soul food

German Funk Fieber Vol. 2

2009-06-28T13:55:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-24T10:39:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-05T03:30:00.000-07:00

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'

2009-06-04T10:54:00.001-07:00

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

2009-06-02T05:59:00.000-07:00

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'

2009-05-08T13:43:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-06T09:15:00.001-07:00

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

2009-05-05T03:27:00.001-07:00

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

2009-05-03T14:09:00.001-07:00

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

2009-03-21T06:12:00.001-07:00

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

2009-03-13T11:25:00.000-07:00

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

2009-03-12T10:08:00.001-07:00

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

2009-03-11T11:03:00.000-07:00

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

2009-02-14T11:08:00.001-08:00

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

2009-02-01T10:21:00.000-08:00

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

2009-01-21T06:35:00.001-08:00

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

2009-01-18T06:24:00.000-08:00

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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Marvin Gaye - 2008 - Here My Dear EXPANDED EDITION

2009-01-18T05:35:00.000-08:00

The year is 1978 and Marvin Gaye is fresh off a divorce from Anna Gordy, the sister of Motown Records founder Berry Gordy Jr. MG's choice of release therapy? Chronicling the entire divorce, his feelings, and his failure at love on his out-of-print, oft-slept on album, Here, My Dear. When the album was initially released in 1978 during the height of the disco era, the LP was highly criticized for it's uncommercial sound and intensely introspective lyrics. When the LP was first re-issued in the early 90s, it debuted at #1 on the Billboard R&B charts and featured in-depth liner notes from Gaye's biographer David Ritz. Ritz wrote that Gaye was convinced that Motown would never push an album critical of the sister of company founder Berry Gordy, Jr., and did all he could to alienate the label, never giving Motown a chance to promote the album properly.
"Here, My Dear" will be available again for the first time in over a decade on January 15th. The two disc set includes a remastered version of the original double album and a new mix of the "Dream of a Lifetime" track "Ain't It Funny (How Things Turn Around)" by bass player Bootsy Collins. The second disc offers a resequencing of "Here, My Dear" comprised of Gaye's demo vocals and unused instrumental tracks from the period. The artists and producers who crafted the disc 2 material were asked to not use overdubs and only work with the original multi-track tapes.

CD1
1. Here, My Dear
2. I Met A Little Girl
3. When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You
4. Anger
5. Is That Enough
6. Everybody Needs Love
7. Time To Get It Together
8. Sparrow
9. Anna's Song
10. When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You - Instrumental
11. A Funky Space Reincarnation
12. You Can Leave, But It's Going To Cost You
13. Falling In Love Again
14. When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You [Reprise]
15. Ain't It Funny (How Things Turn Around) - Alternate Mix

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CD2
1. Here, My Dear - Alternate Mix
2. I Met A Little Girl - Alternate Version
3. When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You - Alternate Version
4. Anger - Alternate Extended Mix
5. Is That Enough - Instrumental
6. Everybody Needs Love - Alternate Version
7. Time To Get It Together - Alternate Extended Mix
8. Sparrow - Alternate Version
9. Anna's Song - Alternate Version
10. A Funky Space Reincarnation - Alternate Extended Mix
11. You Can Leave, But It's Going To Cost You - Alternate Extended Mix
12. Falling In Love Again - Alternate Version
13. A Funky Space Reincarnation - Instrumental

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The Greyboy Allstars - 1995 - West Coast Boogaloo (with Fred Wesley)

2009-01-05T09:30:00.001-08:00

In 1995, The Greyboy Allstars teamed up with reknowned funk trombonist Fred Wesley to record their first album, West Coast Boogaloo. The group then recorded a live album in 1997. Their latest release, A Town Called Earth, was issued on their own Greyboy Records label in late 1997.

The Greyboy Allstars:
Karl Denson (vocals, soprano, alto & tenor saxophones, flute);
Harold Todd (tenor saxophone, flute);
Robert Walter (electric piano, organ);
Elgin Park (guitar);
Chris Stillwell (bass);
Zak Najor (drums);
Craig Levitz (percussion).

Additional personnel:
Fred Wesley (trombone).

01 - Soul Dream
02 - Let the Music Take Your Mind
03 - Fried Grease
04 - Fire-Eater
05 - Tenor Man
06 - Miss Riverside
07 - Gravee
08 - Browns at Home

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Supersauce - 1998 - Keep On Keepin' On

2009-01-02T02:34:00.001-08:00

Supersauce

Gretchen Lieberum - vocals
Michael Cruz - bass
Alex Budman - saxophone, flute
Jordan Glasgow - keyboards
Tim Carter - drums
David Metzner - guitar

Also featured on Keep On Keepin' On:

Dustin Hengl - trumpet
Dave Scott - trumpet
Primo Navarez - percussion

Founded by bassist Michael Cruz and vocalists Gretchen Lieberum and Maya Rudolph, Supersauce formed in 1993 at the University of California at Santa Cruz. Picking up where bands like the Brand New Heavies and Incognito left off, the group achieved local stardom almost overnight. From their first gig at a Halloween house party, they immediately graduated to rocking sell out crowds at infamous Santa Cruz institution, The Catalyst. The recipe was simple -- part funk, part groove, and all party. As their theme song goes, "once you taste The Sauce, you'll never be the same."

