High Life

Solomon Ilori and His Afro-Drum Ensemble - African High Life (1963) {Blue Note Connoisseur CD Series}
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© 1963, 2006 Blue Note / Capitol | Connoisseur CD Series | 0946 3 59440 2 0
International / Jazz / World / African Traditions / Highlife

African High Life is the debut album by Nigerian drummer and percussionist Solomon Ilori recorded in 1963 and released on the Blue Note label. The album was reissued on CD in 2006 with three bonus tracks recorded at a later session. It seems strange that Blue Note, a label generally associated with bop, hard bop, and the early avant-garde, would have released an album like African High Life. It didn't really fit in with Blue Note's back catalog and – perhaps as a result – the label didn't tread these waters again for a number of years. Regardless, this is a very enjoyable if not essential album of traditional African highlife music set to dance tempos.

Stuart A. Staples of Tindersticks scores music for Claire Denis' film 'High Life'. 'High Life' was written and directed by Denis and stars Robert Pattinson and Juliette Binoche in the lead roles. It focuses on a group of criminals who are tricked into believing they will be freed if they participate in a mission to travel on a spaceship towards a black hole to find an alternate energy source while being sexually experimented on by the scientists on board. ‘Willow’ performed by tindersticks and featuring guest vocals from Robert Pattison was written for the final scene of the film.

Brian Eno & Karl Hyde - High Life (2014) {Opal WARPCD255}
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© 2014 Opal / Warp Records | WARPCD255
Electronic / Synth Pop / Electro-Acoustic / Alternative

High Life, the second collaboration between Brian Eno and Underworld's Karl Hyde, began immediately after the completion of Someday World. Its release follows a mere two months later. While some traits of the former are present here – a heavy reliance on African-sourced rhythms, and hypnotically repetitive keyboard and bassline – it is a very different companion. While the pair relied on more formal "song forms" on Someday World, High Life is looser. These six tracks place more value on jamming. The centerpiece is Hyde's guitar. It's front and center throughout, with myriad rhythm tracks close behind. A two-chord reinvention of Chuck Berry's signature riff commences album-opener "Return" before becoming subsumed in sonic treatments and Edge-like sounds.

Turning to involved percussion tracks and horns, Winwood turns another musical corner on this sophisticated album, which contains echoes of everything from gospel to Caribbean music. Contains the number one hit "Higher Love".

This is the second album by Scottish R&B vocalist Frankie Miller, this time recorded in Atlanta. The album is a nice mix of songs, half of which were self-penned. A note of interest: Miller's version of "Play Something Sweet" was released a year before Three Dog Night had their hit with the same song.

The Puppini Sisters' fifth studio album, The High Life, is the trio's first with Emma Smith joining original members Marcella Puppini and Kate Mullins. Aside from new membership, the vocal group stays the course, offering more of their close-knit, three-part harmonies on versions of big-band classics, a couple of original songs, and swing era-inspired rearrangements of more contemporary hits. The trio holds a few surprises in its selections of the latter, such as a medley of the Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight" and Sia's "Chandelier," and a fluid cover of Missy Elliott's "Work It." Their take on "Rapper's Delight" works especially well, riding the original's natural swing.

Seven years after his last solo project, Wayne Shorter returns with HIGH LIFE, which proceeds from the point where ATLANTIS, PHANTOM NAVIGATOR and JOY RIDER left off. With the assistance of master bassist-producer Marcus Miller and keyboardist Rachel Z., Shorter has fashioned a sumptuous series of harmonically detailed tone poems, anchored by the contemporary rhythm-n-ning of former Living Colour drummer Will Calhoun.HIGH LIFE won the 1997 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Performance.