Archives: Features

Garcia Walker & Durrell are Writer and Producer Vince Garcia (Drizabone), Bassist, Drummer and Keyboardist Mark Walker and US Soul vocalist Vince Durrell, who they discovered busking in Leeds. Together with our friend guitarist Mark Vandergucht (Marlena Shaw UK band), and other guests they have made what is likely to be one of the biggest new soul albums of 2021.'Prayin For The Rain', 'Bluewater' 'Darlin' and 'Gita Have You' are nice mid tempo tracks ,'Stars' is more up beat, and there is a good cover of Beloyd's modern soul classic 'Get Into Your life'. Possibly best of all are the...

THE AWAKENING - MIRAGE The only 'group' on the Black Jazz roster, The Awakening today should be heralded as one of the great bands in early '70s jazz. That they're not is the result of the Black Jazz label's distribution woes; witness the fact that original copies of both of their records for the imprint command prices in the hundreds of dollars if you can find them at all. Mirage is their second (1973) album, the last one they made together; it boasts the same Chicago-based, AACM-centric line-up as the first, with the notable addition of bassist Rufus Reid on...

The Baylor Project 'Generations' is a quality new album that borders Soul and Jazz featuring Vocalist Jean Baylor and husband drummer Marcus Baylor. Jean's vocals are extremely soulful throughout and she is backed by a large number of musicians including on some tracks strings and horns. 'Strivin' is an up tempo old school R&B jazzy number that really swings and features Kenny Garrett on Sax. 'Happy To Be With You' has gospel drenched vocals, 'Love Makes You Sing' is a lovely mid tempo ballad and there is a good version of Wayne Shorter's 'Infant Eyes'. '2020' is a beautiful message song, Jean's voice soaring above some great...

Geneva based reissue label We Release Jazz have put their hand to the seminal Japanese Jazz-Fusion album Cat by Hiroshi Suzuki (Japanese Trombonist extraordinaire), a half-speed mastered 180g clear audiophile release of which the sound quality has been widely acclaimed, truly paying homage to the album's Japanese roots with the unironic inclusion of an obi strip. Initially released in 1975, the album was initially overlooked up until recently, where it has been commanding fatuously high prices on discogs (recent sales have been upward of £1,000!) Cat was recorded in October 1975 at Nippon Columbia Studio, while Hiroshi Suzuki was visiting...

The 1973 album continues in the same vein as Ball of Eyes, though it's definitely funkier and head boppin' than the debut. The real-ear grabber is the superb Moog soloing by Moulin. Placebo is grooving your socks off in the first half of the album and a more concentrated jazzy swing can be found on the second half.  Original copies of 1973 are in short supply and overwhelming demand, making this official reissue a much-needed one! Buy the LP Here Check out the album below; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeXyvOdZMbM&list=PLmZFFIVOSLJsJxMCP7mnZFG3pwwsrQwwk&ab_channel=CanBayram%C3%A7avu%C5%9F

One of the Queens of Neo -Soul , Conya Doss from Ohio returns with her ninth album 'Through Rose Colored Glasses'. It is a strong album which includes the typically Conya mid tempo head nodder's 'Take it Away', 'Wishful Thinking' and slightly off key 'Ain't Trading You' . 'Show Me' is more upbeat and features Lin Rountree on trumpet, whilst 'Long Haul' is more of a slow jam.'It Ain't Easy' ft Eric Roberson, which like most of the former titles is produced by Rodney A Jones. The album's highlights are the three songs written or co-written and produced by Myron...