If “Pretty Close” would have been released towards the end of the 70s, it would have been a hit immediately. Today, the songs and production almost sound like an outré attempt of keeping this golden age in music alive. And it works perfectly. Singer, songwriter, arranger and multi-instrumentalist Ethel Lindsey completely wrote, composed, and performed…
It’s been four years since his five-paw rated debut album “Breathe”. UK singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Sam Wills returns with his sophomore LP “Speak” with 11 new tracks plus a semi-dramatic intro opening called “Hallway”. Four singles have been released between May and September, with the wonderful smooth ballad “We Both Know” leading the pack…
After her successful tribute to Nina Simone (“Ledisi Sings Nina”, 2021), singer Ledisi returns with a nod to the great Dinah Washington. Produced by Christian McBride and her longtime production partner Rex Rideout, she has come up with eight pieces more or less associated with the singer from Alabama. And she opens her set with…
Nala Sinephro, the London based Caribbean-Belgian producer, composer, and musician, has recorded her debut film soundtrack. It is for the movie “The Smashing Machine” which features Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson. The Benny Safdie-directed movie tells the story of the successful UFC wrestler Mark Kerr. It premiered last month at the Venice Film Festival and…
Gary Bartz, the legendary alto saxophonist who turns 85 today, releases his first studio album in a dozen years. On “Damage Control”, the sax maestro and his group NTU Troop start a trilogy called “The Eternal Tenure Of Sound” where they cover ten songs from the vast songbook of soul, pop, and Black American music….
It’s been four long years since the release of “Private Space”, the brilliant, five-paw rated LP by Durand Jones & The Indications. Singer and drummer Aaron Frazer also released his second solo album during this period, the wonderful “Into The Blue”, in 2024. And so here are the “Flowers”, ten new tracks plus a short…
It’s been 35 years since “There’s Nothing Like This”, Omar’s groundbreaking debut which still keeps on spinning in our Barbalala playlist of alltime favorite tracks. And 8 years after “Love In Beats”, his last album for Freestyle Records, Omar returns with his first album for BBE, the double LP “Brighter The Days” with 16 new…
lovetempo is the brainchild of Brooklyn-based singer and guitarist Mattie Safer (who has worked with Poolside and The Rapture in the past). His first EP came out a couple of years ago. Band members also include Mel Chambers (vocals, keys), Andre Chez Lewis (keys), Mayteana Morales (dr), and Henry Raker (sax). In late 2023, he…
I had a lot of admiration and good things to say when Macy Gray released her 2016 album “Stripped”. And I still go back to her debut album “On How Life Is”, which came out in 1999. Macy is currently on a big tour celebrating 25 years since her debut. But yesterday, some things went…
There is an immense amount of beauty on “Heartstrings”, the new album by UK duo Snowpoet, Lauren Kinsella and Chris Hyson. The whole album was recorded and written in the studio, with the band improvising in real time. The result is a stunning collection of ten songs, starting off with the ethereal and easily flowing…