1."Right to Be Wrong" 2."Jet Lag" 3."You Had Me" 4."Spoiled" 5."Don't Cha Wanna Ride" 6."Less Is More" 7."Security" 8."Young at Heart" 9."Snakes and Ladders" 10."Understand" 11."Don't Know How" 12."Torn and Tattered" 13."Killing Time" 14."Sleep Like a Child" 15."Daniel"
Joss Stone – lead vocals (all tracks); backing vocals (tracks 1–6, 9–12) John Angier – string arrangements (tracks 2, 3, 7, 9, 13, 14) Raymond Angry – clavinet, Moog synthesiser (track 3); Hammond B3 (tracks 1–3, 5, 7, 10); organ (track 11); piano (tracks 5, 7) Troy Auxilly-Wilson – drums (track 8) Teodross Avery – saxophone (track 6) Ruby Baker – backing vocals (tracks 7, 13) Thom Bell – string and horn arrangements (track 4) Cindy Blackman – drums (tracks 1, 3, 7, 11) The Boilerhouse Boys – producer (track 12) Bombshell – backing vocals (tracks 1–3, 5, 7, 8, 11, 13) Astor "Crusty" Campbell – drums (track 6) Willburn "Squidley" Cole – additional drums (track 6) Commissioner Gordon – producer, engineer, programming, percussion (track 6) Delroy "Chris" Cooper – bass (track 6) Jack Daley – bass (tracks 1, 3, 7) Clovette Danzy – backing vocals (track 7) Tanya Darby – trumpet (track 6) Shomoni "Sho" Dylan – assistant engineer (track 8) Jeni Fujita – backing vocals (track 8) Chris Gehringer – mastering Van Gibbs – guitar (track 8) David Gorman – art direction, design Charlie Green – make-up artist Steve Greenberg – producer (tracks 1–5, 7, 9–14); executive producer Steve Greenwell – mixing (all tracks); engineer, programming (tracks 2–5, 7, 9–11); bass (track 10) Willie "Little Beaver" Hale – guitar (tracks 4, 12, 13) Vincent Henry – clarinet, alto saxophone, soprano saxophone (track 8) David "Jody" Hill – drums (tracks 4, 9, 10, 12, 13) Stafford Hunter – trombone (track 6) Pete Iannacone – bass (track 2) Jonathan Joseph – drums (tracks 2, 5) Ellison Kendrick – backing vocals (track 7) Bryan Lasley – art direction, design Benny Latimore – piano (tracks 1, 4, 12, 13); Wurlitzer (track 10) Brian Magallones – hair stylist Tom "Bones" Malone – trumpet, trombone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone (tracks 3, 5, 13); flugelhorn (tracks 1, 7) Mike Mangini – producer (tracks 1–5, 7, 9–11, 13, 14); mixing (tracks 1–11, 13, 14); programming (tracks 2–5, 7, 9–11); bass (tracks 5, 14); keyboards (track 5) Mercedes Martinez – backing vocals (tracks 2, 7) Aleeta Mayo – art direction, design Roger Moenks – photography Tracey Moore – backing vocals (tracks 2, 7) Angelo Morris – bass (tracks 4, 12, 13); Fender Rhodes (tracks 1, 3); guitar (tracks 7, 10) AJ Nilo – guitar (tracks 1, 2, 5, 7, 11) Gary "Mon" Noble – engineer (track 8) Ignacio Nunez – percussion (track 10) Danny P – producer, bass, Fender Rhodes (track 11); guitar (tracks 7, 11); piano (track 14) Bruce Purse – trumpet, flugelhorn (track 8) Conner Reeves – producer (tracks 2, 9); backing vocals, backing vocal arrangement (track 6) Salaam Remi – producer, bass, organ, strings, Wurlitzer (track 8) Margaret Reynolds – backing vocals (tracks 7, 13) Nile Rodgers – guitar (track 3) Veronica Sanchez – backing vocals (track 7) William "Kooly" Scott – backing vocals (track 7) Jonathan Shorten – keyboards (tracks 2, 6, 9); Fender Rhodes (tracks 2, 14); drum programming, synthesiser (track 2); producer, programming (tracks 2, 9); string arrangements (track 9) Jamie Siegel – engineer (track 6) Earl "Chinna" Smith – guitar (track 6) Angie Stone – Fender Rhodes (track 7) Timmy Thomas – organ (tracks 10, 12, 13); Hammond B3 (track 4) Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson – drums (track 14) Amy Touma – photography Carl Vandenbosche – percussion (track 9) Alan Weekes – electric guitar (track 9) Betty Wright – backing vocals (tracks 1–5, 7–13); producer (tracks 1–5, 7–14); vocal producer (tracks 