Chunky & funky New Orleans sounds from Galactic – as far reaching and and unpigeonholeable as ever on their second album for Anti- – possibly the the most diverse of their career! Ya-Ka-May rolls out some of the hip hop funk vibe that carried their previous album, but that's just one flavor in a boldly spiced entry – with brassy Crescent City funk, heavy percussive groovers, swampy soul & funk rock numbers and more. Galactic's been pumping long enough to earn the requests of young guns and legends alike, and this record features guests including Allen Toussaint, Irma Thomas, Rebirth Brass Band, Trombone Shorty & Corey Henry and many more. Includes "Friends Of Science", "Boe Money" feat Rebirth Brass Band, "Heart Of Steel" feat Irma Thomas, "Bacchus" feat Allen Toussaint, "Cineramascope" feat Trombone Shorty & Corey Henry, "Dark Water" feat John Boutte, "Krewe D'Etat", "Speaks His Mind" feat Walter "Wolfman" Washington and more. CD

Ray Harris is a heck of a great keyboardist – one with plenty of influences from the 60s and 70s, and a groove that more than lives up to the title of the set! The style's a bit less conventionally "fusion" than you might expect – and instead, there's almost a club jazz feel at times – modes from scenes like those at Irma or Ricky Tick, served up with plenty of warm touches, and a blend of real jazz instrumentation and solos with just a bit of occasionally programmed beats. Harris' plays piano, organ, clavinet, and Rhodes – often more than one on the same tune, for an approach that has that great blend of acoustic and electric elements you might find on some of the more soulful jazz sessions of the 70s. And there's also a bit of vocals on the record – but always used somewhat sparingly, in a way that takes a definite back stage to the long, grooving keyboard lines on the set! Titles include "The Sioux", "Scaramunga", "My Last Chance", "Interpretation", "There's Nothing Like You", "Origin", "Tokyo Blue", "One Of A Kind", and a great cover of "Riders On The Storm". (New Grooves, Deep Funk) CD