Erykah Badu - Worldwide Underground
SOUL | FLAC | CUE | LOG | TIFF ART | 375MB | 50:49
Motown 2003

Marketed as an EP, but with ten songs running over forty minutes, it sounds like an album to me, albeit a minor one. The ambition and range of Mama's Gun are missing, as Badu sticks to midtempo retro-soul loops, and the two long numbers don't develop ("Bump It," "I Want You"). Still, everything's pleasant, and sometimes excellent - "The Grind" with rhymes from Dead Prez; the super-catchy "Danger" - and there's even some old school rapping from Queen Latifah, Angie Stone and Badu on the Sequence tribute "Love Of My Life Worldwide." Still, it's not a great sign that the most arresting piece of music is the brief instrumental outro to "I Want You." Lots of guests, including Lenny Kravitz ("Back In The Day (Puff)"), Zap Mama, Caron Wheeler ("Bump It") and Hargrove ("Think Twice"). --David Bertrand Wilson, WARR.org

~ TRACKLISTING ~

01. World Keeps Turnin’ (Intro)
02. Bump It
03. Back in the Day (Puff)
04. I Want You
05. Woo
06. The Grind
07. Danger
08. Think Twice
09. Love of My Life Worldwide
10. World Keeps Turnin’ (Outro)


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Mica Paris - So Good
R&B | FLAC | CUE | LOG | 600DPI | 281MB
Island 1988

A gospel-influenced soul/pop singer with a fine range and a quality not unlike Natalie Cole, Mica Paris is among the many noteworthy talents to come out of Britain's healthy R&B scene of the 1980s and '90s. Though not a remarkable effort, her debut album, So Good, was a respectable and decent one indicating that she had much potential. Among the CD's more noteworthy cuts are the haunting "My One Temptation," the jazz-influenced "Sway (Dance the Blues Away)" and the sizzling "Nothing Hits Your Heart like Soul Music" (which also seems like a statement of purpose, and points to Paris' devotion to more traditional R&B elements). Perhaps the song that does the most to test what Paris is truly made of is "Where Is the Love" -- forming a duet with Will Downing for this remake of the Roberta Flack/Donny Hathaway classic, the earthy singer makes it crystal clear that she's quite capable of depth. For Paris, the best was yet to come. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide

~ TRACKLISTING ~

01. Like Dreamers Do
02. My One Temptation
03. Nothing Hits Your Heart Like Soul Music
04. Sway (Dance The Blues Away)
05. Don't Give Me Up
06. Breathe Life Into Me
07. I'd Hate To Love You
08. Great Impersonation
09. Where Is The Love
10. So Good


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Christian McBride - Gettin To It
JAZZ | FLAC | CUE | LOG | TIFF | 390MB | 55:36
Verve 1995


REVIEW ALBUM
HERE


PERSONNEL
Christian McBride - Upright Bass
Roy Hargrove - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Joshua Redman - Saxophone (Tenor)
Steve Turre - Trombone
Cyrus Chestnut - Piano
Lewis Nash - Drums


~ TRACKLISTING ~

01. In a Hurry
02. The Shade of the Cedar Tree
03. Too Close for Comfort
04. Sitting on a Cloud
05. Splanky
06. Gettin' To It
07. Stars Fell on Alabama
08. Black Moon
09. King Freddie of Hubbard
10. Night Train


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Me'Shell N'degeOcello - Comfort Woman
SOUL | FLAC | CUE | LOG | TIFF SCANS | 334MB | 39:32
Maverick 2003


To get immediately to the point, if Me'Shell Ndegéocello's Comfort Woman isn't regarded as one of the finest contemporary soul albums of 2003, then those who review music for a living had better get eardrum transplants and a transfusion of blood to get rid of the sawdust, or quit to sell used cars, work in a fast-food establishment, or pump gas. The marketplace is tricky, but if this disc doesn't sell, then Madonna needs to fire her marketing department at Maverick. Comfort Woman is a deeply sensual album, sexy as hell and drenched with lush, richly textured bass grooves that bubble under warmly and luxuriantly in a series of songs that may not be all that divergent in tempo, but don't have to be either. This is late-night music, where the sound of a bass doesn't so much pop as it rumbles in the lower spine, looking for release. Make no mistake on Comfort Woman, space is the place and that place is reached via two vehicles, a perfect commingling of the spirits of dub reggae and mid-'70s soul and groove jazz.


Think, perhaps, of David Sancious and Teena Marie as bandmates with Sly & Robbie in the rhythm section, Jimi Hendrix's "Rainy Day, Dream Away" as a music model, and Sade as vocalist -- you get the idea. The opening track, "Love Song," begins with a spacy bassline, rumbling in the lower register soft enough to ease its way into a song yet tough enough that it won't let the listener go. With a B-3 shimmering in the background, Ndegéocello begins to sing, so s-l-o-o-o-o-o-w-l-y: "If you want me, baby, just call/Let me kiss your body/Fill you with love/Let me feed your body/Feed it with love/I can't sleep...this is love/This is how I love you...." She croons with a breathy Smokey Robinson coo. On "Come Smoke My Herb," you can hear traces of both Shuggie Otis' and the Brothers Johnson's ballads infused with the brazen promise of Joni Mitchell and Gregory Isaacs meeting in bliss to swing and sway under a dubwise moon. Speaking of moons, "Liliquoi Moon" features guest guitarist Oren Bloedow, who adds his tonal dexterity to a soulfully psychedelic mix of woven acoustic guitars, a lullaby melody, and life-affirming lyrics until the end when Doyle Bramhall goes into overdrive in his solo, transforming the tune into a shape-shifting poltergeist of a track. Bramhall also lends his axe to "Love Song #3," which was truly inspired by Hendrixian grace and elegance à la Electric Ladyland. "Love Song # 2" and "Andromeda & the Milky Way" are sex beat tracks, music with a slow walking tiger in the hips as bass and keyboards stride out, loping, then halting and curling around the listener like smoke. Fact of the matter is, Comfort Woman is one of the most forward-thinking records to come out of contemporary soul in well over a decade. It's possible to remember when Prince made music as fine, sensual, and spiritual as this, but it's a struggle. This is Ndegéocello's finest moment on record thus far, and is as good as it gets in the field. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide


~ TRACKLISTING ~

01. Love Song #1
02. Come Smoke My Herb
03. Andromeda & the Milky Way
04. Love Song #2
05. Body
06. Liliquoi Moon
07. Love Song #3
08. Fellowship
09. Good Intentions
10. Thankful



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Don Byron - Nu Blaxploitation
FUSION | WAVPACK | CUE | LOG | TIFF ART | 507MB
Blue Note 1998



REVIEW


Existential Dred
Don Byron - Clarinet, Saxophone (Baritone), Percussion, Vocals
Uri Caine - Piano, Organ, Clarinet, Vocals (bckgr)
Reggie Washington - Bass, Vocals (bckgr)
Sadiq - Vocals
Ben Wittman - Drums
Dean Bowman - Vocals


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

=============================

Don Byron - Tuskegee Experiments
JAZZ | WAV | CUE | LOG | COVERS | 642MB | 62:09
Nonesuch 1992

Clarinetist Don Byron immediately became famous in the jazz world after the release of his debut CD as a leader. The strong themes (all but a melody apiece from Robert Schumann and Duke Ellington are originals), the advanced yet logical improvising, and the often-dramatic music make this a particularly memorable set. Byron, doubling on clarinet and bass clarinet, is heard in settings ranging from an unaccompanied solo and duets with bassist Reggie Workman and pianist Joe Berkovitz to medium-size groups with such sidemen as guitarist Bill Frisell, bassist Lonnie Plaxico, drummer Ralph Peterson Jr., pianist Edsel Gomez, and others. Although several songs involve justifiable social protest (including the title cut, which has a poem by Sadiq), the music also stands alone outside of the issues. Highly recommended. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

~ TRACKLISTING ~

1. Waltz for Ellen
2. Tuskegee Strutter's Ball
3. In Memoriam: Uncle Dan
4. Next Love
5. Tears
6. Main Stem
7. Diego Rivera
8. Tuskegee Experiment
9. Auf Einer Burg


Part 1 | Part 2


==========================

The Harlem Experiment
JAZZ | WAVPACK | CUE | LOG | TIFF | 410MB | 48:59
Ropeadope 2007

The third entry in a series that began in 2001 with The Philadelphia Experiment and followed with 2003's The Detroit Experiment doesn't attempt to distill the music of an entire city, but rather a neighborhood within one. But that neighborhood being Harlem, there is enough culture to draw upon to create a dozen volumes, and so producer Aaron Levinson and Ropeadope Records founder Andy Hurwitz had their hands full. Simply trying to decide how to sum up on one newly minted all-star session all of the music that has emanated from within this storied section of New York City must have been a most daunting task, but The Harlem Experiment succeeds in mashing jazz, R&B, funk, hip-hop, Latin, and even klezmer -- Jews once comprised Harlem's largest ethnic group -- seamlessly into one steaming, exciting creation.