01. Keep On Keepin' On
02. Soldier
03. EZ West
04. Walk Slowly
05. Song In C
06. M-Bomb
07. Butterfly
08. Six Bucks On The Dollar
09. Gotta Get Back
10. Mango Street

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Christian Scott - 2006 - Rewind That

2009-01-01T10:04:00.000-08:00

CHRISTIAN SCOTT
Rewind That
2006
Concord Jazz 3122442

Christian Scott – Trumpet
Luques Curtis – Bass
Thomas Pridgen – Drums
Walter Smith III (except track 1) – Tenor-sax
Matt Stevens (except track 4) – Guitar
Zaccai Curtis (except track 10) – Fender Rhodes and Wurlitzer
Donald Harrison (tracks 4, 8, 10 and 11) – Alto-sax

The jazz world used to be full of tenor-saxophonists pretending to be John Coltrane. Hearing this debut album by a 22-year-old trumpeter, I begin to think we are surrounded by trumpeters who want to sound like Miles Davis. Christian Scott has the same mournful tone (sometimes sounding rather flat) and the same economy with notes – playing short phrases above ostinato patterns very much in the style of Miles Davis when he was in his jazz-rock mode. Like Miles, Christian occasionally breaks out into fierce flurries of notes but most of his playing is subdued – and sadly rather uninteresting.

Thomas Pridgen’s cracking drums reinforce the jazz-rock style, mostly using the eight-in-a-bar rhythms of fusion, and Matt Stevens’ guitar adds some abrasive commentary – which can intrude on the ear in an otherwise well-recorded album. Christian Scott wrote nine of the eleven tracks himself but they tend to retread familiar paths and have little melodic appeal, preferring to depend upon repetitive grooves. Scott’s version of Miles Davis’s So What is rather lacklustre until Donald Harrison comes in with some biting alto-sax. In fact the outstanding soloists here are not Scott but Donald Harrison and tenor-saxist Walter Smith III, who both produce shapely solos. Despite their contributions, I am unlikely to be tempted to follow the CD title’s advice and rewind this album to hear it again.

01. Rewind That
02. Say It
03. Like This
04. So What
05. Rejection
06. Lay in Vein
07. She
08. Suicide
09. Caught Up
10. Paridise Found
11. Kiel

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Corey Wilkes - 2008 - Drop It

2008-12-30T10:39:00.001-08:00

Corey Wilkes - Drop It
2008

Chelsea Baratz, tenor sax;
Jabari Liu, alto sax;
Robert "Baabe" Irving III, piano and Fender Rhodes;
Junius Paul, bass;
Jeremy "Bean" Clemmons, drums.

Jazz trumpeter Corey Wilkes burst on the Chicago jazz scene in 2002. Corey took on the ghost of Lester Bowie and filled the vacant seat in the Art Ensemble of Chicago. Big shoes to fill for a new musician but Corey isn't an ordinary musician. He began at the age of 10, made the Illinois All State Honors Jazz Combo in high school and honed his talent at Berklee College of Music. His soulful notes can be heard gracing a variety of projects such as DJ sets by Logic, Osunlade and Josh Deep; tracks on Hidden Beach's Unwrapped Vol. 4, also recorded with Roscoe Mitchell, Art Ensemble, Tortoise, Ernest Dawkins, Nicole Mitchell and Ethnic Heritage Ensemble's Hot 'N' Heavy.

01. Trumpet Player (Feat. Miyanda Wilson)
02. Sonata In The Key Of Jack Daniels
03. Drop It
04. Remy's Revenge
05. Prelude - Touch
06. Touch
07. Return 2 Sender
08. Searchin'
09. Ubiquitous Budafly
10. Funkier Than A Mosquito's Tweeter (Feat. Dee Alexander)
11. Drop It (Live)

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Remy Shand - 2002 - The Way I Feel

2008-12-07T10:50:00.000-08:00

Shand began recording and mixing his debut album, The Way I Feel during the spring of 2001 at his home in Winnipeg. The album features songs such as "The Colour of the Day" and "I Met Your Mercy", examples of his particular style. Shand was quoted as saying the track "Everlasting" was the blueprint towards the content of The Way I Feel, as it was the oldest track on the album, recorded in 1998.

The Way I Feel was released on March 12, 2002, and Shand won a Juno Award for Best R&B/Soul Recording at the 2003 Juno Awards. The album was successful in Canada and sold roughly 500,000 copies in the United States. Shand received four Grammy nominations for his work.

In October 2003, Shand's official website stated that he was working on his second album, to be called Day In The Shade. The album has yet to be released, and since then, there has been no public information regarding Shand's whereabouts or recording projects. As of December 7, 2007, Shand's official website domain (www.remyshand.ca) had not been renewed by his record label.

01. The Way I Feel
02. Burning Bridges
03. Everlasting
04. The Second One
05. The Colour Of Day
06. Take a Message
07. I Met Your Mercy
08. Rocksteady
09. Liberate
10. Looking Back On Vanity
11. The Mind's Eye

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Chuck Amstrong - 1976 - Shackin' Up

2008-11-03T11:27:00.000-08:00

An obscure album of southern funky soul from Chuck Armstrong , an artist we know from his earlier funky 45 work in Chicago, but who sounds quite different on this set! The album was produced by George Kerr in New Jersey, but it's got a rolling, vamping approach on most cuts , a sound that's somewhere between Muscle Shoals and the nascent Jackson style of the 70s. Chuck's vocals are well-suited to the set, and a few numbers bear traces of his earlier more northern sound.

01. Shackin' Up
02. Goodness Gracious
03. I'm A Lonley Man
04. Nightmare
05. She Had The Right
06. You Got To Deal With It (This Superworld)
07. Coming Home
08. Misleading Information
09. Give Me All Your Sweet Lovin'
10. Sweet Foxy Woman

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The Roy Hargrove Quartet - 2008 - Earfood

2008-10-17T04:23:00.001-07:00

Roy Hargrove Quintet
Earfood
Emarcy
(Groovin’ High/EmArcy)
Released July 29, 2008

Personnel:
Roy Hargrove: trumpet and flugelhorn;
Justin Robinson: alto saxophone and flute;
Gerald Clayton: piano;
Danton Boller: bass;
Montez Coleman: drums.

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