A double-length set from Mario Biondi – and a record that really shows him growing a lot as a singer! Biondi's still got all the raspy charm we loved in his work for Schema Records, but he also seems to have a deeper sense of soul here too – especially on the ballads and mellower cuts, which really help expand the palette past the snapping jazzy grooves we've always loved in Mario's music – and which could honestly have him hitting the heights of some of the best American singers from years back. The blend of soul and jazz in the vocals is wonderful – and instrumentation is mostly jazzy, with that sense of groove that works perfectly with Biondi's approach. The "due" in the title refers to the fact that Mario's got a key partner on every track – either a special Italian jazz musician, or guest singer – and titles include "Won't You Come Back", "Under That Sky", "Mother Earth", "Where Are You", "Every Time I Think Of You", "Dreaming", "Free", "What's Happening Brother", and "In The Sun". ~ Dusty Groove
Maybe the greatest album we've ever heard from Lucas Santtana – and that's saying a lot, given that we've been loving his music for years! There's a depth, a richness here that we haven't heard from Lucas in a long time – a quality that has him moving past just the kind of bright new energy he brought to MPB over a decade ago – into a realm that rivals the most mature work of older giants like Caetano Veloso or Gilberto Gil! Instrumentation is often fresh and complicated, yet never in a way that's ever too obtuse – and the songwriting has a punch that goes even beyond the boundaries of language – an inherent universality that's a real surprise. Titles include "Musico", "Jogos Madrugais", "E Sempre Bom Se Lembrar", "Tanto Faz", "Se Pa Ska SP", and "Dia De Furar Onda No Mar". ~ Dusty Groove
Gilles Peterson's hand-picked Brownswood Bubblers series – which is nine volumes strong with the release of this one – and it's getting better and better! While soulful strains are a common thread in the series to date, diversity has always been the name of the game – and that while that continues to hold true, Vol 9 is anchored pretty strongly with funky soul – with tracks by Truth & Soul signees Lady, modern spacey soul singer/producer Slakah The Beat Child, Belleruche and a few more recognizable names – but it's also a got a bevy of artists ripe for discovery! Includes "Money" by Lady, "Nakamarra" by Hiatus Kaiyote, "Wanna Do" by Slakah The Beatchild, "Forgotten Notes" by Hackman, "Wasted Time (Ross PTH Remix)" by Belleruche, "Make It Good" by The White Lamp, "Private Life Of A Puppet" by Bev Lee Harling, Down Illusion" by Memotone and more. ~ Dusty Groove