The musicians who form the core of The Harlem Experiment are in themselves a varied, theoretically disconnected bunch: guitarist Carlos Alomar is best known for his work with David Bowie; Steve Bernstein is a well-known N.Y.C.-based jazz trumpeter; and Don Byron is primarily a jazz clarinetist whose adventurousness has taken him to klezmer, Motown (he recorded a fine tribute album to saxophonist Junior Walker), and elsewhere. Rounding it out are keyboardist Eddie Martinez, bassist Ruben Rodriguez, and drummer Steve Berrios. In addition, the guest list includes multi-genre vocalist Queen Esther; the great bluesman Taj Mahal; vocalist/guitarist James Hunter; trumpeter Olu Dara; turntablist Larry Legend; and the poet Mums (best known for his long-term role on HBO's prison drama Oz), serving here as a DJ who ties the pieces together via interludes during a mock radio program. How all of these disparate elements come together without sounding disjointed or ersatz hip is something of a minor miracle, but it works: Mahal's scratchy vocal on the Cab Calloway vehicle "Reefer Man" gives way matter-of-factly to Bernstein's star turn on the easygoing "Harlem River Drive," which morphs into the old Andrews Sisters hit "Bei Mir Bist du Schön," spotlighting Byron. It never feels jarring or forced, just right. "A Rose in Spanish Harlem," sung by Hunter, is doo wop transported to the modern-day street corner, coming out of Alomar's salsa-fied "Mambo a la Savoy," which itself follows Legend's club-ready "It's Just Begun."

One album, no matter how ambitious, cannot hope to represent the whole of Harlem's rich history, but The Harlem Experiment isn't only about pointing out the past -- with its emphasis on fusing what these streets have given and continue to give, it's just as much about pointing toward the future. ~ Jeff Tamarkin, All Music Guide

GUEST SCIENTISTS:
Carlos Alomar
Ruben Rodriguez
Don Byron
Eddy Martinez
Steve Berrios
Queen Esther
Steven Bernstein
Taj Mahal
James Hunter
Olu Dara



~ TRACKLISTING ~

01. Intro
02. One for Jackie
03. Rigor Mortis
04. Reefer Man
05. Harlem River Drive
06. Bei Mir Bist du Schön
07. Mums' Interlude
08. It's Just Begun
09. Mambo a la Savoy
10. A Rose in Spanish Harlem
11. One for Malcolm
12. Lil' Bit
13. Think
14. A Rose in Spanish Harlem [instrumental]
15. Walking Through Harlem


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3


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Spearhead - Yell Fire!
REGGAEFUNK | FLAC | CUE | COVERS | 447MB | 66:41
Anti 2006

NO EXTRACTION LOG

Michael Franti's worldview and his music are so tightly entangled that it's difficult to imagine one existing without the other. So none of his fans could have been all that surprised when Franti returned from a 2004 trip to war-torn regions of Iraq, Israel, and Palestine and subsequently released both I Know I'm Not Alone, a documentary film/DVD based on his travels, and Yell Fire!, his most socially conscious album to date. While Yell Fire! is nothing as precious as a concept album, neither is there a song on the lyrically direct set that doesn't find Franti driving home a point, be it on the precarious state of our planet and those who've rendered it so, or the fragile condition of human relationships and the urgency with which people need to repair them. Recorded in both Kingston, Jamaica (the legendary Riddim Twins of reggae, Sly & Robbie, each guest on four tracks), and in San Francisco, Yell Fire! is stacked with deep grooves: the opening "Time to Go Home," "Everyone ona Move," the title track, and "Light Up Ya Lighter" all share a clarity of vision, attitude of great magnitude, and a levels-deep lyrical richness, all while kicking serious rhythmic ass. But even the texturally lighter moments -- the ballads "One Step Closer to You" (with harmony vocals by Pink), "Tolerance," and "Is Love Enough?" -- follow through on the album's thread of righteous positivity, no-brainer pacifism, accept-it-or-die tolerance, and the universal unification of spirit. Franti's brain-stimulating songwriting rises to a new level of proficiency here -- the playful "Hello Bonjour" is as much a shout out to truth and justice as the knife-sharp "See You in the Light." If there is a weakness, it's that the arrangements to which Franti's listen-carefully lyrics are set often fall subservient to his boosted-in-the-mix vocals. At times that leaves Spearhead's reggae/funk/dancehall/hip-hop amalgams necessarily shadowed by their leader's real-life, life-affirming commentaries. But never does Yell Fire! suffer for it. What Franti is saying here is what needs to be heard -- sooner than later. ~ Jeff Tamarkin, All Music Guide

~ TRACKLISTING ~

01. Time to Go Home
02. Yell Fire
03. I Know I'm Not Alone
04. East to the West
05. Sweet Little Lies
06. Hello Bonjour
07. One Steop Closer to You
08. Hey Now Now
09. Everybody Ona Move
10. See You in the Light
11. Light Up Ya Lighter
12. What I've Seen
13. Tolerance
14. Is Love Enough?



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Con Funk Shun - Spirit Of Love
SOUL | FLAC | CUE | LOG | COVER | 252MB | 41:50
Mercury 1980

A stellar bit of boogie from Con Funk Shun -- produced to perfection by Skip Scarborough, and done in a style that has lots of jazzy elements! The album was recorded well into the group's time on the Mercury label, but it's a real standout from the rest -- thanks to an extremely well-written batch of tunes, and a mode of bass-heavy funk that avoids the cliches of other groups at the time -- and goes for a more laidback style that sounds especially nice on the mellower numbers. Michael Cooper's great on lead vocals -- and titles include "By Your Side", "Early Morning Sunshine", "Curtain Call", "Happy Face", "Juicy", "Lovestruck 1980", and "Honey Wild". © 1996-2009, Dusty Groove America, Inc.

~ TRACKLISTING ~

01. Got To Be Enough
02. By Your Side
03. Curtain Call
04. Early Morning Sunshine
05. Spirit Of Love
06. Happy Face
07. All Up To You
08. Juicy
09. Honey Wild


Part 1 | Part 2



Submitted by Mr.Disco!

Tower Of Power - Aint Nothin Stoppin Us
FUNK | MONKEYS AUDIO | CUE | LOG | COVERS | 211MB | 39:33
Columbia 1976

Edward McGee turned in mostly above-average performances on their first post-Lenny Williams release, but it was the beginning of the end for the group. With funk losing its foothold among R&B audiences, they couldn't keep it together. Hearing this on compact disc (and it's not one of Columbia's better mastering jobs) reveals that McGee was an energetic, exuberant vocalist who held his own on uptempo tunes like "You Ought To Be Havin' Fun" and the title song, but lacked Williams' range or tonal quality on ballads. The group always had a weakness for ponderous message cuts, and "Can't Stand To See The Slaughter" and "While We Went To The Moon" were well-intentioned but clumsy tracks. This was almost The Tower of Power's swan song. ~ Ron Wynn, All Music Guide

~ TRACKLISTING ~

01. Ain't Nothin' Stoppin' Us Now
02. By Your Side
03. Make Someone Happy
04. Doin' Alright
05. Because I Think the World of You
06. You Ought to Be Havin' Fun
07. Can't Stand to See the Slaughter
08. It's So Nice
09. Deal with It
10. While We Went to the Moon



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Fatback Band - XII
FUNK | WAVPACK | CUE | LOG | 300DPI | 220MB | 37:21
Southbound 1996 (Resissue)

