warren are truly wonderful on this one. There are also three standards here. Gordon was always a master of them because his own approach to improvisation was essentially one of melodic invention. "Don't Explain" is ushered in by Clark stating the changes; Gordon's low and slow playing is romantic and sensual. On "You Stepped Out of a Dream," Gordon and Clark take the melody and invert it in the bridge; they turn it into a kind of groove as Higgins plays Latin-tinged rhythms throughout. Warren's "The Backbone" is a hard bop groover with a bossa nova flavor, as he and Gordon twin on the tune's head before Dex moves off into his solo. It's easily the best thing here. This is a hot hard bop band, playing a program that's relaxed and mostly upbeat; they even manage to stretch a bit. The Rudy Van Gelder Edition features fine sound but no bonus material. 

Tracks:
1. Soy Califa (Dexter Gordon) 6:29
2. Don't Explain (Arthur Herzog Jr./Billie Holiday) 6:07
3. You Stepped Out Of A Dream (Nacio Herb Brown/Gus Kahn) 6:34
4. The Backbone (Butch Warren) 6:49
5. (It Will Have To Do) Until The Real Thing Comes Along (Sammy Cahn/Saul Chaplin/L.E. Freeman/Mann Holiner/Alberta Nichols) 6:50
6. Mc Splivens (Dexter Gordon) 5:42

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Sonny Rollins, McCoy Tyner, Ron Carter, Al Foster - 1978 - Milestone Jazzstars In Concert

Milestone Jazz Stars - In Concert (1978)
Artist: Milestone Jazz Stars
Release Date: September 1978

Personnel:

Sonny Rollins — tenor and soprano saxophones

McCoy Tyner — piano

Ron Carter — bass

Al Foster — drums

Tracks:

The Cutting Edge
Alone Together
Continuum
Nubia
N.O. Blues
In A Sentimental Mood
A Little Pianissimo
Don't Stop The Carnival

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Favourites

...

Syl Johnson - I'm Talkin' Bout Freedom

Lillian Hale - Don't Boom Boom

Bobby Jackson - 1978 - Desiree Song

Bobby Jackson

"Desiree Song"
( LP Ninth Note Records, US, 1978 )
Catalog # NNR-0072

Personnel:
Bobby Jackson (piano)
Tony Moreno (drums)
Enrique Mercado Reyes (trombone)
Bobby Hughes (alto saxophone)
John Howard (bass)

Review:
I am big fan of Independent Jazz Labels. This album was first made known to me a few years back by a jazz dealer of mine. He wouldn’t sell me his copy though, so I had to look for it myself. A very strong LP - and a must for lovers of spiritual jazz. I was blown away the first time I heard "Desiree Song". The Piano and messy horn bit at the end does my head in every time. Also check out "Modetique" on the album as well: Really nice (even if I do say so myself).
By Dayo Adewuyi


Tracklisting:

1.Desiree Song
2.Modetique
3.Bunglers Twist
4.Peepin
5.Pressure Funk

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Unsung: The Story Of Donny Hathaway

Donny Hathaway was a Prolific Song Writer and Music Composer of the Fabulous Soul Music Era. Donny's rise to Soul Music Prominence made him the standard bearer for today's R&B Male vocalist. Indeed Donny Hathaway is responsible for creating and influencing today's modern R&B vocal style for ALL male vocalist of our time. Before Donny Hathaway, no R&B male singer or performer was singing riffs, incorporating high notes or bringing down the house with soulful, melodic vocals. Donny Hathaway was the FIRST to do it...................not Lurther Vandross, not Stevie Wonder, Not even Marvin Gaye!


