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 Ruth
CHARLIE HUNTER TRIO
Mistico
MIKE FROST PROJECT
Comin' Straigt At Ya'
Brian Marsella's Imaginarium
The Clocks Have Gone Mad
Geoff Muldaur's Futuristic Ensemble
Private Astronomy - A Vision of the Music of Bix Beiderbecke
Joris Teepe's Gronigan Art Ensemble
Jazz In Jazz Out
SHAWN LEE'S PING PONG ORCHESTRA
Reel To Reel
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