Fatback maintained the same high standard of quality to produce another impressive slab of funk-tinged disco. XII is notable to hip-hop historians for the track "King Tim III (Personality Jock)," a song often tagged as the first rap song (it was released as a single shortly before the more popular "Rapper's Delight" by the Sugarhill Gang). "King Tim" remains a killer blast of hip-hop, seamlessly mixing a slick old-school rap into the band's intensely funky blend of organ, energetic horn blasts, and a relentless walking bassline. However, this isn't all there is to XII: The album's other tracks present a consistent mix of funky grit and disco slickness. Standout tracks include "Gimme That Sweet, Sweet Lovin'," which layers a Bee Gees-style falsetto vocal with an addictive mid-tempo groove anchored by a synthesizer bass, and "Disco Bass," which blends a catchy chant-along chorus with the serpentine hook mentioned in the title. XII is also notable for the high quality of its sound, which filters the energy of their sound through a carefully crafted soundscape that brings out all the details of their sound: a good example is how the huge drum sounds that propel "You're My Candy Sweet" seem to leap out of the speakers. The only track that tends toward the filler that has marred past Fatback albums is "Disco Queen," but even it is redeemed by its punchy horn arrangement and some catchy background vocals. All in all, XII is one of Fatback's finest albums and a treat for anyone who likes their disco music especially funky.
~ Donald A. Guarisco, All Music Guide

~ TRACKLISTING ~

01. You´re My Candy Sweet
02. Disco Bass
03. Gimme That Sweet,Sweet Lovin
04. King Tim III (Personality Jock)
05. Disco Queen
06. Love In Perfect Harmony

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Fatback - Brite Lights\Big City
FUNK | WAVPACK | CUE | LOG | 300DPI | 254MB | 36:55
Century 1990 (Reissue)

While it doesn't overflow with high points like Fired Up 'N' Kickin', Brite Lites, Big City remains a solid album's worth of funky disco. The hooks aren't as instantly catchy as the ones that propelled past hits like "Spanish Hustle" or "I Like Girls," but songs like "Freak the Freak the Funk (Rock)" sport nice big grooves that will keep the listener's toes tapping. The album's big highlights are "Big City," a tribute to New York driven by a surprisingly jazzy horn riff, and "Let Me Do It to You," a percolating funk showcase that cleverly pits male and female vocal sections against each other as it doubles its thumping bassline with the chant mentioned in the title. "Wild Dreams" is another highlight, an interesting tune that contrasts mellow female harmonies against an insistent beat churned out by the rhythm section. Some of the tunes get a bit repetitive at times, most notably "Hesitation" and its reliance on an endlessly-reiterated chant, but the band's performance is strong enough throughout the album to overshadow these moments of weakness. The result is an album that isn't strong enough to win over people who aren't already fans, but will definitely satisfy fans of the Fatback sound. ~ Donald A. Guarisco, All Music Guide

~ TRACKLISTING ~

01. Freak The Freak The Funk (Rock)
02. Let Me Do It To You
03. Big City
04. (Do The) Boogie Woogie
05. Hesitation
06. Wild Dreams



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both albums submitted by Funkmaster Jaco!!

Graham Central Station - Star Walk
FUNK | WAV | CUE | LOG | COVERS | 367MB | 36:23
Warner Brothers 1979

By the late '70s, Sly Stone wasn't nearly as popular or as visible as he had been in the late '60s and early '70s. But his former bassist Larry Graham was still going strong. Released in 1979, Star Walk was the last album that Graham would record with Graham Central Station for quite some time; in 1980, the influential singer/electric bassist officially became a full-time solo artist and soared to the top of the R&B charts with his debut solo single, "One in a Million You." And not until 1998's GCS 2000 would Graham use the GCS name on another album. If the name GCS had to be put to rest for a long time, at least the band went out with a bang on Star Walk. This excellent LP, which Graham produced himself, is full of sweaty, aggressive funk treasures; anyone who appreciates gutbucket funk would have a hard time not loving "Scream," "The Entertainer," and the single "(You're A) Foxy Lady." But not everything on this record is hardcore funk. "Tonight" is a lush Northern soul ballad, and the unexpected title song finds Graham getting into a synthesizer-driven Eurodisco groove -- if you didn't know better, you would think that Graham traveled to Munich, Germany, and hired Giorgio Moroder to produce the tune. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide

~ T R A C K L I S T I N G ~

1. (You're A) Foxy Lady
2. Star Walk
3. The Entertainer
4. Scream
5. Sneaky Freak
6. Tonight


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3


submitted by Zacki

Fatback Band - Let's Do It Again
FUNK | FLAC | CUE | ARTWORK | 162MB | 31:24
Perception 1972

The debut album by the soon-to-be venerable Fatback Band is a mostly instrumental -- minus some "What's Going On"-style exclamations and raps in the background -- collection of pure funk grooves. More in the Curtis Mayfield vein of slick and nimble dancefloor fillers than loose Parliament/Funkadelic jams, these nine tracks are concise -- only one track breaks the four-minute barrier -- and tightly constructed, with little room for exploratory soloing or aimless vamping. The key tracks, however, are the three non-originals, cover choices that might surprise some folks who have never heard, say, Isaac Hayes' Black Moses: the Fatback Band strips down any cheesy sentimentality from Glen Campbell's Jimmy Webb hit "Wichita Lineman," Bread's wimp-rock classic "Baby I'm-A Want You," and even the moldy oldie "Green Green Grass of Home," purifying the tunes down to their melodic basics and transforming them into absolutely ravishing deep soul ballads. These are the sort of songs that keep people eagerly snapping up any '70s soul or funk album they can find, looking for just this kind of effortless, slinky groove. Let's Do It Again is highly recommended for the three covers alone, but the six originals, all powered by drummer/bandleader Bill Curtis, are equally fine. ~ Stewart Mason, All Music Guide

~ T R A C K L I S T I N G ~

1. Street Dance
2. Free Form
3. Take A Ride
4. Witcheta Lineman
5. Baby, I Want You
6. Let's Do It Again
7. Goin' To See My Baby
8. Give Me One More Chance
9. Green Green Grass Of Home


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submitted by Mr. Disco

Cameo - Style
FUNK | WAVPACK | CUE | LOG | 300DPI | 229MB | 35:48
Casablanca 1983

R&B was experiencing a year of transition in 1983. Soul music was evolving into urban contemporary, R&B producers were becoming increasingly high tech, and horn funk was losing ground to synth-funk and electro-funk. Also, the hip-hop factor could not be overlooked -- some old-timers insisted that hip-hop was a passing fad, but younger R&B producers realized that rap was becoming the music of choice for many young African Americans and paid close attention to hip-hop production techniques. Inevitably, all of these things affected Cameo. Released in 1983, Style is more high-tech than 1979's Secret Omen or 1980's Cameosis but not as high-tech as 1985's Single Life or 1986's Word Up! It is also an LP that finds singer/producer Larry Blackmon leading a downsized Cameo -- while the band had ten members at the start of the 1980s, it only has four on Style: Tomi Jenkins, Charles Singleton, Nathan Leftenant, and Blackmon himself. (And by Single Life in 1985, Cameo would only be a trio.) Having cut way back on the horns on Style, Blackmon makes sure that keyboards and synthesizers play a major role on snappy funk items like "Cameo's Dance," "Aphrodisiac," "Slow Movin'," and the hit title song. On Cameo's late-'70s albums, keyboards took a back seat to horns -- on Style, it's just the opposite. Even on a remake of the standard "Can't Help Falling in Love" (a ballad that had been recorded by everyone from Elvis Presley to Doris Day), Cameo is more technology-minded. Style isn't among Cameo's essential albums, but it's an enjoyable effort that will appeal to die-hard fans. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide

~ TRACKLISTING ~

01. Aphrodisiac
02. This Life Is Not For Me
03. You're A Winner
04. I Can't Help Falling In Love
05. Serenity (interlude)
06. Style
07. Cameo's Dance
08. Let's Not Talk Slot
09. Slow Moving
10. Heaven Only Knows


Part 1 | Part 2


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submitted by Jacopass

Fatback Band - Tasty Jam
FUNK | WAVPACK | CUE | LOG | 600DPI | 229MB | 34:52
Southbound 1981

By 1981, large-scale R&B bands like Fatback were being pushed to the sidelines by smaller groups whose primarily electronic sounds excluded traditional soul music frills like horn sections. Fatback was obviously paying attention because Tasty Jam pares down the group's sound to push synthesizers to the forefront. The resulting fusion of old-fashioned grooves and up-to-date electronics resulted in the group's strongest, most consistent album since XII. Tasty Jam simply presents six slices of dense, rhythmic electronic funk. It lacks the catchy pop elements of past Fatback outings, but compensates with tight arrangements and arresting rhythms: "Take It Any Way You Want It" is built on a pulsating, polyrhythmic bed of electric piano and synthesizer hooks and "Keep Your Fingers Out the Jams" pits the effectively harmonized chant of the title against a rolling synthesizer bassline guaranteed to induce some hip shaking. "High Steppin' Lady" is another strong track that hooks in listeners with the intriguing contrast between its Latin-flavored percussion and its bubbly, percolating synthesizer lines. The album drags a bit in places, most notably the repetitive grooves of "Kool Whip," but none of the songs ever truly wear out their welcome and the group's compelling mastery of their groove makes up for these occasional shortcomings. In the end, Tasty Jam lacks the standout singles that would give it crossover appeal but remains a solid listen for fans of electronic-oriented dance music. ~ Donald A. Guarisco, All Music Guide

