Stunning work from Lucas Arruda – a record we love even more than his first – and we totally loved that one to death! The sound here is prime Brazilian 70s at its best – that magical moment when jazz, fusion, and older bossa-schooled styles all came together in a really unique blend – and also helped Brazil find its own unique sense of soul, too – a quality that really came forth in the best work from Azymuth and Marcos Valle at the end of the decade! No surprise, Lucas has Azymuth bassist Alex Malheiros and Valle collaborator Leon Ware both on board to help out with the record – but the strength of the set is clearly all Arruda's own – as his vocals are wonderful, with a soulful expression that's vaguely in the Ed Motta side of the spectrum – mixed with his own warm lines on Fender Rhodes, which totally warm things up! Production is perfect, and equally vintage – and the album's a treasure we'll be loving for years. Titles include "Uma Onda", "Melt The Night", "Vento Sul", "Kalunga", "Solar", "O Mar O Samba E O Sol", "Beyond The Sea", and "Agua". (Brazil, Neo Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

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

A contemporary group, but one who do a stunning job of cooking up 80s-styled club cuts – just the right balance of boogie, funk, and soul – all handled with a lean vibe that's like some of our favorite rare 12" singles from back in the day! Another Taste are a real group, not just a producer with beats, keyboards, and samples – and you can definitely hear their live interaction throughout – an extra-special sort of warmth that really knocks things out of the park, and which easily makes the album stand next to our favorites from the Capitol Rare generation! Titles include "Perfect Night", "Mad Honey Theme", "Time Is On Our Side", "Turn Up", "It Takes Time", and "Anything You Want". (New Grooves, Neo Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A double disc CD & DVD package showcasing one of our favorite souful acts on the contemporary landscape – Nicolay & Phonte's brilliant and ever-evolving Foreign Exchange project! Dear Friends showcases an acoustic concert performed for a private audience –- the great touring lineup that includes Zo!, Sy Smith, and singer/songwriter Jeanne Jolly. From the get go, we've been impressed by both the original songwriting from Foreign Exchange as well as the way they filter diverse influences into their own unique vibe – and this acoustic setting really gets to the heart and soul of it. This is an essential document for fans of the group, but it's also a fine intro if you're just now coming aboard! The live set includes "Fight For Love", "All Roads", "Take Off The Blues", "Lose Your Way", "Greatest Weapon Of All Time", a nice cover of James Taylor's "Something In The Way She Moves", "Laughing At Your Plans", "Daykeeper", "House Of Cards", Zo!'s "Greatest Weapon Of All Time" and "I Wanna Know". Also includes 2 new studio tracks: "Steal Away" feat vocals by Jeanny Jolly and piano by Zo! and "All The Kisses" feat Amber & Paris Strother of KING. CD

A stunning debut from Jarrod Lawson – a singer we fell in love with right away – and who we'd rank right up there with some our favorite mellow soul artists of the 70s! Yes, the cover's got a look that's more indie rock – but Jarrod's got this righteous vibe and sense of flow that seems to tie together distant strands of influence – from Marvin Gaye to Gil Scott Heron to jazz singers like Al Jarreau, Kurt Elling, or Mark Murphy! Backings are jazzy, but with a focused, soulful groove – warmed up by keyboards, but kept fresh with lots of live instrumentation that really matches the rich sense of inflection in Lawson's voice – an amazing range, but one that's never overstated, overdone, or overused. All the tracks are originals – and the record's one that you'll be spinning for years to come! Titles include "Sleepwalkers", "Walk In The Park", "Redemption", "Needed", "Everything I Need", "All That Surrounds", "Spiritual Eyes", and "Together We'll Stand". CD

Terrace Martin is an artist who just keeps on getting deeper and deeper over the years – an already-great jazz musician, but one who's widened his scope to touch on broader currents of soul and hip hop – all of which really open up with the jazz-based energy at the core! At some level, this record might be to Martin's career what the Black Radio project was to Robert Glasper – as Terrace opens the door to all-star guests who include Kim Burrell, Leon Bridges, Ty Dolla $ign, Kendrick Lamar, Kamasi Washington, and even Glasper himself – while also finding space to serve up a few key tracks on his own, without any guests – tracks that may well be some of our favorite on the album. Titles include "Turning Poison Into Medicine", "Drones", "Leave Us Be", "Don't Let Go", "Listen", "Sick Of Cryin", "Leimert Park", "Tapped", and "Griots Of The Crenshaw District". (Jazz, Neo Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Great contemporary soul from Marc Staggers – a singer who really takes us back to some of our favorite mellow soul singers of the 70s! Like some of our favorites, Staggers sounds especially great when hitting a midtempo groove – kind of a smooth stepping style that has the rhythms tripping along nicely while his rich vocals really take off over the top! Nothing's ever overdone or forced – and like a small range of true talents in this area, Marc's got a way of keeping things understated at all the right moments – while still making us really feel his vibe. Titles include "Partner For Life", "Bring Me Back", "Be My Girl", "So Amazing", "I Wanna Spend My Life With You", and "I Like The Way". CD

Wonderful work from one of our favorite soul singers of recent years – the amazing Lewis Taylor, one of the freshest voices in R&B of the past decade! The album's Lewis' second on his own label – and it's even better than the first, with a tightness and sweetness that are instantly infectious. Lewis has dropped some of the experimental moments of earlier albums, and gone for a song structure that's more straightforward and direct – but never commercial or slick – just honest, open and fresh! His vocals have a lightly floating feel that's a bit of a change – set up perfectly next to skipping drums, sweet keyboards, and nice touches on guitar that really pull out some of his jazzier tendencies, and almost create a Shuggie Otis feel at times! Another instant classic from Lewis, filled with great tunes that include "Out Of My Head Is The Way I Feel", "Carried Away", "Keep Right On", "When Will I Ever Learn 2", "Throw Me A Line", "Won't Fade Away", "Keep On Keeping On", and "Positively Beautiful 2". LP, Vinyl record album