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 RuthHOT CLUB OF COWTOWN
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JACK DEJONETTE AND BILL FRISELL
The Elephant Sleeps But Still Remembers
ALON NECHUSHTAN
Words Beyond
AVISHAI COHEN
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ANTON SCHWARTZ
FlashMob
CHARLIE HUNTER TRIO
Mistico
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