~ TRACKLISTING ~

1. Take It Any Way You Want It
2. Wanna Dance (Keep Up the Dance)
3. Keep Your Fingers Out of the Jam
4. Kool Whip
5. High Steppin' Lady
6. Get Ready for the Night


Part 1 | Part 2

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Submitted by ZACKI

Labelle - Nightbirds
R&B | WAV | CUE | LOG | COVERS | 378MB | 36:07
Epic 1974

A 70s crossover classic, and the album the put LaBelle over the top! The mighty Allen Toussaint is at the helm for this first Epic album to feature the trio of Patti LaBelle, Nona Hendryx, and Sarah Dash -- and he really helps the group find an amazing new sound after their somewhat rougher, rootsier efforts for Warner Brothers! The new groove has plenty of Toussaint's New Orleans rhythms in the mix -- but the overall sound is a bit smoother too -- kind of a classy, clubby take on the Crescent City sound -- one that still sounds wonderful after all these years. Most tunes have a vamping rhythm and lots of great electric piano -- and titles include the massive hit "Lady Marmalade", the great title track "Nightbirds" -- and "Space Children", "All Girl Band", "You Turn Me On", "What Can I Do For You?", and "It Took A Long Time". © 1996-2009, Dusty Groove America, Inc.

~ TRACKLISTING ~

01. Lady Marmelade
02. Somebody Somewhere
03. Are You Lonely?
04. It Took A Long Time
05. Don't Bring Me Down
06. What Can I Do For You?
07. Nightbird
08. Space Children
09. All Girl Band
10. You Turn Me On


Part 1 | Part 2

What Can I do For You??

Ernie Isley - High Wire
R&B | WAVPACK | CUE | COVER | 329MB
Elektra 1990


NO EXTRACTION LOG
NO ARTWORK

The opposite of Jasper's solo album: Ernie sounds like he's finally free to show off all his talents. Many of the tracks blend rock guitar with electronic funk in a way that combines the grit and drive of both while simultaneously guaranteeing that no radio station would play it. On the best of these tracks ("Deal With It," "Rising From The Ashes"), he no longer sounds like a Hendrix imitator, he actually sounds like a 90s Hendrix. He also conjures up a loose live-sounding jam that recalls early Kool & The Gang ("Deep Water"), and throws in charming brief solo demos: "In Deep" features a lovely slide guitar line. He plays most of his own instruments, revealing a very funky bass style on the title track, and a simple but engaging touch with programmed drums. He also stuffs the disc with intriguing intellectual lyrics ("Song For The Muses", "Deal With It"), but the records greatest strength is consistently inventive, catchy songwriting ("She Takes Me Up," "Fare Thee Well, Fair-Weather Friend," "Song For The Muses"). The only misses are the ballad "Love Situation" and the routine workout "Diamond In The Rough" - this is a fantastic bargain at cut-out prices. --David Bertrand Wilson, WARR.org

~ TRACKLISTING ~

01. Song For The Muses
02. High Wire
03. Love Situation
04. Diamond In The Rough
05. Deal With It
06. In Deep
07. She Takes Me Up
08. Fare Thee Well, Fair-Weather Friend
09. Rising From The Ashes
10. Deep Water
11. Back To Square One
12. The Muses


Part 1 | Part 2

Cassandra Wilson - Days Aweigh
VOCAL | FLAC | CUE | LOG | COVERS | 234MB
JMT 1987

The formative years of singer Cassandra Wilson's career found her associated with the M-Base Collective school of eccentric funk. On this set of advanced originals (which also has versions of "Let's Face the Music" and "Some Other Time"), Wilson is the lead voice in dense ensembles that include (on various cuts) cornetist Olu Dara, guitarist Jean-Paul Bourelly, trumpeter Graham Haynes, and altoist Steve Coleman, along with a very active rhythm section. "Some Other Time" is a change of pace, a duet with pianist Rod Williams, but otherwise this is advanced free funk dance music. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

~ TRACKLISTING ~

1. Electromagnolia
2. Let's Face The Music
3. Days Aweigh
4. Subatomic Blues
5. Apricots On Their Wings
6. If You Know How
7. You Belong To You
8. Some Other Time
9. Black And Yellow


Part 1 | Part 2

Cassandra Wilson - Dance To The Drums Again
VOCAL | FLAC | CUE | COVERS | 304MB | 52:17
DIW 1992

On this early-1990s release, guitarist Jean-Paul Bourelly began a string of increasingly sympathetic producers. Production, and judicious instrumentation, are crucial to Cassandra Wilson's deep, arch aesthetic. Here, her smoky voice finds a casual, sensuous, tenor-sax richness amid Bourelly's electric-guitar riffing. Her singing suggests many inspirations. Betty Carter and Nina Simone, certainly, but Ella, Sarah, and Billy echo in her poise, personality, and stylishness. Dinah Washington and Carmen McRae come to mind as well. Also formative were Wilson's 1980s contributions to New York's M-Base collective. They involved exploration of all the African-American musics then afloat. M-Base also was committed to artistic self-definition. Here, 6 of the 10 selections are by Wilson, including "Don't Look Back," one of her several anthems of black resilience. --Peter Monaghan

~ TRACKLISTING ~

01. Melanin Song
02. Don't Look Back
03. Rhythm on My Mind
04. Wonders of Your Love
05. Nothin' But a Thang
06. I Will Be There
07. Just Keep Thinking of Eubay
08. Another Rainy Day
09. Amazing Grace
10. Dance to the Drummer Again


Part 1 | Part 2

pw in comments

Cameo - We All Know Who We Are
FUNK | WAV | CUE | LOG | COVERS | 365MB | 35:43
Chocolate City 1978

Cameo's second album, We All Know Who We Are, is uneven, but it has its moments, both in the quiet storm field ("Why Have I Lost You") and the disco-funk category (The near-instrumental, Brass Construction-like groove "It's Serious" went to #21 on the R&B charts.). Much of the record sounds like filler, but the best moments illustrate that Cameo is beginning to grow and refine their own sound. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

~ TRACKLISTING ~

1. Inflation
2. C On the Funk
3. Why Have I Lost You
4. Stand Up
5. We All Know Who We Are
6. It's Serious
7. It's Over

Part 1 | Part 2

pw in comments

Pharoah Sanders - Thembi
JAZZ | WAVPACK | CUE | LOG | ART | 294MB | 41:58
Impulse! 1971

Recorded with two different ensembles, Thembi was a departure from the slowly developing, side-long, mantra-like grooves Pharoah Sanders had been pursuing for most of his solo career. It's musically all over the map but, even if it lacks the same consistency of mood as many of Sanders' previous albums, it does offer an intriguingly wide range of relatively concise ideas, making it something of an anomaly in Sanders' prime period. Over the six selections, Sanders romps through a tremendous variety of instruments, including tenor, soprano, alto flute, fifes, the African bailophone, assorted small percussion, and even a cow horn. Perhaps because he's preoccupied elsewhere, there's relatively little of his trademark tenor screaming, limited mostly to the thunderous cacophony of "Red, Black & Green" and portions of "Morning Prayer." The compositions, too, try all sorts of different things. Keyboardist/pianist Lonnie Liston Smith's "Astral Traveling" is a shimmering, pastoral piece centered around his electric piano textures; "Love" is an intense, five-minute bass solo by Cecil McBee; and "Morning Prayer" and "Bailophone Dance" (which are segued together) add an expanded percussion section devoted exclusively to African instruments. If there's a unifying factor, it's the classic title track, which combines the softer lyricism of Sanders' soprano and Michael White's violin with the polyrhythmic grooves of the most Africanized material (not to mention a catchy bass riff). Some fans may gripe that Thembi isn't conceptually unified or intense enough, but it's rare to have this many different sides of Sanders coexisting in one place, and that's what makes the album such an interesting listen. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide

~ TRACKLISTING ~

1. Astral Traveling
2. Red Black and Green
3. Thembi
4. Love
5. Morning Prayer
6. Bailophone Dance


Part 1 | Part 2

pw in comments

Randy Weston - Spirits of Our Ancestors
JAZZ | WAVPACK | CUE | LOG | COVERS | 579MB | 106:31
Verve 1992



