Melbourne songwriter multi instrumentalist and producer Gordon Li better known as Don Glori releases his third and most sophisticated album 'Paper Can't Wrap Fire'.The album features some of Melbourne's finest musicians including Matt Hall on vocals, Glori on bass, guitar, keyboards and percussion, Joshua Moshe on sax and Audrey Prowne on trumpet amongst many others. 'Disaster', 'Brown Eyes' , 'Flicker' and 'Janet' are all good mid tempo multi layered mid tempo soulful vocal tracks with good instrumentation that set the tone for the album. There are also some nice jazzier more instrumental cuts with background vocals 'Song For Ants' which...
Gil Scott-Heron recorded his ‘Moving Target’ album in 1982, accompanied by the band that became known as the Amnesia Express with Robbie Gordon on slap bass, Larry McDonald percussion, Kenny Powell drums, Ed Brady guitar and Glen Turner keyboards. It has a funkier sound than the albums recorded with Brian Jackson. The highlights are ‘Washington DC’, a slinky funky mid tempo groove documenting the inequalities of the capital city. ‘Fast Lane’ is another funky riff-laden cut, and ‘Explanations’ has a hard driving rhythm. ‘Black History/The World’ is a 10 minute dialogue with history from Gil’s perspective, over a funky rhythm...
Charles Rouse came to the fore as the tenor saxophonist with Thelonious Monk from 1959-69. He recorded 'Two Is One' for the Strata East label in 1974, his first as a leader since his only album on Blue Note from 1963. The first side comprises three funky jazz tracks, the strongest of which is a version of Joe Chambers 'Hopscotch'. This track has a strong driving funky rhythm from David Lee on drums, Airto on percussion and Stanley Clarke on bass with Paul Metzke on guitar and Charles blowing over the top to create one of the NY label's finest...
Limited to 1000, individually numbered copies. Eight tracks for the first time on LP vinyl from The Diplomats Of Soul featuring an all star cast of UK singers and musicians produced by Bluey from Incognito. Vocalists are Natalie Duncan, Vanessa Haynes, Imaani, Valentina Silwimba, Cherri V and the late Noel McKoy on an array of recordings from 2006 to 2024. The songs range from covers of rare groove, two step and soul classics to one original. Six songs original mixes, plus remixes by Atjazz and Yam Who?.....essentially an Incognito album! Click on the product to listen to the tracks and...
Bennie Maupin came to prominence playing with Miles Davis on ‘Bitches Brew’ and ‘On The Corner’ and then with Herbie Hancock on many albums in the 70s as part of The Headhunters, although the Detroit-native saxophonist had started as part of The Four Tops’ backing band. Maupin plays Tenor and Soprano saxes, flutes, bass clarinet and other woodwind instruments on ‘Slow Traffic To The Right’ his second album as a leader which was recorded for Mercury in 1977. He is accompanied by many great musicians including Patrice Rushen, Patrick Gleeson and arranger Onaje Allan Gumbs all on keyboards, Paul Jackson...
Kitty Winter Gipsy Nova recorded their debut album ‘Feel It’ for the German Intercord label in 1978. It is a peach of a Brazilian-style fusion album featuring Kitty on vocals fronting a strong German band. ‘Mato Pato’ is taken at a breakneck speed, Kitty’s wordless vocal scatting over a strong rhythm, which not surprisingly has become a Jazz dancefloor classic. Equally good is the catchy ‘New Morning’, another floorfiller on which Kitty sings and scats and there is a nice keyboard solo. ‘Feel It’ and ‘Digno Dshingo’ are strong fusion tracks whilst the lighter and slightly slower ‘Primrose Samba’ and...
The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble is a 9 piece Soul Jazz band from San Diego California. 'Gemini' is their fifth studio album for the Colemine label and comprises of eleven self written tracks, or between 3 and 5 minutes each. Their sound is like a modern day The Crusaders meets The Meters with a touch of Mulatu Atstatke, along with other influences. All the tracks blend together to make a strong album with great horns, rhythm and percussion. Highlights are 'Gemini' which has a very strong Crusaders influence, the funkier ' Making Moves' the flute led 'Freddie' and more laid back...
Japanese bassist Teruo Nakamura recorded this superb heavy fusion Jazz album, his debut in New York in the summer of 1973. He is joined by some of thecream of upcoming musicians including Alphonse Mouzon and Lenny White on drums, Hubert Eaves and George Cables on keyboards, Steve Grossman on sax and Charles Sullivan on trumpet. Stylistically ‘Unicorn’ could easily have been recorded for the NY Strata East label but was actually commissioned by the acclaimed Japanese label Three Blind Mice. The album is best known for the Groovy jazz dancer ‘Umma Be Me’ which like the ethereal ‘Understanding’ features Sandi Hewitt...
Donny Hathaway made this his second album in 1971, it followed his sensational highly acclaimed debut 'Everything Is Everthing'. The album is superbly produced by Jerry Wexler and Arif Mardin and features nine songs that really focus on Donny's so soulful voice and his keyboard playing. The tight rhythm section features Donny along with Chuck Rainey bass Cornell Dupree guitar and Al Jackson drums and percussion. 'Giving Up' is an amazing soulful piece of music, full of emotion and immaculate performances topped by King Curtis sax solo. Donny's versions of Leon Russell 'A Song For You' , Billy Preston 'Little...
Joe Henderson recorded ‘Multiple’ in 1973 for the Milestone label, one of a string of great albums he made for the label. Right from the opening notes of the 10 minute opener ‘Tress-Cun-Deo-La’ you know this is going to be special. The band lay down an incredibly intense funky groove over which Henderson blows hard using Tenor and Soprano saxes, flutes plus percussion and voices to create a very full sound that you can really immerse yourself in. Larry Willis on electric piano, Jack DeJonette on drums, Dave Holland on bass and James ‘Blood’ Ulmer on guitar are really going...
