Carol Sloane, one of the greatest singers of classic songs, has sailed on. She suffered a stroke about two years ago and lived in a senior care center in Stoneham, Massachusetts, where she passed away on Monday. Her timbre, phrasing, and overall style was one of a kind. I’m so glad that I could see…
“Killing Me Softly With His Song”, Roberta Flack‘s smash hit soul single, written by Charles Fox and Norman Gimbel, turns 50 this year. Atlantic Records, her label since her debut in 1969, turns 75 this year. To celebrate, they have both come up with a remix of the song, which spent five weeks at number…
Sámi-Norwegian saxophonist and composer Mette Henriette was the first artist to release a double debut album on ECM Records. Back in 2015 when “Mette Henriette” came out, she worked with her trio plus brass and string section and bandoneon. She is now back with “Drifting”, which finds her again with pianist Johan Lindvall and Judith…
They have performed together for more than twenty years and finally team up now for a record on the briliant Edition Records from the UK. Both have individually released their latest records on Edition, too: Gretchen with “Flor” in 2021, and Lionel with his Herbie Hancock solo tribute “HH” in 2020, with its 6-track remix…
Brooklyn-based fusion band Snarky Puppy is led by bassist, composer, and producer Michael League. It’s a collective of almost 40 musicians, with pianist, keyboardist and composer Bill Laurance being one of them. Michael League has recently moved to Spain where this duo album was recorded. He’s playing fretless acoustic guitar bass, fretless baritone electric guitar,…
Four years after her last album “Kicks”, singer Rickie Lee Jones will release “Pieces Of Treasure”, an album of ten standards, produced by Russ Titelman, who was the producer of her first two albums in 1979 and 1981. Accompanying her on the new album, which will be released on April 28th, are Russell Malone on…
Its José’s 45th birthday today and he’s giving us a new album as a present. José’s 7-track tribute to the great Erykah Badu just came out today on his own Rainbow Blonde label and features BIGYUKI on piano, keys, and synths, Ben Williams on bass, Jharis Yokley on drums, Ebban Dorsey on alto sax, and…
Singer, bassist and producer Adi Oasis, a French-Caribbean artist who recorded as Adeline before and released a double album in 2018, is now back with her first full-length album under that name, due out on March 3rd and called “Lotus Flow”, with the vinyl version to be released three weeks later. As a teaser, there…
My first Luxury Soul collection dates back to 2004. Thanks to Ralph Tee for coming up yet again with the definitive indie soul collection for 2023, compiling 35 tracks on three CDs. What a vast amount of quality tracks on here. I’ve always admired the Isley Brothers tune “Here We Go Again”, one of my…
Dutch singer Wouter Hamel recorded a perfect set of cleverly crafted pop songs on his 2009 album “Nobody’s Tune” and subsequently released four more highly enjoyable sets. With “Little Torch”, which came out last November, he has come up with his most intimate and satisfying album to date. He’s the most tender and gentle on…