David Boykin works here in a very different guise than his usual role as a saxophonist – stepping out here with a range of different singers, in a set of tracks that showcase a whole new side of his talents! The music is a mix of modern jazz vocals and contemporary soul modes – different depending on the singers, who shift from cut to cut – at a level that sometimes echoes June Tyson or Abbey Lincoln, other times reflects more contemporary work from the underground! As always with Boykin's CDs, the notes are a bit spare, so it's hard to tell who did what in terms of the music – but we can say that the set features vocals from Abeeku, Consuela Ivy-Vaughn, Dark Mery, Liz Mputu, and Ugochi – on titles that include "Listen Up", "She Was Screaming", "What The Afrofuture Say", "Slow Sweet Burn", "Conspiracy", and "Of My Voice". (Jazz, Neo Soul) CD

The great CD release of two previous albums from this hip contemporary combo – two vinyl albums back to back on a single CD! Both albums have a fantastic blend of jazz, contemporary soul, and hip hop – served up by a group who can really get the sound right – Terrace Martin on keyboards and alto, Robert Glasper on keyboards, Kamasi Washington on tenor, and 9th Wonder on beats! Vocals on most tracks are by Phoelix, who really helps give the instrumentation some focus – yet the jazz component of the record is never buried under the lyrics, as the players get plenty of space to do their thing – with a vibe that's a bit like some of Glasper's Black Radio project, yet given much more the kind of cool Crenshaw vibe that we've loved in Martin's previous records. All four artists are credited with songwriting and production and you can really hear that balance in the sound – on tracks that include "Love You Bad", "Sleepless Nights", "The Mighty Tree", "Freeze Tag", "Luv U", "Sleepless Nights", and "From My Heart & Soul". The Dessert album offers up a reworked version of the core record – with titles that are partly remixes, partly reworks – with guest appearances from Snoop Dog, Cordae, Herbie Hancock, Reuben Vincent, and others! (Jazz, Neo Soul) CD

Lizz Wright continues to grow and grow with each new release – with a style that's maybe more globalist than just the jazz and soul vocal modes that first informed her music – this really expressive mode that's moved into territory that's all Lizz's own – and which takes all these different shapes throughout the set! A key force in creativity here is bassist Chris Bruce – an artist we loved years back, when he was part of our Chicago scene – clearly a talent who's also evolved tremendously, and is a great partner for Wright, with whom he co-wrote some of the album's best tracks. The set features guest appearances from Meshell Ndegeocello, Brandee Younger, and Angelique Kidjo – and titles include "Root Of Mercy", "Sweet Feeling", "Lost In The Valley", "Circling", "Who Knows Where The Time Goes", "No More Will I Run", "This Way", "Your Love", and "Sparrow". CD

Lizz Wright continues to grow and grow with each new release – with a style that's maybe more globalist than just the jazz and soul vocal modes that first informed her music – this really expressive mode that's moved into territory that's all Lizz's own – and which takes all these different shapes throughout the set! A key force in creativity here is bassist Chris Bruce – an artist we loved years back, when he was part of our Chicago scene – clearly a talent who's also evolved tremendously, and is a great partner for Wright, with whom he co-wrote some of the album's best tracks. The set features guest appearances from Meshell Ndegeocello, Brandee Younger, and Angelique Kidjo – and titles include "Root Of Mercy", "Sweet Feeling", "Lost In The Valley", "Circling", "Who Knows Where The Time Goes", "No More Will I Run", "This Way", "Your Love", and "Sparrow". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that continues that journey past jazz that reedman David Boykin has given us on a few recent releases – an EP that features two surprisingly soulful cuts, yet which still have some great tenor solos as well! Manu Wise delivers some lyrics on "Calculations" – a cut that has this really wonderful slow-stepping, soulful glow –summed up wonderfully by David's tenor solo at the end! "Love In The Afternoon" is even cooler – a stepping funky number with vocals from a trio of singers and a bit of turntable work – really wonderful, and with a quality that's as if Strata East released a soul single back in the day! (Jazz, Neo Soul) CD

