2010-03-06
Out of Ottawa, The Souljazz Orchestra has released its third album. Melding Afro-Cuban rhythms with hot musicianship and sometimes odd time signatures, Rising Sun is jazz to be reckoned with. The quiet intro leads to one of the highlights of the disc, "Agbara". The next song, "Negus Nagast" was inspired by label-mate Mulatu Astatke...reason enough to like the song; but the fact that it rocks just adds to the pleasure! The slower "Lotus Flower" has a nice groove and features the muted trumpet of guest, Nicholas Dyson (Gladys Knight and the Pips, The Coasters). The rest of this release gets a little quieter. The best of these quieter pieces is "Serenity", with its flute highlights and with the clarinet helping out on the back-beat. This is nice stuff. Rebecca RuthIVAN "FUNKBOY" BODLEY
PIGS FEET & POTTED MEAT
ALLEN TOUSSAINT
The Bright Mississippi
VARIOUS ARTISTS
Next Stop...Soweto, Vol. 3: Giants, Ministers and Makers -- Jazz in South Aftrica 1963-1984
THE CHARLES MINGUS SEXTET
Charles Mingus Sextet with Eric Dolphy - Cornell 1964
MATT RENZI
Rise and Shine
STEFON HARRIS
African Tarantella
The opinions expressed in these reviews are those of the individual volunteers that submitted the article and do not necessarily reflect the views of WYCE or GRCMC; nor its staff, donors, or affiliates.