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Bridge - 1981 - Crying For Love

Bridge - Crying For Love

We all know the group - their mixture of soul, funk, disco and Latin elements made this marvellous grouping a really talented band with the versatility and option to change tempo, the direction and beat at the drop of a hat. Something not many artists can do today. Still, this CD is a collection of the demo cuts that won them a recording deal with the CBS owned Bang label. These songs were recorded in 1981 and were intended to become their album for the label. Sadly this was not to pass, and these songs were to sit and gather dust. As one quick spin off of this CD will show this was a criminal act. Still, First Experience has done the decent thing and has rectified this very sorry situation. 1981 as I have said before, was a vintage year for soul music and this is reflected in every song on this CD. I cannot really pull out any clear favourites on this CD but please, if I may, direct you to a few particular songs, which I think should be given special listening treatment. Vocalists Debravon Lewis and Derick Hughes are superb; the latter is very reminiscent of the sadly missed and masterful Donny Hathaway. Both "Stella" and "Listen" are excellent readings of the 1977 Norman Connors versions, and are here performed by the writers themselves in their own right. "From The Darkness To The Light" is a superb ballad complete with flute and summary percussion background which really does the honours. Continuing the trend is "Fire Burning" which underlines how criminal it was not to have had the material released years ago. The vocals on this song are stunning, with Derick Hughes really laying out the red carpet. Surprisingly, for me, was the "Next To Me" cut that was covered by drummer Kenneth Nash. On his 1986 "Mr Ears" album. These tracks are but a few of the highlights from many gems on here.

01. Crying For Love
02. Stella
03. From The Darkness To The Light
04. Fire Burning
05. Waiting Patiently
06. He Say C. She Say Game
07. Sweet & Wonderful
08. Out There In Space
09. No Where Love Affair
10. Rivers Of Love
11. Turn To Love
12. Next To Me
13. Reach Out
14. Listen

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Jump Back - A Tribute To James Brown (2008)

01 Os Incriveis - I Feel Good
02 Jr. and The Preludes - Papa's Got a Brand New Bag
03 Soul Sounds - Lickin' Stick
04 Showmen - Voglio Restare Solo
05 Rabbits and Carrots - Give it Up Or Turn it Loose
06 Rabbits and Carrots - Sex Machine
07 Kashmere Stage Band - Super Bad
08 Soul Sound - I Got the Feelin'
09 Esquires Now - Think About it
10 The Presidents - It's my Thing
11 Victor Olaiya & His International All Stars - There Was a Time, Cold Sweat (Medley)
12 Victor Olaiya & His International All Stars - Mother Popcorn
13 Impalas - Soul
14 Big Boe and The Nighthawks - My Thing
15 The Invaders - Big Payback
16 Get Up With the Dancer - Sex Machine
17 University of Illinois Jazz Band feat. Don Smith - I Got the Feelin'
18 Harrison High School - Get on the Good Foot
19 Les Watson and The Panthers - Mother Popcorn

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Good God! Heavy Funk Covers Of James Brown From All Over The World 1968-1974 (2007)

Good God, indeed -- a masterful compilation of some of the weirdest James Brown covers you've ever heard -- a truly global assortment of tunes, all of which really keep the best funky spirit of The Godfather in place! The tracks here go way past the usual, and most of the numbers are all quite obscure -- tracks recorded not even by soul singers, but by an assortment of artists of many different genres-- all working at different points around the globe in the 60s and 70s, brought together here by their love of James' original funky vision! And in case you're worried about these tunes being some watered-down version of the JB groove, put your fears to rest -- because all the cuts here have as many funky breaks and hard riffing as any of James' best from back in the day -- sometimes even more, given the weirdness of their styles!

01. El Klan - Cold Sweat
02. Dillard Crumb & The Soul Rockers - Mother Popcorn
03. St. Vincent's Latinaires - Hot Pants I'm Comin'
04. The Dave Pike Set - I Got The Feelin'
05. Toni Tornado - Soul Negro
06. Doublass High School Stage Band 1970 - My Thing , I Made A Mistake Medley
07. Lil' Tiger - Do It (Give It Up , My Thing Medley)
08. The Philosophers - Mama's Orgy (Cold Sweat)
09. Waltel Branco - Tema De Zorra (Popcorn With A Feeling)
10. East Of Underground - Popcorn
11. Six Pack - There Was A Time
12. Willy Dickson & The Playboys - Lickin' Stick
13. Som Livre House Band - Papa Don't Take No Mess
14. Skorpyons Of Jamaica - Think (About It)
15. El Combo Xingu - Hot Pants
16. Tihomir Pop Asanovic - Hot Pants Road