6, 8) Jeanette Wright – backing vocals (tracks 7, 13) Nir Zidkyahu – percussion (track 2) Orchestra[edit] Brian Chen – viola Carol Cook – viola Elizabeth Dyson – cello Dawn Hannay – viola Vivek Kamath – viola Lisa Kim – violin Sarah Kim – violin Tom Carney Myung-Hi Kim – violin Krzysztof Kuznik – violin Soo Hyun Kwon – violin Jeanne LeBlan – cello Jessica Lee – violin Matt Lehmann – violin Liz Lim – violin Pat Milando – French horn Matt Milewsky – violin Kevin Mirkin – viola Eileen Moon – cello Phil Myers – French horn Dan Panner – viola Sandra Park – violin Laura Seaton – violin Sarah Seiver – cello Fiona Simon – violin Dave Smith – French horn Sharon Yamada – violin Jung Sun Yoo – violin
02. Tired Fi See Mi Face 03. What Part of No Didn't You Understand 04. Catch the Feeling 05. Get To Know Ya 06. Right There 07. On the Other Hand 08. Got a Thing for You 09. When Will I See You Again feat. Julie Payne 10. Stop 11. Make Time for Love 12. Just so That You Know 13. Sharing the Night (LB'S Remix) 14. Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye 15. Sunshine 16. Better To Have Loved 17. Private Life feat. Grace Jones & Sly 'N' Robbie 18. Pay No Mind 19. Pass It On feat. Don Campbell, Wayne Marshall & Delroy Pinnock 20. Tribute
Jean-Paul “Bluey” Maunick and Incognito have become an insitution on the British groove scene, for their jazz-funk and nu-soul hybrid. Transatlantic R.P.M. marks Maunick's 30 years in the music biz and celebrates with 14 new songs, 13 of them originals. Bluey enlisted a slew of friends to join the party. The set opens with the album's lone cover: a convincing reading of Boz Scaggs' "Lowdown," featuring Italian clubjazz singer Mario Biondi and Chaka Khan. The arrangement doesn't differ all that much from Scaggs' version (thankfully) but the meld of Biondi's and Khan's rough-edged lead vocals juxtaposed with a smooth backing chorus, a slightly faster tempo, and a popping bassline after the bridge, distinguishes it. Another notable cut is Bluey's funky name checking homage to the 70s and his youth entitled "75"; it's sung by Joy Rose with a gorgeous horn arrangement by Kevin Robinson. Leon Ware puts in a fine performance on the babymaker, makeup number "Line In The Sand." Bluey's guitar work is, as usual, tasteful and understated, but adds immeasurably. Ursula Rucker sings and speaks on the stepper "Gotta," while Khan gets her own showcaseon the jazzy, string and Rhodes laden, "The Song." Longtime vocalist Maysa shines on the summery "Your Love My Sky," with beautiful guitar work from Bluey and a fine brass arrangement by Trevor Mires. The lone instrumental on the set "Expresso Madureira," mixes Brazilian and Afro Latin rhythms in a heady, funk brew with popping percussion and horns. A Stevie Wonder meets Roy Ayers vibe distinguishes the '70s groove at work in "Life Ain't Nothin' But A Good Thing" sung by Vanessa Haynes. Biondi returns on the breakbeat clubjazz of "Can't Get Enough," backed by Incognito's stellar chorus. Bluey even takes a vocal on the closer, "Tell Me What To Do." While he's no match for the other singers here, the track's breaking, cut time rhythm, breezy atmosphere, and lithe, sensual melody makes it a nu-soul winner. Incognito may not be innovating on Transatlantic R.P.M., but in showcasing the many places they've been, and the wide vein they've mined, they don't need to. This is a summeritme party record with fine songs and good vibes in abundance.
English born, internationally-rated singer Lloyd Brown has become a consistent critical favourite for his annual and increasingly biannual album releases. He could have comfortably rested on his laurels for the remainder of 2013 following February’s well-received New Veteran - released via his own production unit Riddimworks.