Maybe the most righteous music we've ever heard from keyboardist Robert Glasper – and that's saying a heck of a lot, given his legacy of albums over the years! This project feels different than the previous Black Radio releases by Glasper – different than his initial blending of jazz modes and contemporary soul – and maybe more strongly driven by mission and purpose, with a quality that really comes through right from the very first note! Glasper's piano and keyboards still have that strong sense of shape we love so much – but they're maybe more heady and serious, and really set a fantastic tone for the album's many contributions from important voices like Esperanza Spaulding, BJ The Chicago Kid, Amir Sulaiman, Lalah Hathaway, Common, Posdnuos, Q Tip, Gregory Porter, Ledisi, HER, and others – a lineup who really elevate the already-sublime tone of the record. We've always found inspiration in the music of Robert Glasper – but it's also an amazing thing to see him rise to an almost statesman-like position with a project like this – on titles that include "Black Superhero", "Shine", "Why We Speak", "Better Than I Imagined", "Everybody Love", "It Don't Matter", "Heaven's Here", "Forever", and a surprisingly strong cover of "Everybody Wants To Rule The World". (Jazz, Neo Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A flagship record from the wonderful Dome label – one of the hippest homes to contemporary soul on the other side of the Atlantic – and a company that's given us great music for over two decades! This set is one of their key early releases – a brilliant set from Hil St Soul – a singer who just grew and grew in popularity after this release. Hil's got a sweetly jazzy style – a bit like some of the underground NuSoul singers in the US in at the same time, but maybe with some of the crispness of the London scene too – and she sings here with some nicely restrained arrangements that have a good focus on beats and lots of warm instrumentation over the top, never too hype, just right for her personal style. Titles include "Strictly A Vibe Thing", "Just A Matter Of Time", "Nostalgia", "Concrete Jungle", "Free Spirit", "There For Me", "Until You Come Back To Me", "For Your Love", and "Props". CD

Incognito have done it again! It's been over 10 years since Incognito first hooked up with the Talking Loud label – and that relationship has led to some of the strongest new soul releases of the past decade! For this release, leader/producer Jean-Paul "Bluey" Maunick has pulled together a number of different singers – who alternate leads on the album's 12 tracks, each vocalizing in a sweetly jazzy mode, perfect for the kind of grooves you'd expect from the group. The album's an all-original batch of tracks – as great as any other they've recorded, and one of their most unified albums in years! Titles include "Stay Mine", "Bring You Down", "Slow Down", "Skin On My Skin", "Worlds Collide", "Got To Know", "Reach Out" and "On The Road". CD

Wonderful work from Incognito – perhaps their greatest album ever! By the time of this 1993 release, this Brit funky soul combo was in perfect form – blending together classic modes of jazz funk into a tight modern blend that's lasted a lot longer than anyone might have thought at the time. From the perspective of nearly a decade later, this album glistens like a lost soul jewel – perfectly fitting in between some of our favorite 70s albums, and a few of the better sides from recent years. The vocals are great, the riffing is tight, and the production is smooth and soulful all the way through. Tracks include "Still A Friend Of Mine", "Positivity", "Smiling Faces", "Do Right", "Talkin Loud", and "Thinkin About Tomorrow". CD

A stunning little set from Incognito – the group's first full album on Talkin Loud records, and a set that's head and shoulders above their earlier jazz funk from the 80s! The sound here has a real "instant classic" quality – not just because it's dripping with the best references from the jazzier side of 70s soul (think Fantasy Records at its best!) – but also because it's so well put together, with a sense of instrumentation that's tight, yet an overall groove that's relaxed and fairly spontaneous – something that was quite rare at the time the record was released! Bluey is at the height of his powers here – stepping strongly into a run of great work that would last for well over a decade – and other key figures include Maysa Leak on vocals, Kevin Robinson on trumpet, and Graham Harvey and Peter Hinds on keyboards. Titles include a killer remake of Stevie Wonder's "Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing", plus "Change", "Colibri", "Magnetic Ocean", "Closer To The Feeling", "Tribal Vibes", "Pyramid", and "I Love What You Do For Me". CD

