Focus 47

The sprawling double LP Four Letter Monday Afternoon is generally considered the best effort from these jazzy Krautrockers. Rats Road, issued 30 years later, consists of recordings from those same sessions that had to be left off the original release because of lack of space, with material nearly as strong. Like Four Letter, this finds Out of Focus expanded to an 11-piece and stretching out on long jams with loose, funky rhythms and lots of lengthy instrumentals on various brass, keyboards, and guitar. In fact, this record is even more instrumental, with only two tracks with vocals, the energetic "I'd Like to Be Free" and "Tell Me What I'm Thinking Of," the latter which also appeared as a bonus track titled "When I'm Sleeping" on the CD reissue of Four Letter Monday Afternoon…

The sprawling double LP Four Letter Monday Afternoon is generally considered the best effort from these jazzy Krautrockers. Rats Road, issued 30 years later, consists of recordings from those same sessions that had to be left off the original release because of lack of space, with material nearly as strong. Like Four Letter, this finds Out of Focus expanded to an 11-piece and stretching out on long jams with loose, funky rhythms and lots of lengthy instrumentals on various brass, keyboards, and guitar. In fact, this record is even more instrumental, with only two tracks with vocals, the energetic "I'd Like to Be Free" and "Tell Me What I'm Thinking Of," the latter which also appeared as a bonus track titled "When I'm Sleeping" on the CD reissue of Four Letter Monday Afternoon…

Yussef Kamaal - Black Focus (2016) {Brownswood Recordings BWOOD0157CD}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 260 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 104 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 73 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2016 Brownswood Recordings | BWOOD0157CD
Jazz / Contemporary Jazz / Soul Jazz / Broken Beat / Jazz Funk / Electro Jazz

Yussef Kamaal is the South London duo of drummer/percussionist Yussef Dayes and Kamaal Williams (Henry Wu) on Rhodes piano and synth. The former is best known for his work as kit man for cosmic Afrobeat ensemble United Vibrations. The latter is also a producer whose dubplates have garnered wide-ranging critical notice. Gilles Peterson signed them to Brownswood based on witnessing a 20-minute live set.

For their eleventh studio album, Dutch legends Focus continue on with the more jazzy sounds that have permeated their more recent efforts, 11 also sporting some pretty nifty Roger Dean artwork and, you guessed it, eleven new songs. For a band whose history goes back to 1969, it might seem somewhat surprising that they've only now just released their eleventh studio album, but after a long period of inactivity in the '80s and '90s this is their seventh new release since 2002, which includes live albums and compilations.
Thijs van Leer and Pierre van der Linden are obviously members from the classic era of the band, but Gootjes has been around for a number of years, and Pannekeet is the newest recruit, joining around the time of their Focus 8.5 release…

Arthur Blythe - Focus (2002) {Savant Records SCD 2044}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 345 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 147 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 36 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2002 Savant Records | SCD 2044
Jazz / Contemporary Jazz / Post Bop / Saxophone

Altoist Arthur Blythe has always loved to play in unusual instrumental settings. His soulful sound and adventurous style are quite flexible and they sound right at home in this set with Gust William Tsilis on bass marimba, Bob Stewart on tuba, and drummer Cecil Brooks III. The performances are lyrical and often melodic, but searching and unpredictable. Blythe contributed eight of the dozen songs (including "Opus 1," "My Son Ra," and "Bubbles") in addition to digging into "C.C. Rider," Thelonious Monk's obscure "Children's Song," "Stuffy Turkey," and "In a Sentimental Mood." In grooves ranging from New Orleans to R&B-ish, along with freer explorations, this is a continually colorful set of high-quality music.

In the 1970s, concurrent with his role as de facto leader of the progressive rock band Focus, Thijs van Leer released several solo albums, most notably the four Introspection albums, recorded in collaboration with Rogier van Otterloo (arranger/conductor), Letty de Jong (soprano vocalist), and Ruud Jacobs (producer).
Light classical work, nice job all around and an immense succes in The Netherlands where many copies of this record (and the follow ups) were sold.