The same can be said of US reggae producing triumvirate,Zion I Kings, who have already put out a superb Cornel Campbell project this summer. So when Lloyd announced that he and the Kings would be making an album together – a strictly roots and culture record with none of the pop and Studio 1 inflected moves made on New Veteran – the excitement (among reggae nerds at least!) was palpable. Speculation on the sum of its parts would suggest that it be one of the events of the year.
Lloyd has been cutting cultural numbers since the 90s but Rootical, his 17th long-player is 100% dedicated to this vein. Atypically, none of his four combination partners hail from the UK. There are no daring cover versions; just original material. The songs are co-written and co-produced with Jah David Goldfine, Laurent Tippy Alfred andAndrew Moon Bain of Zion I Kings who lend bass, keyboards and guitar respectively. With one source of rhythms behind him, this is the musically restless Lloyd’s most unified effort thus far.
A clever man in an industry that frequently takes artists for fools, Brown’s lyrics often include sharp and witty broadsides against haters and wrongdoers. Rootical is no exception. On the brooding karmic What You Sow he updates his familiar paternal scolding catchphrase for the ignorant “Gwaan A Yuh Bed” to the extra loaded “Gwaan Make Yuh Bed”. Metaphors of trial by court occur more than once. Na Na Na, the sole love song in the romantic sense, deals with betrayal.
Yet the tone of the album is never angry. For each critique is balanced with a request for resilience and forgiveness. Likewise the Kings’ rhythms are not hard and unforgiving but soulful and bittersweet. Against a backdrop of Chet Samuels’ jazzy guitar and bouncy drumming by the great Style Scott, Live In Love asks us not to give up on people in general because individuals let us down. Just In Time reminds that life is too short to bear a grudge. To match the old school feel of the music Lloyd draws on timeless sayings and natural images. On Keep On Keeping On, he calls for level headedness quoting Rudyard Kipling’s poem If, reclaiming its colonial wisdom to a reggae context.
Lloyd Brown albums always keep a certain standard but usually it is possible to select a few highlight tracks. WithRootical the quality is so uniform that it is near impossible. The combination choices are particularly inspired. The title piece featuring Pressure and Keep On Keeping On, with man of many deliveries Jahdan Blakkamore (this time channelling Junior Kelly), deliberately showcase these versatile artists’ deejaying palette for maximum contrast and complement with Lloyd’s voice.
On the Cornel Campbell outing some of the dubby effects felt a little abrupt. Here every mix is pared down and peer reviewed to perfection, every note and backing vocal subtle and precise. Only the synth strings on Queen Omegaduet Together feel superfluous. This is a project where everyone involved has put in and, through your speakers, poured out, a lot of love.
Sometimes, like a boxing match between two pound-for-pound contenders whose styles fail to gel, too much expectation can lead to disappointment. Thankfully, this project delivers on its pairing’s promise. This is Lloyd Brownand Zion I Kings finest album to date – and given the competition on both sides – that is not easy to do.
After collaborating with the likes of Chaka Khan, spoken word artist Ursula Rucker, and Italian soul singer Mario Biondi on 2010's Transatlantic RPM, British acid jazz pioneers Incognito hand over the vocal reins to a younger crowd for their 15th studio album, Surreal. It's an inspired move showing that, 30 years on from their debut album, bandleader Jean-Paul "Bluey" Maunick still has his finger on the pulse. While longtime singers Maysa and Vanessa Haynes remain a vital part of the setup, the former kicking off proceedings in style with the bass-driven funk of "The Less You Know," the latter channeling the divas of the Studio 54 era on a cover of Queen Yahna's '70s cult disco classic "Ain't It Time," it's the new recruits who steal the show. German-born vocalist Mo Brandis displays a maturity and soulfulness far beyond his 26 years on the John Legend-esque lead single "Goodbye to Yesterday" and the summery jazz of "Don't Wanna Know," while Ronnie Scott's regular Natalie Williams justifies the Erykah Badu/Jill Scott comparisons on the gorgeously slinky chillout of "Restless as We Are" and the dreamy bossa nova of "The Stars from Here." If they can hang on to this highly talented lineup, then Incognito's future appears to be in very safe hands indeed.
01 – The Less You Know 02 – Goodbye To Yesterday 03 – Above The Night 04 – Ain’t It Time 05 – Capricorn Sun 06 – Don’t Wanna Know 07 – Restless As We Are 08 – Rivers On The Sun 09 – Don’t Break Me Down 10 – The Stars From Here 11 – To Be With You 12 – This Must Be Love 13 – The Way You Love 14 – Thoughtful Fantasies