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German Funk Fieber Vol. 2

01. Siegfried Schwab - High Snobiety
02. Malcolm’s Locks - Get Up Stand Up
03. Orchestra And Chorus Les Humphries – Mandrake
04. Lift - Wenn
05. James Last - Rice And Beans
06. The Cosmic Sound Orchestra - Listen to the Beat
07. Eric Thoener’s Sound Magazine - Speed Limit
08. Joy Fleming - Geld
09. Panta Rhei - Der Losverkäufer
10. Roland Kovac & The ORF Big Band - Operation Rose
11. Manfed Krug - Wenns Draußen Grün Wird
12. Jochen Brauer Sextett - Sunny
13. Kati Kovács - Sehnsucht
14. Memphis Black - Testify
15. Fredy Brock - Betwixt And Between
16. Don Anderson - Understanding
17. Jürgen Franke - Back Talk
18. Peter Thomas - Evening Air

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German Funk Fieber Vol. 1

01 - Gus Brendel - Night Clipper
02 - Messengers - Gang Bang
03 - Ken Aldin - Dark Alley
04 - Was Tun Band - Es Geht
05 - SWF Tanzorchester Rolf-Hans Mueller - Gate One
06 - Veit Marvos Red Point Orchestra - Family Affair
07 - Die Melon Men - Tuesday
08 - Martin Philippi Blues Band - I Got My Mojo Workin'
09 - Klaus Wunderlich - Summertime
10 - The Rainbow Orchestra - La Avispa
11 - Dave Kamien Division - Watermelon Man
12 - Howard Carpendale - Du Hast Mich
13 - Hugo Strasser - Flashlights
14 - Peter Herbolzheimer - Rock-O-Mobile
15 - Heinz Kiessling Orchestra - Uptown
16 - Sandra Haas - Kleiner Mann
18 - Udo Lindenberg - Votan Wahnwitz

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Avenue Blue & Jeff Golub

In the '90s, guitarist Jeff Golub's blend of jazz, R&B, and pop earned him a reputation for being one of the edgier, more tasteful players in the crossover jazz/NAC/smooth jazz field. Although some of Golub's recordings were played on smooth jazz stations extensively, he was quoted as saying that he refuses to play outright elevator music, and to be sure, Golub's solos give the impression that he is essentially a soul-jazz improviser at heart. The Ohio native (whose influences have included Wes Montgomery, George Benson, Lee Ritenour, and Larry Carlton, among others) is quite capable of playing straight-ahead bop; he certainly has the chops for it. However, Golub chose to focus on more commercial music and has a long résumé as a rock, pop, and R&B session player. He appreciates being compared to artists like David Sanborn, the Crusaders, Ronnie Laws, Joe Sample, and the late Grover Washington, Jr., that is, instrumentalists who can be commercial and groove-oriented but still have a jazz improviser's mentality.

01 - Pick Up The Pieces
02 - Stockholm Prelude
03 - Stockholm
04 - Gimmie Some
05 - That's The Way Of The World
06 - West Side Serenade
07 - Nightingale
08 - I'll Be Around
09 - Atlanta Nights
10 - Just Goodbye
11 - Lucy, I'm Home
12 - Moon River

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BWB - 2002 - Groovin'

WB stands for the first initials in the last names of Rick Braun (trumpet) , Kirk Whalum (soprano & tenor saxophones) , and Norman Brown (guitar).

Additional personnel includes:

Dee Dee Bridgewater (vocals);Michael Campbell (guitar);Ricky Peterson (Fender Rhodes, Hammond B-3 organ, keyboards); Christian McBride (bass); Gregory Hutchinson (drums); Bashiri Johnson (percussion).

BWB's (Rick Braun, Kirk Whalum & Norman Brown) debut album Groovin' harks back to a great '70s session vibe with a disc of classic covers given a Smooth Jazz groove, including The Radicals 'Groovin,' Booker T & The MGs 'Hip Hug Her,' Curtis Mayfield's 'Let's Do It Again,' The Isley Brothers 'It's Your Thing' and Parliament's 'Up For The Down Stroke.' The disc also includes exclusive behind-the-scenes video. Warner. 2002.