Review and Listen
HERE


~ TRACKLISTING ~

01. African Village Bedford-Stuyvesant 1
02. The Healers
03. African Cookbook
04. La Elaha-Ella Allah/Morad Allah
05. The Call
06. African Village Bedford-Stuyvesant 2
07. The Seventh Queen
08. Blue Moses
09. African Sunrise
10. A Prayer for Us All


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

pw in comments

Brand New Heavies - Brother Sister [UK]
FUNK | FLAC | CUE | LOG | COVERS | 478MB | 67:40
FFRR 1999

This album finds the BNH heading back to the groove-driven, horn-splashed, hand-clapping funk of their debut album, with N'Dea Davenport stepping back into her role as diva/lead vocalist. Following the string of distinguished rappers who made BNH's sophomore album a brave if not wholly successful attempt to infuse rap with the energy of live instruments, Davenport delivers the consistency that was missing from that effort. Repeated listens show this album to be catchier than it initially seems (as long as one avoids "Fake," tone of the most irritating songs in a long time), and when the BNH really lock into a groove, as they do on "Keep Together," the title track, and the instrumental "Snake Hips," they surely do put the funk back in it. [FFRR's 1999 edition included one bonus track.] ~ Peter Stepek, All Music Guide

~ TRACKLISTING ~

01. Have A Good Time
02. Brother Sister
03. Dream On Dreamer
04. Midnight At The Oasis
05. Back To Love
06. Ten Ton Take
07. Mind Trips
08. Spend Some Time
09. Keep Together
10. Snake Hips
11. Fake
12. People Giving Love
13. Worlds Keep Spinning
14. Forever
15. Day Break


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3


pw in comments

The Brand New Heavies - Brother Sister
Uploaded by foxysoul

Urban Knights - Urban Knights
JAZZ | FLAC | CUE | COVERS | 364MB | 55:10
GRP 1995

When Maurice White produced the Urban Knights' self-titled debut album in 1994, some people were surprised to see Earth, Wind & Fire's leader/founder producing an album of mostly instrumental jazz-funk and pop-jazz. But for those who knew something about White's pre-EWF history, it wasn't all that surprising -- White had a jazz background, and he played drums in the Ramsey Lewis Trio before forming EWF's original pre-Philip Bailey lineup in 1970. Lewis, in fact, is among the participants on this CD by the Urban Knights, whose first lineup consists of Lewis on piano, Grover Washington, Jr. on tenor and soprano sax, Victor Bailey on electric bass, and Omar Hakim on drums. With such an all-star lineup, this album should have been exceptional -- it isn't, although Urban Knights offers a generally pleasant, if inconsistent and unremarkable, mixture of jazz, R&B, and pop. There are moments of interest; the CD's more noteworthy tracks include Lewis' Brazilian-influenced "Urban Samba," Hakim's dreamy "Hearts of Longing," and White's funky "On the Radio." But when Earth, Wind & Fire's leader/founder is the producer and musicians like Lewis and Washington are on board, you expect an album that is more than just pleasant -- you expect a masterpiece. And while Urban Knights isn't bad, it doesn't live up to its enormous potential.

~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide

~ TRACKLISTING ~

01. On The Radio
02. Wanna Be With You
03. Chill
04. Hearts Of Longing
05. Friendship
06. Miracle
07. The Rose
08. Urban Samba
09. Forever More
10. Senegal


Part 1 | Part 2



pw in comments

BIO

Regina Belle - Stay With Me
R&B | WAV | CUE | LOG | ART | 589MB | 58:40
Columbia 1989


Stay with Me is the second album by singer-songwriter, Regina Belle. It was released in 1989, two years after her 1987 debut album, "All By Myself". The upgrade of material found on this followup album gave her the chance to truly soar as a vocalist The seminal smash hit (#1 on the R&B charts), "Stay With Me", cemented the notion that Regina Belle is one of the more mature and sophisticated songstresses of our times.

"Baby Come to Me" was the album's breakout single, a lush and seductive affair whose jazz overtones were confirmed with a delicious muted trumpet solo. Belle's jazz chops come out in full force, however, on the bluesy "What Goes Around," and her soaring performance on "Make it Like it Was" will undoubtedly inspire chills down the backs of any fan of earthy soul. "Good Lovin" even manages to marry art and commerce, juxtaposing an impressive vocal with an infectious hip-hop beat.

A couple of compositions might not be worth her time, such as "When Will You Be Mine," an unnecessary upbeat exercise with a flimsy hook, and the mediocre ballad "It Doesn't Hurt Anymore," which gives Regina plenty of opportunity to belt but little chance to distinguish herself. Despite the weak material, Belle manages to still make them both work. All is forgiven, however, on the album's finest moment, "Save the Children/Someday We'll All Be Free." Pairing up social consciences of Marvin Gaye and Donny Hathaway (respectively) is a nice idea, and the songs blend well together. But it's Regina's gospel-tinged vocal that brings the house down, and if her pitch, phrasing, and inflection between the solo and finale don't knock you out, virtually nothing in R&B will.

Chock-full of tasteful arrangements and skillful vocals, "Stay With Me" places Regina Belle in the company of Anita Baker...and it places R&B fans in the company of greatness.


~ TRACKLISTING ~

01. Baby Come to Me
02. When Will You Be Mine
03. Dream Lover
04. What Goes Around
05. Make It Like It Was
06. Good Lovin'
07. It Doesn't Hurt Anymore
08. This Is Love
09. It's Gonna Take All Our Love
10. Someday We'll All Be Free/Save the Children
11. All I Want Is Forever


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Artwork



Submitted by Brotha Blaq

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Dianne Reeves - Quiet After The Storm
VOCAL | WAV | CUE | LOG | 300DPI | 687MB
Blue Note 1994


The title of this album more likely than not refers to the one that came before it. On her 1994 album, "Art and Survival" Reeves was made a strikingly bold and sometimes tumultuous work, and took more risks with one record than most jazz singers do in an entire career. It's followup, "Quiet After the Storm," is exactly what its title suggests: a more subdued, laid-back affair after Reeves got the energy of its predecessor out of her system.

Things get off to a strong start with a reworking of her "Hello, Haven't I Seen You Before," previously a pop-flavored track on her "Never Too Far" release. The transition works surprisingly well, polished by a marvelous scat and ad-lib section near the end of the song. Then, Reeves offers up a delicious version of the chestnut "Comes Love," surely one of her finest readings of a standard. "Smile," which she co-wrote with producer George Duke, finds her in the familiar territory of pop-flavored jazz, and the track's brightness is nearly blinding.

"Country Preacher" is better in theory than in practice, however. Writing lyrics for a classic Julian "Cannonball" Adderly tune as a tribute is a nice idea, but the hookless melody fails to leave a lasting impression. Similarly troubled are versions of Duke Ellington's "In a Sentimental Mood" and Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now." While Reeves certainly gets points for versatility, both cuts are too politely arranged; neither song reaches a musical or vocal peak, and while they're definitely pleasant, at this point we simply expect more from Dianne's renditions. Furthermore, the folky, foreign-language "Yemanja/Sargaco Mar" sounds thumpingly out of place; inclusion on "Art and Survival" would have made much more sense.

Much better is her version of the standard "Detour Ahead," boasting a killer piano solo by Jacky Terrasson and another masterful Reeves vocal. The arrangement on the Harold Arlen classic "Sing My Heart" is simply devine, the sentimental ode to childhood "Nine" features one of Dianne's best lyrics, and the sultry jazz waltz of "When Morning Comes (Jasmine)," complete with intoxicating flute solo, is worth the price of admission all on its own. In the end, fans of Dianne's full-bodied, soulful vocals will definitely not want to miss the high points of "Quiet After the Storm"

~ TRACKLISTING ~

01. Hello, Haven't I Seen You Before
02. Comes Love (Nothing Can Be Done)
03. Smile
04. Jive Samba
05. The Benediction (Country Preacher)
06. Detour Ahead
07. Yemanja/Sargaco Mar
08. Nine
09. In a Sentimental Mood
10. When Morning Comes (Jasmine)
11. Both Sides Now
12. Sing My Heart


Part 1 | Part 2

pw: lisalisa

Fatback Band - Yum Yum
FUNK | APE | CUE | COVERS | 220MB | 36:55
Polydor 1975



Yum Yum indeed -- because the groove on here is pretty darn tasty! Fatback are definitely shaking off the rougher edges of their funkiest years on this set, but the sound is still plenty great -- a jamming dancefloor groove that's still filled with plenty of tight live instrumentation, all in a mode that's a lot more harder-hitting than most of the groups of the disco years! There's a bit more horns than before -- showing a bit of a BT Express influence, it seems -- but the rhythms are very firmly at the core, and have plenty of those rumbling basslines that first put the Fatback name on the map. Drums get nice and tight on some tracks too -- making for some nicely breaking tracks on the record, almost in a street funk mode -- and titles include "Put The Funk On You", "Let The Drums Speak", "Feed Me Your Love", "Trompin", "Boogie With Fatback", and "Gotta Learn How To Dance". © 1996-2009, Dusty Groove America, Inc.


