Amazing work from singer Dee Alexander – a wonderfully soulful album of jazz vocals, and one that we'd rank right up there with our favorite records by Carmen Lundy or Dee Dee Bridgewater! Dee's a singer who's worked in Chicago for years, but we've honestly only begun to appreciate her talents of late – possibly because she's really hipped up her sound a lot over the years, picking up a range of spiritual, soulful influences that push her music to a whole new level – as you might have heard on her recent collaboration with IG Culture. The music on the set is wonderful too – work by Chicago players we know, but have never heard this strongly before – grooving in modal and soulful modes behind Dee's great vocals, with a lineup that includes Miguel De La Cerna and Michael Logan on piano, Harrison Bankhead on bass, and Leon Joyce on drums and percussion. Titles include versions of two tunes by AACM member Henry Huff – "Live" and "You & I" – plus the Alexander originals "Long Road Ahead", "Rossingnol", "Butterfly", and "C U On The Other Side". (Vocalists, Neo Soul) CD

Anderson.Paak heads to Ventura for this one – and something about that sunny coastal city brings out his soul influences after the primarily hip hop-leaning Oxnard! Paak leads on his raspy sung style for this one, an easygoing hip hop soul sound that's built to last, and again bringing in a heavy hitting of roster guests – including Andre 3000, Nate Dogg, Lalah Hathaway, Brandy and even Smokey Robinson – on tracks including "Come Home", "Make It Better" with Smokey Robinson, "Reachin' 2 Much", "King James", "Goodheels" with Jazmine Sullivan, "Yada Yada", "Jet Black" with Brandy, "Twilight" and "Chosen One" with Sonyae Elise and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Gorgeous sounds from Xenia Franca – a Brazilian soul singer with a sound and style that should make her huge, if the world has any justice – but who's also more than great enough as the kind of special discovery that keeps us searching for unusual music from around the globe! Xenia's got a voice that's incredible – every bit as rich and powerful as any American female soul singer in recent years, but set to arrangements and instrumentation that are more inventive than anything in the mainstream – and which seem to get a special sort of crispy crackle from the Portuguese in the lyrics. We loved her first album, but this one is even more amazing – with titles that include "Magica", "From The Heights", "Ancestral Infinito", "Futurivel", "Interstelar", and "Animus X Anima", which features a guest appearance from Arthur Verocai! (Brazil, Neo Soul) CD