Recorded at Capitol Studios, Sunset Sound, Los Angeles, California.

01 - Groovin'
02 - Brown Sugar
03 - Ruby Baby
04 - A Woman's Worth
05 - Hip Hug Her
06 - Mercy Mercy Mercy
07 - Let's Do It Again
08 - It's Your Thing
09 - Povo
10 - Up for the Down Stroke

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Sharpshooters - 1996 - Choked Up

Sharpshooters:

A collaboration between Seattle, WA, DJs Mr. Supreme (real name Danny Clavesilla) and Sureshot (real name Shane Hunt), the Sharpshooters produce sample-heavy down-tempo hip-hop and dance tracks. The pair released their first album, Buck the Saw, on their own Conception imprint in 1994. Two years later Shadow Records released Choked Up and garnered the duo considerable underground acclaim. A few singles followed, but it wasn't until 2003 that the Sharpshooters returned will a new full-length; Twice as Nice found the pair mixing live instruments into the already dense mix of samples and beats.

Part 1

Part 2

The Best Of Cookin'

Various Artists, Best Of Cookin’, Ubiquity URCD 063 (2CD, USA), 2000

This slammin' two-CD compilation collects works from the fabulous acid jazz compilations Home Cookin', Mo Cookin', Still Cookin', What's Cookin', and Is That Jazz?. Galactic, Greyboy, DJ Swingset, Sharpshooters and others contribute midlength jams that are a mix of soulful melodies, deep funk grooves, hip-hop beats, and rump-shaking dance music. While jazz has been influential in certain drum & bass circles since the late-'90s, these early-'90s neofusion hybrids serve as logical precursors and illuminate how well the artists on the set also serve the jam-band fans who've crossed over to improvised jazz largely on the strengths of funkateers like Medeski Martin & Wood and others. Even so, the tracks here sound incredibly fresh and fun, mixing live instruments and DJs for a party where everyone is playing spiritedly. At home on the dance floor or in the cocktail lounge, The Best of Cookin' is a fine reminder of the potency of acid jazz and a great introduction for electronic music fans who are interested in seeing a crucial early bridge between the jazz and DJ culture. 

CD 1

01. Greyboy - Unwind Your Mind
02. Rhythm Section - Suzanne's Jam
03. Slide Five - Outerspace
04. Vibes Alive - The Spoken Word
05. Ping Pong - Goin' Downhill
06. Galactic - Black Eyed Pea
07. New Legends - Sole Food
08. Ten Bass T - Hip Hop Culture
09. Sharpshooters - Pork Pride Stride
10. Spirit Level - Solar Funk
11. Greyboy Allstars - Jungle Strut
12. Jacko Peake - SFO
13. Mock Quintet - Bolsa de Perrito

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CD2

01. Sweet Potato - Monkey Wrench
02. Slide Five - Streamline
03. Greyboy - Grey's Groove
04. Rhythm Section - Tachyon
05. Vibes Alive - Mantra
06. Ping Pong - Be-Bop Props
07. Sky Juice - Children
08. Rhythm Section - Waiting for the Sun
09. Greyboy - Panacea
10. DJ Swingsett - Peace on the Streets
11. Sweet Potato - Wet Willie

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Blue Mitchell - 1972 - Blues' Blues

Blue Mitchell - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Darrell Clayborn - Bass [Fender]
Ray Pounds - Drums
John Guerin - Drums
Joe Sample - Electric Piano, Piano [Acoustic]
Freddie Robinson - Guitar [Electric]
John Mayall - Harmonica
Herman Riley - Saxophone [Tenor], Flutev

At the time that this Mainstream LP was recorded, Blue Mitchell was the featured trumpeter with John Mayall's blues group. Mayall returned the favor for Blue's set, playing harmonica with an electric octet headed by Mitchell. Among the sidemen are Herman Riley (on tenor and flute), keyboardist Joe Sample and guitarist Freddy Robinson. The material (all obscure originals) is primarily blues-oriented, and the music overall is listenable and funky, but not particularly memorable. Just an average date from these fine musicians.