~ TRACKLISTING ~

1. Yum Yum (Gimme Some)
2. Trompin'
3. Let the Drums Speak
4. Put the Funk on You
5. Feed Me Your Love
6. (When You Want to Boogie) Boogie With the Fatback
7. Got to Learn How to Dance
8. If You Could Turn into Me
9. (Hey) I Feel Real Good

Part 1 | Part 2

pw: lisalisa

Marcus Miller - Suddenly
R&B | WAV | CUE | LOG | COVERS
PRA 1983

Multi-talented Marcus Miller's debut Suddenly was issued in the spring of 1983 on Patrick Rains' PRA Records label through Warner Bros. Miller shared production chores with Ray Bardani and Michael Colina, whom he'd worked with before on sides for David Sanborn. It's a tasty showcase for the bassist/songwriter/vocalist/producer who went from New York session stardom to mega-stardom with his frequent collaborator Luther Vandross. Vandross does vocals on "Lovin' You," "Just for You," and the squishy "Be My Love." The cornerstone cut is the gentle steppers favorite/quiet storm precursor "Much Too Much." The artist better realized his R&B/funk/jazz fusion on his 1984 Warner Bros. LP, Marcus Miller.
~ Ed Hogan, All Music Guide

~ TRACKLISTING ~

01. Lovin' You
02. Much To Much
03. Suddenly
04. Just For You
05. The Only Reason I Live
06. Just What I Needed
07. Let Me Show You (I Just Want To Make You Smile)
08. Be My Love
09. Could It Be You

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3




Submitted by Zacki

Keb Mo - The Door

BLUES | APE | CUE | LOG | 300DPI | 281MB

OKeh/550/Epic 2000

Keb' Mo''s self-titled first album, from its Robert Johnson covers to its appearance on a resuscitated Okeh Records, seemed to suggest the arrival of a Delta blues traditionalist, even though the former Kevin Moore was really a Los Angeles native who had kicked around the music business for years playing various styles of music. The follow-up, Just Like You, was therefore a disappointment to blues purists, since it clearly used folk-blues as a basis to create adult contemporary pop in the Bonnie Raitt mold. But to the music industry, that was just fine, since it fostered the hope that here was an artist (finally!) who could find a way to make the blues -- consistently revered but commercially dicey -- pay, and Keb' Mo' won a Best Contemporary Blues Album Grammy for his effort. Slow Down (1998) brought him a second Grammy and got even higher in the charts. The Door is more of the same. Keb' Mo''s slightly gritty voice and fingerpicking are the focus of the music, but he does not hesitate to add mainstream pop elements, beginning with writing partners who include Bobby McFerrin and Melissa Manchester, and continuing with a backup band that features such session aces as keyboard player Greg Phillinganes and drummer Jim Keltner. This is music that is folkish and bluesy rather than being actual folk-blues. Just in case anyone hasn't gotten the point yet, Keb' Mo' begins the album's sole cover, Elmore James' "It Hurts Me Too," in authentic folk-blues style, after which the arrangement lurches into a heavily percussive, anything but traditional direction. It's fair warning that the singer/guitarist is interested in tradition only as a jumping-off point. Maybe that's what "contemporary blues" is. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide

~ TRACKLISTING ~

01. The Door

02. Loola Loo

03. It Hurts Me Too

04. Come on Back

05. Stand Up (And Be Strong)

06. Anyway

07. Don't You Know

08. It's All Coming Back

09. Gimme What You Got

10. Mommy Can I Come Home

11. Change

12. The Beginning

Part 1 | Part 2

pw=lisalisa

Victor Wooten - Soul Circus

JAZZ | WAV | CUE | LOG | HQ ART | 698MB | 60:27

Vanguard 2005

Anyone who knows anything about Victor Wooten knows that he's one of those rare souls: he gains a rep for playing the bass. Soul Circus, however, isn't just an extravaganza for bass players. Wooten, as it turns out, is also a heck of a writer and, as the listener will learn on the first track, a fine singer. The unusual first track, "Victa," is a funky, soulful hymn in praise of -- who else -- Wooten himself, while "Bass Tribute" offers accolades to those who've come before him. If the subject matter sounds a bit strange, the confident delivery, understated humor, and fine songwriting make it all work. Soul Circus' production is a nice merger of keyboards, drums, lots of bass, and multiple voices. While this combination and Wooten's production does provide a blueprint sound for the album, it's never predictable. "Back to India," for example, combines soul and sitar for an unusual but winning mixture. There are other oddities like "Cell Phone," complete with dialer effects, spiritually tinged material like "Prayer" and "Back to India," and songs about the power of love such as "Can't Hide Love." Overall, Soul Circus has the adventurous, confident feel of an old Sly Stone album while still being completely of its time. It's also certain that the album will convince listeners that Wooten, while still a fine bass player, has many talents. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford Jr., All Music Guide

~ TRACKLISTING ~

01. Intro: Adam

02. Victa

03. Bass Tribute

04. Prayer

05. Natives

06. Can't Hide Love

07. Stay

08. On and On

09. Cell Phone

10. Back to India

11. Soul Circus

12. Higher Law

13. Take U There

14. Ari's Eyes

15. Outro: Kids

16. Bass Tribute (Reprise)

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

pw=lisalisa

Kenny Garrett - Simply Said
JAZZ | WAV | CUE | HQ ART | 659MB | 61:09
Warner Brothers 1999


Since his late teens, Kenny Garrett has lived the kind of life most musicians only fantasize about. He's been a sideman for legends like Miles Davis, Art Blakey, Freddie Hubbard, Woody Shaw, and the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Emerging in the mid-'80s as one of contemporary jazz's most exciting and eclectic new solo artists, the saxophonist's albums have earned him worldwide recognition, four-star reviews, and top spots on reader polls and Rolling Stone's "hot list." Known for years primarily for his adventurous playing and sparkling improvisations, Garrett finally came into his own as a composer with his 1997 Grammy-nominated Warner Bros. release Songbook -- his first album comprised entirely of his own compositions. The concept behind Simply Said, Garrett's latest Warner Jazz release, must have been to further reflect his growth as a songwriter, keeping memorable melodies as the focus while exploring -- as the stylistically diverse performer has always done -- new exotic, rhythmic possibilities within the jazz framework. While Garrett has been very successful in the past covering the classics of influential artists (as he did on his previous Warners projects, 1993's Black Hope, 1995's Triology, and 1996's Pursuance: Music of John Coltrane), his growth as a songwriter has unleashed a desire to journey beyond what people might expect based on past projects. While Garrett kept his playing simple on lush, hypnotic ballads like "Can I Just Hold Your Hand?," "Sounds Like Winter," and "Words Can't Express," he and his core unit of gospel pianist/organist Shedrick Mitchell, acoustic bassist Nat Reeves, and drummer Chris Dave can't help but stir up the fires of the unexpected throughout the rest of the collection. Playful titles like "Organized Colors" (a nearly ten-minute piece incorporating a multitude of shades from silky and seductive to swinging and percussive), "Delta Bali Blues," "G.T.D.S" (aka "Give the Drummer Some"), and the whimsical piano, sax, and percussion jam "Charlie Brown Goes to South Africa" reflect the spirit Garrett was after here. Simply Said also features guest appearances by drummer Jeff Watts, electric bassist Marcus Miller ("G.T.D.S"), and Pat Metheny (who plays an atypical harmony role on "Yellow Flower" and "Sounds Like Winter"). ~ Jonathan Widran, All Music Guide



~ TRACKLISTING ~

01. G.T.D.S.
02. Charlie Brown Goes to South Africa
03. Delta Bali Blues
04. Conversation With Hutcherson
05. Words Can't Express
06. Back Where You Started
07. Sounds Like Winter
08. Can I Just Hold Your Hand?
09. Organized Colors
10. 3rd Quadrant
11. Simply Said



Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

pw=lisalisa

Chuck Mangione - Feels So Good
SMOOTH JAZZ | WAV | CUE | COVERS | 464 MB
A&M 1977


Due to the title cut, this was a huge seller when it originally came out. Reissued on CD, this set from flügelhornist Chuck Mangione (which helped give guitarist Grant Geissman some fame) is actually stronger from the jazz standpoint than Mangione's subsequent dates. The leader has some good solos, as does Geissman and saxophonist Chris Vadala, and the quintet's ensembles are generally both sparse and attractive. Pity that in ways this was Chuck Mangione's last worthwhile release to date; success did stunt his artistic growth. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide


~ TRACKLISTING ~

1. Feels So Good
2. Maui-Waui
3. Theme From "Side Street"
4. Hide & Seek (Ready Or Not Here I Come)
5. Last Dance
6. The XIth Commandment


Part 1 | Part 2



Submitted by DaDirtyDJ!!