We've loved the music of soul singer Ledisi since her first self-released album back in the 90s – and since that time, she's matured even more as a vocalist – to a point where she can easily take on the music of Nina Simone with all the glory it deserves! This special set features Ledisi singing with accompaniment from the Metropole Orkest and New Orleans Jazz Orchestra – each of whom bring a sense of fullness, but in different ways – as Ledisi stretches out the tunes with the kind of sophistication and richness that Nina might have done – but in a voice that's all her own. The set features guests appearances from Lizz Wright and Alice Smith – but Ledisi hardly needs them at all, as she's very firmly in the lead – on titles that include "Feeling Good", "Wild Is The Wind", "Work Song", "Four Women", "Ne Me Quitte Pas", "My Baby Just Cares For Me", and "I'm Going Back Home". LP, Vinyl record album

We've loved the music of soul singer Ledisi since her first self-released album back in the 90s – and since that time, she's matured even more as a vocalist – to a point where she can easily take on the music of Nina Simone with all the glory it deserves! This special set features Ledisi singing with accompaniment from the Metropole Orkest and New Orleans Jazz Orchestra – each of whom bring a sense of fullness, but in different ways – as Ledisi stretches out the tunes with the kind of sophistication and richness that Nina might have done – but in a voice that's all her own. The set features guests appearances from Lizz Wright and Alice Smith – but Ledisi hardly needs them at all, as she's very firmly in the lead – on titles that include "Feeling Good", "Wild Is The Wind", "Work Song", "Four Women", "Ne Me Quitte Pas", "My Baby Just Cares For Me", and "I'm Going Back Home". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent bit of modern soul – a smooth seductive album that fits perfectly with an older mellow groove, but which also sparkles with the best recent efforts of the past decade. Maxwell's got a wonderful vocal style – reminding us a bit of classic Isley Brothers, Leon Ware, or O'Jays in a ballad mode – and it sits perfectly amidst warm jazzy arrangements by Musze, filled with all the subtle instrumental touches (keyboards, sax, and guitar) you'd find on a late album by Marvin Gaye, or some of the slow jams by the Isleys. The vibe is warm and acoustic, and the record's a wonderful return to a classic mellow midtempo soul style – and did quite well upon its initial release. Also interesting was the fact that the record was pressed up heavily on vinyl – something that was rare for a mainstream soul album at the time, and which was particularly ubiquitous in our hometown of Chicago, where DJs on the steppers scene were snatching up the record like hotcakes! Includes the titles "Ascension", "Whenever Wherever Whatever", "Lonely's The Only Company (parts 1 & 2)", "Reunion", and "Suitelady (The Proposal Jam)" – but the whole thing's great! CD

A great one from Monday Michiru – sweet, soulful, and totally right on the money! The set's almost a return to the warm soul territory that first won us over in Monday's work from the 90s – as she takes on a whole host of older American soul tunes by Stevie Wonder, Teena Marie, and others – sung with a wonderfully mature vocal approach, and set to jazzy backings that really help change things up – and make the record way more than just a simple set of cover versions! There's a great blend here – the instrumental depth that Monday's shown in recent recordings, and the straightforward soul of the early years – all handled with just the right production balance to make it come off perfectly. Titles include "Best Of My Love", "Um Amigo", "I Can't Help It", "Ooh La La La", "Don't Disturb This Groove", "You Are The Universe", and "As". LP, Vinyl record album

An EP release – but one that offers up a great standout moment in the career of Monday Michiru – and a record that has the power to knock away most other contemporary soul of the time! Monday's picking up a bit more of a clubby vibe than her earlier years – getting great help from Masters At Work on a remix of "Sunshine After The Rain" – which was one of our favorite tracks from the Jazz Brat album! She also serves up a uniquely rhythmic take on the Minnie Riperton classic "Lovin You" – alongside other good cuts that include "Love Flow", "Far To Go", "Where Is The Passion", and the instrumental track "Mermaid". LP, Vinyl record album