1 Casa Blues (8:25)
2 Just Made Up (7:32)
3 Blues' Blues (7:05)
4 Granite & Concrete (9:51)
 5 I Didn't Ask To Be (10:09)

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Push - 1996 - Can't Fight It

Label: Soulciety Records
Catalog#: ME 00481
Country: Germany
Released: 1996
Style: Free Jazz, Jazz-Funk, Funk 
 
Bass - Ernie McKone
Drums - Crispin Taylor
Engineer - Alex Osman , Matt G
Guitar - Mark Vandergucht
Keyboards - Mike McEvoy*
Percussion - Conor Smith
Saxophone, Flute - Jacko Peake 
Trumpet - Damon Brown (2)
Vocals - Eddie Saunders

1. Theme From "Push"
2. Fight It
3. Scarper
4. Contribution
5. Positive
6. The Flute Tune
7. Gimme Some More
8. Out On Sunday
9. Awesome Measure
10. It's Over
11. Jack's Jam
12. Ice

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Quartetto Lo Greco - 2003 - Reflections

Quartetto Lo Greco - Reflections
Schema SCCD339

Enzo Lo Greco : Bass
Gianni Lo Greco : Drums
Marco Bianchi : Piano
Michael Rosen : Tenor & Soprano Sax
Sandro Cerino : Flute

This brand new album is therefore a sort of homecoming of Lo Greco to jazz recordings. Reflections reveals a new phase in Lo Greco history, a stage in which maturity becomes the absolute factor. The most they get experienced in music the most they dig and research into past influences. If at the beginning of their career their stylistic mark could be identified in fusion, nowadays, in 2003 Lo Greco decide to start a time-trip to homage some big names of jazz and a fantastic period of (afro) American music. Maturity is therefore the key to read this album, maturity as a particular needing and inspiration. The reference of this music is then coming from late '50 and in particular all the Coltrane works. This is clearly shown in the drum patterns, really influenced from Elvin Jones style (the famous "three in four") to create a spiritual atmosphere and the title itself, "Reflections", is an homage to Davis and Coltrane. The record features great musicians like Marco Bianchi on piano, well known composer and arranger, e Sandro Cerino, a fabulous flute player , but the real surprise is Rosen sax, really relaxed, like searching for a peaceful dimension, for a spiritual highness to permit "Reflections" in the deep of one's mind. Schema is more than ever operating on various fronts, even against mainstream commercial choices, as shown in the years by the release of albums like The Jazz Convention, Quartetto Moderno and Schema Sextet. The voyage into jazz music for Schema is still on.

1 Somethings That You Know
2 Everytime We Say Goodbye
3 Giant Steps
4 Reflections
5 Dropping Four
6 Stella By Starlight
7 A Journey To The Temple
8 Trough The Planet
9 Ask Me Why
10 Stella By Starlight
11 Giant Steps

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Joe Henderson - 1973 - Canyon Lady

Joe Henderson

"Canyon Lady"
( LP Milestone Records, 1973 )

Produced by Orrin Keepnews for Milestone Records
Recorded in October 1973 at Berkeley, Ca


Personnel :
Joe Henderson (ts)
Luis Gasca, Oscar Brashear, John Hunt (tp)
Julian Priester, Nicholaas TenBroek (tb)
Hadley Caliman, Ray Pizzi, Vincent Denham (flutes)
George Duke (el. piano)
Mark Levine (ac.piano)
John Heard (b)
Eric Gravatt (d)
Carmelo Garcia, Victor Pantoja
Francisco Aguabella (perc.)


01. Tres Palabras
02. Las Palmas
03. Canyon Lady
04. All Thing Considered

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Dizzy Gillespie & Lalo Schifrin - 1977 - Free Ride

Dizzy Gillespie teamed up with Lalo Schifrin to compose and produce for him. The result is some interesting parts like a bass line with congas in Incantation, but a lot of the music is light, poppy jazz with a lot of wah wah guitar, sort of like Bob James. The best track is the last, Last Stroke Of Midnight with a dark and mysterious feel to it with keyboard work that sounds like it could be part of an Afrika Bambaataa track. Really though, most of the songs tend to merge into each other in an unmentionable mass.