Submitted by DaDirtyDJ


Kirk Whalum - The Promise
SMOOTH JAZZ | WAV | CUE | LOG | 512MB
Columbia 1989

Bob James gets the credit for discovering the passionate, soulful sax of Whalum in 1984. But you just know that a talent this size would have emerged on its own sooner or later. Between then and this release at the end of the decade, Whalum established himself as a major force on the contemporary scene, playing alongside the likes of James, Luther Vandross, Al Jarreau, and Larry Carlton, and releasing two powerful solo discs, 1985's Floppy Disk and 1988's And You Know That. But this third effort was his strongest outing to date, displaying a versatility which ranges from spiritual ("The Promise") to Brazilian (the tropical flavored "Desperately") to straight ahead rock & roll (the Larry Carlton tribute "LC's Back," which features the fancy licks of the guitarist himself). As producer, James gives his protégé's horn some fanciful grooves to work in and out of, most notably on the catchy, pop-like "Out a Hand." James also has a good time soloing on "Desperately" and the bass oriented "Don't Even Look." There are a lot of possible favorites in this collection, but the Carlton tribute is the one that hooks you from the very beginning. With this album, Whalum delivered in spades upon his early promise. ~ Jonathan Widran, All Music Guide


~ TRACKLISTING ~

1. I Receive Your Love
2. N.E. Wind
3. The Promise
4. Ma Foi
5. L.C.'s Back
6. Desperately
7. Out-A-Hand
8. Don't Even Look
9. For All We Know



Part 1 | Part 2

Erykah Badu - New Amerykah, Pt.1
SOUL | WAV | CUE | HQ ART | 744MB
Motown 2008



Downplayed and practically disregarded as it was, 2003's Worldwide Underground was an excellent and brave follow-up to 2000's Mama's Gun. Erykah Badu concedes she had nothing to say at the time -- the loose 50-minute "EP" was more about sounds than statements -- but she evidently holds herself to a high standard. Perhaps that streak was a factor in her protracted silence from its release to New Amerykah, Pt. 1: 4th World War; she even thought she might be through with making music. Her creative energy returned at some point, and then some, with this set apparently just the first in a series of releases. Varied and layered, New Amerykah, Pt. 1 has Badu collaborating principally with the members of Sa-Ra (who are present in almost half of the tracks), Madlib, 9th Wonder, and Baduizm/Mama's Gun vets Karriem Riggins, James Poyser, and Ahmir Thompson. If you're familiar with what these people have made in the past, you'll know to expect plenty of fearless weirdness and a couple relaxed soul-jazz backdrops that do not fail to stimulate. The album is easily the most hip-hop and most out-there release from Badu thus far, with beats bumping, knocking, and booming in roughly equal measure, sometimes switching tacks or vanishing midstream, dropping down dark corridors, gradually levitating into direct sunlight. Lyrically, there's much to digest: In the ghostly-mystical "The Healer," Badu proclaims hip-hop to be bigger than religion and government; both "That Hump" and "The Cell" are vivid depictions of drug dependency; "Soldier" gives a shout to the Nation of Islam, addresses Katrina and black-on-black crime, sends out a warning ("Now to folks that think they livin' sweet/They gone fuck around and push 'delete'"); "Twinkle" evokes a lot of thought with few words, alluding to the various failures of the U.S. health, education, and prison systems, and the negative and cyclical effects they've had on Badu's people. Though this is another album where you can only wonder how different it would be with some input from the late J Dilla, the beloved producer gets an incredibly touching tribute with the eight-minute "Telephone," written the day after the ceremony of his death. Indeed, no listed song is light in sentiment, which must partially explain why the beaming single "Honey" is included as an unlisted track -- it doesn't fit into the album's fabric, what with its drifting, deeply sweetened, synth-squish-and-string-drift groove. Immediately moving and yet rather bewildering, New Amerykah, Pt. 1 is an album that sounds special from the first play, yet it will probably take years before it is known just how special it is. ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide


~ TRACKLISTING ~

01. Amerykahn Promise
02. The Healer
03. Me
04. My People
05. Soldier
06. The Cell
07. Twinkle
08. Master Teacher
09. That Hump
10. Telephone
11. Honey



Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3



can't wait for Part 2!!

India.Arie - Voyage To India
R&B | WAV | CUE | HQ ARTWORK | 611MB | 52:36
Motown 2002



Despite an excellent debut, India.Arie still had much to prove with her second record. Several of her neo-soul compatriots, from D'Angelo to Erykah Badu to Macy Gray, had faltered with sophomore albums, and it appeared she may have already said everything she had to say on Acoustic Soul. That anticipation, and trepidation, is exactly what makes Voyage to India such a beautiful surprise; it's a record that easily equals her debut, boasting better vocal performances but also better songwriting and accompanying production. As on her debut, there is a marked balance of organic and artificial: an acoustic guitar paces many tracks, though the edges are shorn off for a digital feel; the beats are often sampled, but there are still plenty of handclaps and fingersnaps; and the arrangements are simple yet obviously very polished. The improvement in her songwriting is most obvious from the first three tracks (after the short intro). The themes driving "Little Things" (keeping it simple), "Talk to Her" (the importance of honesty, warmth, and communication in relationships), and "Slow Down" (taking life one day at a time) certainly have been covered already, many times even, but India.Arie writes with a fresh perspective that makes it sound as though she's the first to broach the topic. And, finally, her delivery is the best of any neo-soul vocalist, barring only the incomparable Jill Scott, alternately earnest and playful and sexy and questing. It all adds up to one of the most glowing comebacks of the year (if she ever left), an important record whose stamp -- the Motown logo -- isn't the only thing it has in similarity with a classic LP by Marvin Gaye or Stevie Wonder. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide


~ TRACKLISTING ~

01. Growth
02. Little Things
03. Talk to Her
04. Slow Down
05. The Truth
06. Beautiful Surprise
07. Healing
08. Get It Together
09. Headed in the Right Direction
10. Can I Walk with You
11. The One
12. Complicated Melody
13. Gratitude
14. Good Man
15. God Is Real
16. Interested



Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3



pw=lisalisa

Instant Funk - The Funk Is On
R&B | FLAC | CUE | COVER | 257MB
Salsoul 1980


On their third Salsoul album, The Funk Is On, Philly soul band Instant Funk shows an acute pop music sensibility. But funk fans need not worry, this album lives up to its title; the band still funks. The title track single, written by Brass Construction's Randy Muller, is pure, unadulterated funk. The same could be said for the gritty "You Want My Love." The second single, "Everybody," has a serious bounce groove along the lines of Zapp's "More Bounce to the Ounce" or Vaughn Mason's "Bounce, Skate, Rock, Roll." The Larry Levan 12" extended remix clocked in at 8:47 and features Jack Faith's dynamic arrangement and James Carmichael's arousing guttural groans towards the track's climax. The funny, plucky "Funk-n-Roll" has yodels. The snappy "It's Cool" is a skater's favorite and shows off some deft guitar and bass. The third single was the sweet, simmering ballad "What Can I Do for You" that should have given the band its first hit ballad. Producer Bunny Sigler shows the band's lighter side on the melodic, swing jazz-flavored "Can You See Where I'm Coming From" and the upbeat "You're Not Getting Older." The Funk Is On (reissued on CD in the spring of 1999 by U.K. label Charly) gives Instant Funk fans what they want and a little bit more. ~ Ed Hogan, All Music Guide


~ TRACKLISTING ~

1. It's Cool
2. The Funk Is On
3. Funk-N-Roll
4. You Want My Love
5. What Can I Do For You
6. Everybody
7. Can You See Where I'm Coming From
8. You're Not Getting Older



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Thanks to Souldeep for sharing this

Exit 9 - Straight Up
FUNK | FLAC | CUE | ARTWORK | 246MB
Brunswick 1975


The one and only album by Exit 9 -- an obscure funk combo who recorded this rare set for Brunswick in 1975! The group is extremely tight instrumentally -- working at a very fast funky clip that's kind of similar to work by Bohannon or Sound Experience -- both of whom shared Exit 9's pre-disco approach to dancefloor grooves -- more fast-funk than the tighter club sound of later years, and proof that a funky combo could hit the dancefloor if it had the right groove! Most numbers have vocals, and instrumentation includes lots of nice guitar work that keeps a rawer edge on the tracks -- choppy and gritty in a really great way. Tracks include "MFB", "Miss Funky Fox", "Fly", "Julie I Love You", "Jive Man", and "Rhapsody in Funk". © 1996-2008, Dusty Groove America, Inc.


