The Brit Funk Association are one of the UK's top Jazz Funk bands featuring former members of Light of the World and Beggar & Co. On 'Ancestral Voices , Kenny Wellington, Patrick McLean, David Baptiste, Breeze McKreith, Billy Osborne, Peter and Camille Hinds are joined by other British stalwarts like Ernie McKone and Toby Baker plus Eddie M to create a very authentic retro Jazz Funk album paying tribute to the masters. There are a couple of covers but mainly self penned new tracks, influenced by classic tracks/artists. AWB 'Pick Up The Pieces' and Ronnie Laws 'Always There' are given...
The ever reliable Soul On The Realside series returns with a vinyl version of its 15th volume. Packed with 12 modern soul gems from the 70s emanating from the Capitol group of labels. Highlights included the modern soul dancers Cornelious Brothers & Sister Rose 'Big Time Lover', Rance Allen 'Reasons To Survive'. George Soule all time great 'Get Involved' sits alongside the excellent but lesser known Brown Sugar 'The Game Is Over' and Charles Williams 'Standing In The Way'. There are some nice mid tempo floaters from Betty Swann 'My Heart Is Closed For The Season C.M.Lord 'Oh Mama' and...
Leela James possesses one of the most distinctive female voices in contemporary Soul. Having made a string of good Soul albums over the past 20 years, she returns with another strong album ‘Thought U Knew, that she has co-produced with Rex Rideout’.The title track and ‘Right Back In It’ are mid tempo R&B/Soul cuts featuring Ronnie Garrett slapping it on Bass. ‘Be Your Baby is a rhythmic stepper which along with the horn backed modern soul dancer ‘Satisfied’ will keep the dancefloors grooving. Leela’s unique gritty is best suited to the more downtempo tracks like the contemporary Southern Soul groove...
Incognito return with their first album in four years. Bluey is accompanied by many long term associates like Francis Hylton on bass and Dominic 'Ski' Oakenfull on keyboards along with newer members as they create that familiar feel good full band sound, across 16 new tracks. Tony Momrelle is joined by Natalie Duncan and Cherri V on vocals. 'Keep Me In The Dark' , 'Nothing Makes Me Feel Better', 'Stories Of Our Past' and 1993' ft Chicco Allotta on vocals, are horn backed uptempo Soul tracks. 'Colorblind', 'Days Like These', 'One Step' and 'Make Me Change My Mind' are more...
Ed Motta is a very talented singer songwriter and multi instrumentalist who is a musical superstar in his native Brasil. On his new sophomore album 'Behind The Tea Chronicles' he is joined by many good Brazilian musicians plus a horn section from Detroit and the Film harmonic Orchestra from the Czech Republic and backing vocals recorded in L.A. Ed Motta really has his own style a mixture of Soul, Funk, Jazz, AOR and Brazilian music unlike any contemporary artist that I can think of, but shows Steely Dan influences.'Newsroom Costumers' is a good opener string laden groove riden track that...
Jazzman records release the fourteenth volume of their Spiritual Jazz compilation series. This volume features 14 tracks released on obscure Private press releases between 1964-1987 mainly by little known artists, playing deep Spiritual Jazz. Erni Clark 'By The Grace of God' is an understated, deeply percussive groove. Elysian Spring 'Lotus' is 8 minutes of flute led laid back groove. Radam Schwartz & Leslie Ford 'Middle Eastern Fantasy' is a nice laid back vocal track. Mary Lou Williams 'Communion Song : The world is one and half minutes of pure magic and the earliest recording here. Carmelo Garcia 'Ethiopia' a mystical track...
Mark Lundup is best known as the singer and keyboardist of Level 42, as well as his more recent involvement with Da Lata.His long overdue follow up album 'Changes 2' sees Mark on great form and accompanied by some fine musicians and guest vocalists. The uptempo opener 'Atlantia' has a very Level 42 feel to it . 'You Can't Just Live As An Island' is a strong dancer ft Yolanda Charles on bass and Vanessa Freeman on backing vocals. The feel good groover 'Could It Really Be' features Tony Momrelle on vocals, Ernie McKone on bass and Alex Wilson on...
Miche has delved deep again to uncover 15 underground obscure soulful gems from some of our music's lesser known artists. Billy Boomer recorded one single for the Chicago Blast label in 1982 and both sides are featured here, the good time party track 'I Like what She's Doing' and the more laid back groover 'You Can't Hide'. P.J.City 'Straight Forward' and Mixed Generation Enterprize 'Take To The Sky' are hard hitting brassy disco funk tracks. Maxwell 'Realize' is an excellent upper mid tempo track in the style of Mighty Ryeders. Cecil Lyde 'I'll Make It On My Own' and Alice...
Kelly Finnigan of the Monophonics has produced a really good retro harmony soul album by the Sextones 'Love Can't Be Borrowed'. This album sounds and feels like a really authentic late 60s to mid 70s group soul record. There are beat ballads like 'Daydreaming' , 'Better Late Than Never' and 'Getaway Driver' alongside 2 stepper 'This Could Last Forever' and the horn backed 'Trouble On My Mind' . The uptempo dancer 'Without You' and mid tempo funky soul groover 'The Other Side' are likely to get some dancefloor action. There are also a couple of nice mid tempo floaters 'Your...
Australian Spiritual Jazz band Menagerie make their forth album ‘Shores Of Infinity’ their third on the Freestyle label. ‘Shores Of Infinity’ is a very energetic opener with heavy drums and a spiritual approach. ‘Kingdom’ is a stand out track which has a classic Roy Ayers rare groove feel to it, with off key vocals and vibes over a wicked bass line and unusual keyboard riffs that may have been influenced by Leon Thomas ‘Shade Your Mind to Die’. ‘Earthrise’ is a soprano sax led Jazz dancer featuring Phil Noy, whilst ’Arrival’ is more mid tempo fusion highlighting Lance Ferguson’s guitar...
