A magnificent set from the Chicago Afrobeat Project – the kind of group that makes us plenty proud we live in the Windy City! The record's got a quality that's a bit more ambitious than you might guess – a complicated style that's still plenty grooving, but which really features some sophisticated instrumentation overall – mostly in familiar Afrobeat modes, but served up with a freshness that we really love! The group's quite large – with instrumentation that's heavy on horns and percussion, but also features some killer keyboards too – snaking through the mix with a soulful vibe that really hits home, especially on the more righteous numbers in the set. Ugochi sings on one track, but the main focus is instrumental – and the great Bobby Broom also plays guitar on one cut too! Titles include "Superstar (part 7)", "Chupacabra", "Carcass", "Fix & Release", "Media Man", "Cloister", and "BSCG2". (Global Grooves, Deep Funk) CD

A great mix of classic covers and original tracks – all served up with a mellow groove and plenty of influence from Jamaican music! Years back, Soul Sugar were more of a jazzy funk combo – but over the years, they've evolved into more of a reggae/rocksteady mode – one that's a perfect setting for the Hammond, Fender Rhodes, and other keyboards handled by Guillaume Metenier – a player who solos strongly on the instrumental tracks, then steps back a bit more on the few vocal numbers that grace the set! One of those, a sweet remake of the Curtis Mayfield classic "The Makings Of You", is worth the price of admission alone – and other tracks include "Black Byrd", "Happy Riddim", "Just A Little Talk", "Fly Away", and "Tubby's Ghost". LP, Vinyl record album