Lookin' for your productions to receive extra exposure, all your infos to be mailed/yousendit or whatever to:
Juan Sanchez & Moises Modesto definitely add their names on our watch list under their Jumo Bros guise with the essential 'Never Cared', their original version of which havin' our absolute preference while being the ideal environment for the highly talented Arnold Jarvis addin' once more his uncomparable vocal sensibility (SoulFunk Digital). Not one but… two awesome singers united on Fuzion's latest offering by the likes of Darryl D' Bonneau & K.T. Brooks on the explosive aptly called 'Unity (We Can Do This)' among our favourites at the present time delivered in 4 different versions with some interesting remixes by the boyz - Franke Estevez & George Mena - themselves (Fuzion)… The latest are also responsible of an awesome rework of Jenny Morrison's 'Brand New Life' on a funk based groove enlightened by wicked keys putting the lady's infectious gospel influenced interpretation into the ideal environment (Deep Haven). Chicago based Unified Records firmly looks like being among those labels such as Camio or Deep Haven that can't do no wrong at the mo', as brilliantly illustrated by their latest offering by the likes of 'I Told You So' courtesy of Jozana. A pure slice of contemporary soul built around a circular bassline and a fluck of smoothly spiced keys - thanks to Glenn Underground's arrangments - around the interpretation of vocalist Cei-Bei, soundin' at times like Marvin!!!
Doin' some waves since the beginning of the Summer with the help of those who've had the chance to be sent an advance copy, the aptly called 'So Good EP' by the likes of Glaswegian producer Ross Couch aka Illusive is now fully available. No need to live on a sunny place to have shiny music with this four tracker delivering a whole bunch of good modern disco moods as notoriously demonstrated on the title cut which I would humbly suggest you to have a listen to (Soul Life). Hailing from quite an opposite destination in terms of forecast, Athens-based DSF comes up with what might appear as a sort of 'Sandcastled' Afro/bossa influenced approach with the deep synth/organ driven 'Cover Letters' as delivered on its original version. Meanwhile Anto Vitale gives it a deep lectrocalypso influenced feel alla sort of DJ Gregory (ProgCity Deep). There's something of definitely Brazilian-influenced in the way Mario Inchausti sings (probably his voice tone) on the soft 'Song And Rhyme' produced by Alberto 'Sterling' Menendez under his Sterling Ensemble moniker on Deep Haven, for those in search of intimate atmospheres.
In absolute fine form these days is someone the latest has often collaborated with. In other words, Matthias Heilbronn turning everything he touches at the moment into gold such as Swedish outfit, the Physics 'It's All Good To Me' transforming its original approach alla Naked Music (thanks to the interpretation of guest Danish female vocalist Hinano) such as released earlier this year on Japanese label Rambling Records into a more rockin jam driven by both an electronic influenced synth line and an enlightening piano over a stirring bassline. One word : LA classe! (Bargrooves). But it's far from being over as far as our man is concerned, with a whole bunch of top notched artists among his new customers. Beginning with pop star Stevie Nicks with a rework of 'Edge Of 17' on Reprise. But also Angie Stone's 'Baby' featuring Betty Wright being the first single taken from her awaited new album to be released next month on Stax. And if that wasn't enough Heilbronn drops two absolute killers by the likes of 'Alright' and 'Disrespectful' respectively for Ledisi on Verve and Chaka Khan featuring Mary J Blige (Burgundy/Sony). One x-tra word : UN-MISS-ABLE!!!
If familiar with these pages, you then should should have heard bout Claude Monnet's Back To Fundamentals project, if not had a quick look at its first part under the form of a little clip with DJ Gregory right for the release of 'You Are My Friend'. Well, time has come to talk about its follow up under the form of a shared package featuring Julien Jabre on one side and David Duriez on the other, both givin' their interpretation of how they perceived house music back in the days. The first delivering a repetitively progressive (unless a progressively repetitive) nearly acidic cut somehow reminding of The Jungle Brothers anthemic 'Can You Feel It'. And the second evolving on some minimal triballistic groove twisting hypnotic synths over some phat rhythms arrangements (Ssoh Music/Promo). Bordeaux based producer DJ Rico follows that kind of vein on his new four tracker EP for Italian label Gotta Keep Faith titled 'Vibes On The Dancefloor', itself quite reminding of those approaches initiated back in the daze by famous US label Twisted. Bouncing grooves a gogo to have you lift your hands in the air and dance til the morning comes with our favours going both for 'My Paradise Garage' and the frenzied 'That People Underground'. Another name which should ring a few bells as well for those of you among our regular readerz is no one else but Mustafa who, apart from soon to be joinin' our editorial team, looks set to rock the floors with the explosive 'Bom Demais' featuring Elisangela receiving an insane trancey synth influenced relifting by the likes of Audiowhores (Tempogroove).
Indian Summer is next on the calendar and Italian label Schema Records looks set to drop a circumstancial anthem with the sweet and sensuous 'Zum Zum' courtesy of Brazilian singer Toco delivered with an ultra subtle additional version by the likes of French producer Charivari. Sweet & SOUR is also pretty much the colour of veteran funk producer Randy Muller's new album, Groovin' U, on a smooth downtempo tip, whereas his flute takes the centerstage, takin' us where the late Herbie Mann left back in the daze, this with the addiction of enlightening cool grooves such as the album version of 'Devotion' which we've happened to welcome as our 'Single Of The Week' by the time of its release with add'l remixes courtesy of DJ Romain last December (Plaza Records).
Time to bring you to our ultimate destination before leavin', leadin' up North to the capital of a country equally known as Suomi or different said: Helsinki. Another opportunity to appreciate the incredible talent and versatility of the Scandinavian jazz scene with people such as Norwegian Bugge Wesseltoft, Swedish Goran Kafjes and Finnish Perti Pepa Päivinen to name but a very few. Ready to blow our hearts and souls is sax player Timo Lassy with his debut album - The Soul & Jazz Of Timo Lassy - due to receive a European release next week. A man who can do almost anything with his instrument, reknown for a whole bunch of collabs alongside label mates Five Corners Quintet and local heroe Jimi Tenor. Quite a moody collection featuring awesome musicians to be taken as the soundtrack to an innervision film where you would imagine yourself surrounded by people such as Chet Baker, Stan Getz, Ronnie Laws, Michel Legrand and Freddie Hubbard with 'The Call' for instance seeming like a far extrapolation of the classic 'Always There' (Ricky-Tick Records).
MFSB
INDAMIX TENNERZ
CHAKA KHAN featuring MARY J BLIGE - Disrespectful (Soulflower Final Mix) (Burgundy)
JENNY MORRISON - Brand New Life (Fuzion Vox) (Deep Haven)
MUSTAFA featuring ELISANGELA - Bom Demais (Audiowhores Remix) (Tempogroove)
PHYSICS - It's All Good To Me (Matty's Soulflower Mix) (Bargrooves)
JUMO BROS & SHADOW KINGS featuring ARNOLD JARVIS - Never Cared (Jumo Bros Original Mix) (SoulFunk Digital)
LEDISI - Alright (Matty's Soulflower Mix)
ILLUSIVE - So Good (Original Mix) (Soul Life)
FUZION featuring DARRYL D'BONNEAU & K.T. BROOKS - Unity (We Can Do This) (Original) (Fuzion)
DSF - Cover Letters (Original Mix) (ProgCity Deep)
DJ RICO - That People Underground (Original Mix) (GKF)