01 - Unicorn
02 - Fire Dance
03 - Incantation
04 - Wrong Number
05 - Free Ride
06 - Ozone Madness
07 - Love Poem For Donna
08 - The Last Stroke Of Midnight

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Charles Williams - 1972 - Stickball

Charles Williams - Stickball
1972

Charles Williams (alto sax)
Chris Woods (alto sax, baritone sax)
David "Bubba" Brooks (tenor sax)
Frank Wess (tenor sax, flute)
Don Pullen (organ)
Clyde Lucas (drums)
Cornell Dupree (guitar)
David Spinozza (guitar)
Gordon Edwards (bass guitar)
Paul Griffin (electric piano)
Randy Brecker (flugelhorn)
Ray Barretto (congas)
David Carey (congas & marimbas)
and a 16-headedstring section, conducted by Ernie Wilkins

Recorded in NY 1972
LP: Mainstream 381
CD: Mainstream PCD 23934


Full-on funky backings for saxophonist Charles Williams -- a set that almost has him in the same territory as Stanley Turrentine during his late 70s years on Fantasy Records, or Hank Crawford over at Kudu! The style here is a bit more lush than some of the other Mainstream Records dates of the time -- full backings arranged and conducted by Ernie Wilkins -- always plenty darn soulful, and built around a mix of strings and jazzier instrumentation -- set up with the care and precision of a hip soul soundtrack, and topped by well-crafted alto sax solos by Williams.


01. Who Is He (And What Is He To You)
02. People Make The World Go 'Round
03. Where Is The Love
04. Iron Jaws
05. Drown In My Own Tears
06. Ain't No Blues
07. Just Before Day
08. Willow Weep For Me

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Ramon Morris - 1973 - Sweet Sister Funk

Ramon Morris
Sweet Sister Funk
'73 New York

Ramon Morris (ts),
Albert Daily (el-p),
Mickey Bass (b),
Granville "Mickey" Roker (dr),
Cecil Bridgewater (tp),
Lloyd Davis (g),
Tony Waters (congas)


One of the rarest albums on the Groove Merchant label -- and one of the best! Ramon Morris has a sweet tone on the tenor that works very well with the electric piano in his tight little combo -- grooving with a style that's like the best Black Jazz funk records of the time -- mixing together bright notes, funky rhythms, and plenty of great chord changes! Cecil Bridgewater's on trumpet, and the band has a really righteous feel -- with lots of real soul and thoughtful playing mixed into the jazz funk grooves of the record. Massive -- with titles that include "Sweat", "Lord Sideways", "Sweet Sister Funk", and a nice version of "People Make The World Go Round".

01. First Come, First Serve
02. Wijinia
03. Sweet Sister Funk
04. Sweat
05. Don't Ask Me
06. Lord Sideways
07. People Make The World Go Around

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Frank McComb - 2003 - The Truth

Listening to Frank McComb's album "The Truth Vol. One" artists like Steve Wonder, Donny Hathaway or Curtis Mayfield come into mind. Frank McComb is an excellent pianist and a charismatic singer. His first noticeable appearance was as a musical director for the R&B group Rude Boys, subsequently backing DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince (better known as Will Smith) in the studio. In 1994 he played with Branford Marsalis on his jazz-rap fusion project Buckshot LeFonque. His first solo album "Love Stories" was released in early 2000. Although that was not the first stuff he recorded. He was signed to Mojazz Records but the album he recorded there was shelved. "You Don't Know What Love Is" was a song he recorded with Marilyn Scott for her album "I’m In Love Once Again" (Release May 2003).

Now he is back with his new album, which will be released July 7th in the U.K (Expansion Records). The album starts with the love song Shine. A tasteful attempt of approach to a young beautiful lady with a shy attitude. Frank McComb smoky vocals have a high worth of recognition. The funky song is perfectly tailored to this singer and immediately ignites a flammable interest. The tune has a length of more than 7 minutes, enough time to let the feelin' grow.

''Watcha Gonna Do'' revives the flashback mood to good old Stevie Wonder. If you don't know Frank's music, it's really easy to think it's he, Stevie. Not only the similiarity of Frank's voice is phenomenal but also arrangement and instrumentation.

