If the powerful bluesy vocals of Lucy Woodward accompanied by the playful jazz piano of Henry Hey don’t enthrall you, then I might need to seriously consider your sanity. The two artists have teamed up as The Guests for a cover of Bill Withers’ (with only a pronoun difference in the title) Who Is She (And What Is She To You) (seen/heard here) replacing Withers’ former “He” with…
Read MoreSteeped in multi-genre influences, Zaki Ibrahim is a force of musical nature that refuses to be denied. As comfortable on the dance floor as in the living room, and as important as it is entertaining, the music that Zaki Ibrahim creates is moving on all levels. Enter Cut Loose, from Ibrahim’s latest (March 2021) LP, The Secret Life Of Plants. Elements of 70′s styled R&B and pop are everywhere, and yet this is a modern offering, not a retro affair. What those influences contribute, so, too, do modern dance…
Read MoreMalika Tirolien may be familiar to you if you are a fan of Snarky Puppy, a collective of musicians who have made a name for themselves in instrumental music influenced by jazz, hip-hop, rhythm and blues, pop music and more. Malika sang on the group’s Grammy-winning Family Dinner – Volume One. A singer, songwriter, and pianist based in Montreal, Malika will wow you with her music and style as noted here on GROW, from the recent (February 2021) LP, HIGHER. This electric, energy-driven, track explores jazz, funk, and R&B…
Read MoreLike other blues, rhythm and blues, and soul artists before him, Charles Bradley defined his music with heart-felt and hard-won emotions that followed his hard life and eventual musical discovery. Those life experiences were the defining characteristic of music that demanded that the listener sit up and take notice. On what would have been Charles Bradley’s 70th birthday, Dunham Records (a division of Daptone) has released a collection of Bradley recordings made in the studio during the recording sessions of each of his three long players….
Read MoreVodka readers may remember Sara Niemietz from our review of Taxi Outside from her wonderful EP Fountain and Vine about a year ago. Enter Sara’s first full-length LP, Travel Light (July 2017) which includes 10 pop, jazz, lounge tracks-polished musical gemstones really, featuring Sara’s powerful and beautiful vocals. There is so much to love about this music. Travel Light kicks off with what we would call a straight-up pop song, New Things. Don’t Walk Me Home follows up with a bluesy tune in the vein of Taxi Outside. Monroe is…
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