Moor Mother's an artist who just keeps on getting more and more interesting with each new release – definitely in a genre that's completely her own – one that lives up to the spirit of west coast underground pioneers in recent decades – and, as with those artists, seemingly finds a sonic space that none of us knew existed! Under her real name, Camae Ayewa, Moor Mother has roots in musical education in the world of higher learning – and here, she's managed to draw together many strands of that experience into a voice that's not only all her own, but completely organic and laidback too – a mixture of hip hop, soul, spoken word, and some of the jazzier currents promised in the title. Nearly every single track features a collaboration – artists include Nicole Mitchell, Melanie Charles, Jason Moran, Wolf Weston, and many others – and titles include "Woody Shaw", "Ode To Mary", "Umzansi", "Golden Lady", "Blame", "Blues Away", "Dust Together", "Arms Save", "Barely Woke", "Rap Jasm", and "Joe McPhee Nation Time Intro". (Neo Soul, Neo Soul) CD

A wonderful release on the Trama label – very much in the tradition of Trama's blending of new and old Brazilian styles! Jair is a wonderful singer – with a warm soulful voice that's instantly captivating, and which sounds even better set in the album's well-crafted arrangements. There's bits of jazz and electronics flowing through the mix, but the overall presentation leaves Jair plenty of room to take the lead, interacting magically with guitar and keyboards, and sounding better and better with each new song! Titles include "Bom Dia Anjo", "Dor De Ressaca", "Frio Pra Bem Longe", "Uma Outra Beleza", "Ficar No Escuro", "Local Proibido", "Falso Amor", and "Sou Teu Nego". (Brazil, Neo Soul) CD

One of those records that kind of snuck under the radar at the time – but which has gone onto become a crucial part of soul music from the 90s, and a record that's one of the blueprints for the neo soul generation to come! Sweetback are a trio of musicians who provided important backing for Sade – the kind of warm, classic-styled soul grooves that made her a standout right from the start – and which also inspired a whole generation of musicians to leave behind some of the more electronic modes they were using in the 80s. The set really marks a shift back towards warmer, jazzier, more human sounds of soul music in the 90s – and in addition to great instrumentation by the core trio, the set also features some early vocals from Amel Larrieux, plus work from Maxwell too. Titles include "You Will Rise", "Au Naturel", "Walk Of Ju", "Softly Softly", and "Sensations". LP, Vinyl record album

A (sadly) posthumous release from Amy Winehouse – a voice we loved for a couple good years before knowing how troubled she was in real life and now lament the loss of – and this set, largely put together by producer Salaam Remi turned out surprisingly well! It'd be pretty easy to bow to cynicism, but for our money, there's more than enough strong stuff here. It features production by Remi, plus Mark Ronson on a couple tracks, and it's a mix of styles that ably demonstrate Amy's depth as an interpreter. There's some great, kinda late night jazzy soul numbers, classic level 60s R&B and thoroughly modern hip hop soul – all with strong vocal performances from Amy. Includes "Our Day Will Come", "Between The Cheats", "Tears Dry (Original Version)", "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow (2011)", "Like Smoke" feat Nas (and some eerily timely lyricism, as of this album's release date), "Valerie ('68 Version)", "Half Time", "The Girl From Ipanema", "Half Time", "Body & Soul" with Tony Bennett, "A Song For You" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Contemporary grooves with a cosmic undercurrent – some wonderful tracks from the Kindred Spirits label – a real 21st Century heir to spiritual modes of expression from the 60s and 70s! As with the first volume in this series, the styles here are heavy on influences from jazz – especially in the keyboards – but also bring in a fair bit of current sounds as well – broken beats, choppy rhythms, and spun-out instrumental bits that are often in the spirit of the post-4 Hero generation. The few warmer, mellower moments flesh out the record with a fair bit of spirit – and although some of the tracks have been out on other Kindred Spirits releases, there appear to be others here exclusive to the set. Titles include "Raw War" by Mweslee, "Dirtdegree" by Tom Grago, "Holdin Up" by Rich Medina, "Wonderlove (Jazzanova rmx)" by Heavy, "Till Tomorrow" by Rednose Distrikt, "Moving In Circles" by Nomo, "Door Of The Cosmos (12" mix)" by Build An Ark, "Spread" by Meikbar, "Roll On" by Flowriders, "Dickriders" by INT, and "Say What" by Chico Mann. (New Grooves, Neo Soul) CD