~ TRACKLISTING ~

1. Jive Man
2. Straight Up
3. Julie I Love You
4. Fly
5. Miss Funky Fox
6. Thoughts of You
7. I Love You! I Love You Completely
8. Rhapsody in Funk
9. M.F.B.


Part 1 | Part 2




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Thanks to brotha Disco for sharing this album

Javier - Left Of Center
R&B | WAV | CUE | HQ ART | 617MB
Capitol 2006


When singer-songwriter-musician Javier entered the music scene with his self-titled debut LP in 2003, he didn't make a tremendous impact on the music scene, but he did demonstrate that he wasn't just another singer-wannabe who was long on looks and short on talent. And on his sophomore LP, Left of Center, the Connecticut native manages to stay true to his core sound, while adding new elements to it.

Cases in point: the first single, "You're the One," is a funk-guitar fueled exercise that stretches R&B's boundaries. And the alluring Spanish guitar-driven "Dance For Me," is also impressive, particularly since its Javier himself who's actually the guitarist. (FYI, A lukewarm reggaeton remix of "Dance For Me" closes out the album.) In addition, gospel is the order of the day on the uplifting "The Answer is Yes."

Left of Center (the title refers to the LP's slightly-different feel from most modern R&B) is a delight for anyone who loves the adult contemporary side of modern R&B music, exemplified by such acts as Brian McKnight, Toni Braxton and Babyface. However, unlike the aforementioned, Javier at this stage in his career seems to lack the depth and emotive skills that the best singers have.

On the plus side, unlike many contemporary R&B albums, which feature wall-to-wall 'super-producers' and numerous guest vocalists, refreshingly, there's only one guest singer here, soul man Anthony Hamilton, who adds a layer of excellence to one the album's best tracks, "Count On Me." -- About.com


~ TRACKLISTING ~

01. You're the One
02. Indecent Proposal
03. Wassup
04. Dance for Me
05. The Answer Is Yes
06. Is This Love
07. Poetry
08. Count on Me
09. Once We Start
10. Can I Talk to You
11. Ways I'm Feeling U
12. Lovin' U
13. Dance for Me [Reggaeton Remix]

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Womack & Womack - Conscience
SOUL | FLAC | CUE | ARTWORK | 249MB | 41:49
Island 1988

Conscience is the fourth studio album of soul group Womack & Womack. The song writers were listed as Dr Rue & The Gypsy Wave Banner, a pseudonym of Cecil and Linda Womack. It was produced by Chris Blackwell with Womack & Womack and released as an import. Cecil Womack was one of the gospel-singing Womack Brothers who later became the Valentinos and toured with Sam Cooke in the early '60s; Linda Womack was Cooke's daughter. This album didn't get airplay or a push, but it didn't lack quality.



~ TRACKLISTING ~

1. Conscious Of My Conscience
2. MPB (Missin' Persons Bureau)
3. Friends (So Called)
4. Slave (Just For Love)
5. Teardrops
6. Good Man Monologue
7. Life's Just A Ballgame
8. I Am Love
9. Celebrate The World



Part 1 | Part 2

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Donna Summer - Bad Girls
[Deluxe Edition]
R&B | WAV | CUE | ARTWORK | 1.59GB | 155:23
Mercury 2003

Bad Girls marked the high-water mark in Donna Summer's career, spending six weeks at number one, going double platinum, and spinning off four Top 40 singles, including the chart-topping title song and "Hot Stuff," which sold two million copies each, and the million-selling, number two hit "Dim All the Lights." Producers Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte recognized that disco was going in different directions by the late '70s, and they gave the leadoff one-two punch of "Hot Stuff" and "Bad Girls" a rock edge derived from new wave. The original two-LP set was divided into four musically consistent sides, with the rock-steady beat of the first side giving way to a more traditional disco sound on the second side, followed by a third side of ballads and a fourth side with a more electronic, synthesizer-driven sound that recalled Summer's 1977 hit "I Feel Love." Though remembered for its hits, the album had depth and consistency, concluding with "Sunset People," one of Summer's best album-only tracks. The result was the artistic and commercial peak of her career and, arguably, of disco itself. This two-CD reissue fits the original album on disc one with a sole bonus track, Summer's original demo of "Bad Girls." Disc two, dubbed "12" Singles & More," presents extended dance remixes of Summer hits from "I Feel Love" to the post-Bad Girls numbers "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)" (a duet with Barbra Streisand) and "On the Radio," including versions of all four Bad Girls hits (the fourth being "Walk Away"). The packaging re-creates the expensive, glossy cover of the original LP, with Summer as a scantily clad streetwalker. The choices to augment the album are excellent, giving a good sense of Summer in her 1977-1980 prime. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide


~ TRACKLISTING ~

01. Hot Stuff
02. Bad Girls
03. Love Will Always Find You
04. Walk Away
05. Dim All the Lights
06. Journey to the Centre of Your Heart
07. One Night in a Lifetime
08. Can't Get to Sleep at Night
09. On My Honor
10. There Will Always Be a You
11. All Through the Night
12. My Baby Understands
13. Our Love
14. Lucky
15. Sunset People
16. Bad Girls [demo version]
17. I Feel Love [12 Version]
18. Last Dance [12 Version]
19. Mac Arthur Park Suite
20. Hot Stuff [12 Version]
21. Bad Girls [12 Version]
22. Walk Away [12 Version]
23. Dim All the Lights [12 Version]
24. No More Tears (Enough Is Enough) [12 Version]
25. On the Radio [Long Version]



Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4
Part 5 | Part 6



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John Legend - Once Again

R&B | WAV | CUE | HQ ART | 649MB | 55:17

G.O.O.D. 2008

Get Lifted netted John Legend a major hit ("Ordinary People") that will be heard on adult contemporary stations and throwback-oriented programs as long as they exist, platinum status, and three Grammy titles — including the potential kiss of death that is Best New Artist. If Legend hadn't linked up with Kanye West or any other connected industry figure, he'd probably be well into a string of independent albums and would likely have a fanatical cult following through persistent touring. It doesn't take much exposure to his songs to sense this alternate scenario. No one can deny that Legend has had considerable help from his collaborators, and he continues to get that support this time out — there's West, will.i.am, Sa-Ra, Raphael Saadiq, Plant Life's Jack Splash, and a massive crew of session musicians, but it's already evident that Legend only needs a piano to get by. Even with its many producers, Once Again is much more focused than Get Lifted, and the quality of its songs is equally high. Legend's obviously doing everything in his power to not fall off. He pours so much of himself into each one of these songs, whether they're about flings with groupies or breakups with long-term girlfriends, that the album can begin to wear around the eighth track. The songs flit back and forth between easygoing, butterflies-of-love-type sentiments and deep drama, with both sides expressed through similar levels of intensity. As much as anyone else, Legend would benefit from the recent (and generally welcomed) return of the 40-minute R&B album. If the album is missing something, it's a snappy, unapologetically swaggering track in the vein of Get Lifted's "Used to Love U," or perhaps a song or two that doesn't seem intent on displaying impressive musicality, but there are enough undeniably bright spots to please those who have already been won over. While Once Again might not get as much attention as its predecessor, it's more assured and sounds nothing like an experiment to see what sticks. Legend now knows exactly where he fits, and he's not holding back in the least. ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide


~ TRACKLISTING ~

01. Save Room
02. Heaven
03. Stereo
04. Show Me
05. Each Day Gets Better
06. P.D.A.
07. Slow Dance
08. Again
09. Maxine
10. Where Did My Baby Go
11. Maxine's Interlude
12. Another Again
13. Coming Home

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

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