STEFON HARRIS & BLACKOUT - Urbanus (2009)

Don't let the cover put you off, as the album's got all the Deep Soul and subtle touches we've come to love in the music of Stefon Harris over the years!! There's just a slight Urban undercurrent to the record, and if anything, the inventive rhythms and shifting instrumentation reminds us a lot of Harris' best albums for Blue Note over the past decade or so, a really creative reworking of the sound of vibes in Jazz music, inspired strongly by the best artists on the instrument of the 70´s, but tuned here with a newly modern edge. Marc Cary's on most tracks, playing both Fender Rhodes and acoustic piano, and Casey Benjamin plays alto sax on a number of tunes, although a few have a larger horn section joining in. Great!!

Tracklisting:

1. Gone
2. Christina
3. Tanktified
4. Shake It For Me
5. Minor March
6. They Won't Go (When I Go)
7. The Afterthought
8. For You
9. Blues For Denial
10. Langston's Lullaby

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CLOUD NINE - Millenium (1993)

A great set of spacey jazzy grooves, and a rare album that was deleted immediately from the Acid Jazz catalog due to some copyright troubles!! The album's quite different than a lot of the other ones on the Acid Jazz label, with a spacey Soul sound that's a sweet blend of classic 70´s Jazz Funk and headier 90´s influences, all wrapped up in a groove that's super tight, and a sound that should have made these guys huge!! Features the amazing cut "Millenium", with soulful vocals, spacey production, and bubbling under electronics, which gives the cut a sound that's almost up there with 70´s work by Larry Mizell!!

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Tracklisting:

1. Sleepwalk
2. Millennium
3. Realgoneturniton!
4. Kinky Situation
5. Shakamoshoomboom
6. 20/20
7. Hit & Pass
8. I Feel It
9. Peace & Love
10. The Bone
11. Luvbug
12. Mr. Softee
13. 20/20 (Mad Dog Mix)
14. Peas 'N' Luv Dub

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US3 - Stop Think Run (2009)

There's a heavy Hip Hop element on this set from US3, rhymes on nearly every number, delivered by either Brook Yung or Sene, and supported with lots of jazzy work from US3 mainman Geoff Wilkinson!! Geoff's still got an ear for a groove that's as great as during his years on Blue Note, and gets a warm, classic feel in his beats through use of just the right samples, and live instrumentation from musicians who include Ed Jones on sax and flute and Neil Angilley on keyboards!!

Tracklisting:

1. Gotta Get Ot Of Here feat. Brook Yung
2. Life Love Music feat. Brook Yung
3. Can I Get It? feat. Sene
4. You Already Know feat. Brook Yung
5. From The Streets feat. Sene
6. Who Got Next? feat. Sene
7. B-Boys feat. Sene
8. The Future Ain't What It Once Was feat. Sene
9. Don't Waste Your Life feat. Brook Yung
10. The Love Of My Life feat. Brook Yung
11. Keep Movin' feat. Brook Yung
12. Turn It Up feat. Sene
13. Got To Make A Livin' feat. Sene
14. I Let 'Em Know feat. Brook Yung
15. She's With Me
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