Deja Vu is 2010's bookend to 2008's Dukey Treats. That record explored George Duke's funk roots and channeled everything from Earth, Wind & Fire to P-Funk, artists who inspired his own successful run of funk outings. Deja Vu revisits Duke's love of electric funky jazz. Here he recalls some of the production and musical techniques he employed in the '70s. Along with playing a load of synths (mono and analog), Rhodes and Wurlitzer electric pianos, clavinet, acoustic piano, and even miniMoog bass are in abundance, too. The production is pure retro; compared to the contemporary jazz recordings of the 21st century, Deja Vu sounds almost organic.
Archie Shepp has long established a reputation as a fiery avant-garde jazz stylist, though he is remarkably restrained in this collection of ballads recorded in 2001. The rhapsodic songs help restrain him somewhat, along with the presence of the terrific rhythm section, consisting of pianist Harold Mabern, bassist George Mraz, and drummer Billy Drummond. "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life" has a few rough edges to retain Shepp's personal flavor, while the rhumba setting of Sidney Bechet's "Petite Fleur" works well, too.
Canadian singer-songwriter John Vehadija has assembled a stellar cast for the project Light Freedom Revival, and their new album ‘Eterniverse Déjà Vu’ is released on March 7th, 2017. Accompanying him are Billy Sherwood (Drums, Bass, Guitar, Keyboards), Oliver Wakeman (Lead Keyboards), Eric Gillette (Lead Guitar) and Marisa Frantz (Harmony Vocals) as a like minded group of spiritual individuals who have joined together on this 13 track LP to lend their own skilled touches to help create a bigger sound in order to explore the concept of how consciousness and positive energy shape all our future destinies.
This film is absolutely engrossing. It is highly entertaining, very moving and sometimes extraordinary - and always captivating…