Blam Jam's taking a short break for Easter this week with
a soulful house session filling my absence, so to keep you going
during my absence, and attempting to provide a cure for chocolate
egg overdose, here's a rundown of some of the best releases
of 2013 so far.
Bluey - "Leap Of Faith" (Dome Records)
It's been a long time coming but the shy and retiring
frontman and guitar player from Incognito has finally
released a solo album with him singing and it has surpassed
expectations.
The tracks are a slight departure from what you'd expect
from the Cog but that's not in a negative way whatsoever.
The minute I heard the lead single "Got To Let My Feelings Show"
there was an instinct that the album would be a winner and
it's a mixed bag in a very positive way.
Highlights include the deep house groovers "Ain't Nobody's Business"
and "Why Did I Let You Go", "Live Like A Millionaire" which has
a nod to Charles Wright's "Express Yourself", and the blissful
"Sky" with Brazil inspired rhythms.
Why has the man been hiding himself as a solo artist for so long?
Let's hope this isn't the last of such offerings.
Jose James - "No Beginning, No End" (Blue Note)
Wow. This was something rather special.
The Minnesota jazz musician's first album for Blue Note is just
perfect listening when it's dark and you're in a dimly lit room
with so many chilled tracks and an amazing voice to boot.
James is joined by some amazing guest performers on this LP
including Robert Glasper on keys, and Emily King who co-wrote
two of my favourites on the album "Heaven On The Ground"
(where she also provides vocals) and the sublime "Come To My Door".
Overall the distinguishing mark of the album could be that
musically there's a nod to the past, yet it feels very contemporary
and forward looking.
Frankly it's an album I've found very difficult to stop playing
on the radio show this year.
Alice Russell - "To Dust" (Tru Thoughts)
A woman I've been a fan of for so long, who's shone in her
collaborations with Bah Samba and Quantic, and yet as a solo
performer shows no sign of dissolving.
There's a rather dark and gritty feel to this album, as shown
through tracks such as "Heartbreaker", and "I Loved You",
as well as a few livelier offerings such as "For A While" and
"The Drinking Song", which show off her improvisational abilities.
And yet like most of the acts on this list, she's so modest
as shown through the interesting descriptions on her
Spotify commentary of her album, but I guess she wants to leave
us wanting more, and teases the listener to the best of her abilities.
None more finer than the album opener "A-Z" christened by
Cerys Matthews off of BBC 6 Music as "The Sesame Street Song"
and hopefully a tune that will surface as a longer song on a future
release.
Darryl Reeves - The Dillaquarium Mixtape
I love getting free things.
And this is one of the best free downloads so far this year,
a compilation made in tribute to the late James 'J-Dilla' Yancey
from Atlanta saxophonist Darryl Reeves.
There's a really good set of jazzy rhythms, nice and melodic
without any over the top improvising.
A track that stands out that in particular, is "Donut Man",
based around an old favourite from Herbie Hancock, the
Headhunters arrangement of "Watermelon Man".
You have to love that weird flute noise that sounds like a
baby laughing.
And if anyone can come up with a better description than
the above, that would lighten me up no end.
Have a really good rest-of-Easter, and I'll be back live
on Canterbury's airwaves next Sunday from 6pm, with
more amazing rhythms and crazy talk in between them.