The love is standing in the center of Frank's interest as proved on ''Never Letting Go''. Remarkable Luis Van Taylor on flute with reverb and echoes building a waving soundscape.

On ''Do You Remember Love'' Frank plays intensively Wurlitzer Piano and Moog creating the dense atmosphere of Steve Wonder's music.

Human relationship is also the theme of ''Fools''. "Some are wise, then there are fools. Life has a way of changing things and the wise will learn while fools think it's oh so funny." This worldly wisdom is presented in a funky way. This time with the support of a Fender Rhodes piano combined with wah-wah effects.

Friends of Hammond B3 will like ''Action Speak Louder Than Words''. The Hammond player is no other than Billy Preston. Frank plays the Wurlitzer piano. Frank's vocal variety is phenomenal. Only a live version of this song could overtrump it.

''Cupids Arrow'' is pointed straight to our hearts. As all other songs Frank has affecionately made an arrangement with many details and grace.

On ''Better Off Without You'' Frank's natural timbre stands anew in the limelight. Frank knows to sing and the love song stands in the centre.

A vocal treasure is also the slow ''Intimate Time''. Paulhino Da Costa shows some nice percussion effects of exotic nature straight ahead from the jungle.

''Shine'' is added as a bonus mix. This song has a high potential for the first single release.

...

A classical interpretation with Grand Piano (Wayne Linsey), Harp (Lori Andrews), Cellos, Violas and Violins (Mark Cargil) intensified the impression of When You Call My Name and Frank's incredible voice.

01 - Shine
02 - Whatcha Gonna Do
03 - Never Letting Go
04 - Do You Remember Love
05 - Fools
06 - When You Call My Name
07 - Actions Speak Louder Than Words
08 - Cupid's Arrow
09 - Better Off Without You
10 - Intimate Time
11 - Shine [Bonus Mix]

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Donny Hathaway and Friends - Live At The Astrodome

Very rare album of the great Donny Hathaway , so favorite of mine. I hope to enjoy it , like i am ... I'm sorry but i don't have any information about this performance , may be if some one have will let me know .


01. What's Goin On
02. Giving Up
03. You've Got a Friend
04. Voices Inside (Everything Is Everything)

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. . .


Giving Up

Lonnie Liston Smith - 1998 - Transformation

Transformation finds Lonnie Liston Smith continuing to explore the smooth, overtly commercial soul-jazz direction he began in the early '80s. It has a bit more grit and invention than such albums as Magic Lady, yet it doesn't surge forward with the restless searching that distinguished his earlier masterworks. His brother Donald sings on "Space Princess" and "Transformation," but the best moments are tracks like his reworking of "A Chance for Peace (Give Peace a Chance)," which suggest that Smith still has the talent to be a true contender.


01. A Change For Peace (Give Peace a Change)
02. Nubian Nights
03. Caribbean Sunrise
04. Space Princess
05. Quiet Moments
06. Angels Of The Night
07. Transformation
08. Expansions
09. Moon Beams
10. Queen Of Hearts
11. Beautiful Girl
12. A Chance For Peace (Instr.)

part 1
part 2

Jukka Eskola Quintet - 2006 - Hub Up

A beautiful tribute to the electric side of trumpeter Freddie Hubbard , done by Jukka Eskola from Five Corners Quintet, in a mode that almost beats some of Freddie's classic work for CTI! The setting here is spare and simple , trumpet from Jukka, tenor from Timo Lassey, and bass, drums, and plenty of sweet electric keys. All hitting a groove that's soulful, soaring, and filled with the new sense of invention that Hubbard brought to his work at the start of the 70s. Most of the tracks here are originals by Hubbard , "Keep Your Soul Together", "Gibraltar", "Povo", and "Love Connection" , but the set also features the well-penned original "Deli", and a version of Weldon Irvine's "Mr Clean" , a key title in the Hubbard songbook of the CTI years!


01 - Keep Your Soul Together
02 - Gibraltar
03 - Brigitte
04 - Deli
05 - Mr.Clean
06 - Povo
07 - Love Connection

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